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462 CI.IitATH ET VER RANCHO. J une
soil being usually of a tenacious, clayey nature, and streams
of water numerous, moisture sufficient for vegetation is ensured,
even at the dryest periods. Indeed, these countries never have
suffered from drought ; their climate being a happy mean
between the dry, parching heat of Northern Chile, or Peru,
and the continual wet, wind, and chilliness of Chiloe.
The first river we had to cross was not more than fifty feet
wide, but the banks were hollow and rotten. Our guide looked
along the stream till he fovmd a tree which had fallen across,
so as to form a bridge over two-thirds of the width: and with
a pole in his hand, he climbed as far as the boughs would bear
him ; then finding that the water beneath was not above his
middle, he waded through the remainder. Unsaddling, we
sent all the gear across by help of the tree and lassoes, and
turned the horses over, much against their will, for they had
to plunge in and scramble out.
Again using our spurs, we hoped to pass the second river
also before dark, but in vain; there was only just daylight
enough left to see that it had overflowed its banks, and seemed
to be wide and rapid. Even Vogelborg thought it impossible
to cross before the next morning, so we turned back to look
for some hut in which we might obtain shelter from heavy
rain, which was beginning to pour down. The night was very
dark and our prospect rather comfortless, when we were fortunate
enough to find a ‘ rancho,’ and there we gladly took
refuge. Its owners were absent at a merry-making in the
‘ neighbourhood ’ (about twenty miles off!) ; their daughters,
however, and an Indian captive (from Boroa) were not deficient
in hospitality. Poor girls ! they were rather frightened at first,
at their house being so suddenly occupied, but our guide
quieted their alarm. As soon as the horses were provided for,
we looked about for food for ourselves, and could find nothing
but potatoes, till, hearing Vogelborg call for help in his broken
English, I ran to him thinking he was hurt or attacked.
He was struggling with a sheep which he had cauglit, and was
dragging to the hut. Greatly were the poor girls alarmed
when they saw that the sheep was to be sacrificed ; they exclaimed
that their father would beat them terribly, that the
sheep was worth eight rials !* A dollar for the sheep, and
another for each of themselves, altered their tone; and before
long we had such a fire and supper as the old ‘ rancho had
not witnessed since the wedding-day of its owners.
But what a night of penance we passed—the place swarmed
with fleas, not one moment could I rest, though very tired;
and it was raining too hard, and was too cold to sleep outside
in the open air. These insects are the torment of travellers
in Chile. The natives appear either not to feel, or not to be
attacked by them, but an unlucky stranger who ventures to
sleep within the walls of an inferior kind of house, or even
any country house, in Chile, is sure to be their victim. When
I stripped to bathe the next day, I found myself so covered,
from head to foot, with flea-bites, that I seemed to have a
violent rash, or the scarlet fever.
As the day broke (on the 26th) we mounted our horses, eager
to get away from such unceasing tormentors : and the Indian
girl undertook to show us a place where we might pass the
river, even flooded as it was. By the help of fallen trees, lassoes,
and poles, we conveyed ourselves and the saddles across ;
but to get the horses over was very difficult. The stream heing
rather wide and rapid, and the banks steep and rotten, occasioned
so much difficulty, that two whole hours were spent in
getting the animals across and out of the river. Our united
strength applied to good lassoes, was barely sufficient to help
the struggling and frightened creatures up the muddy broken
banks. When one had passed, the others followed in their turns
more readily ; but I thought we should have lost one of them.
From this river to Arauco was not above an hour’s ride, at the
pace we went, though it is called seven leagues.
During the last two days I had seen several Indians of pure
Araucanian blood, in their native dress, and was much struck
by the precise similarity of that worn by the women, to the dress
of the aborigines of Peru, as described and figured in Frezier’s
voyage. The square cloak, or mantle, thrown over the shoulders,
* Or a dollar, equal to about four shillings.
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