Accidents > Dangers of the deep, or, Narratives of shipwreck and adventure at sea

RECEPTION BY THE SPANIARDS. 225
eager to land, having been terrified to that de¬
gree with this run, that if it had not been for
us, every soul must have perished ; for he had
very near got in amongst the breakers, where
the sea drove with such violence upon the
rocks, that not even an Indian could have
escaped, especially as it was in the night. We
kept off till we got into smooth water, and land¬
ed on the island of Chiloe; though in a part of
it that was not inhabited. Here we staid all
the next day, in a very heavy snow, to recover
ourselves a little after our fatigue; but the cold
was so excessive, having neither shoe nor
stocking, we thought we should have lost our
feet; and Captain Cheap was so ill, that if he
had had but a few leagues further to have gone
without relief, he could not have held out
It pleased God now, that our sufferings, in a
great measure, were drawing to an end.
What things our cacique had brought with
him from the wreck, he here buried under
ground, in order to conceal them from the
Spaniards, who would not have left him a
rusty nail if they had known of it. Towards
evening, we set off again; and about nine
the same night, to our great joy, we observed
something that had the appearance of a house.