condescend, however, to cross the threshold, but leaned against
the door post to prevent falling, being by some degrees more drunk than
any of his people. A more finished picture of a savage cannot be
conceived. He was a tall, broad shouldered man; with a prodigiously
large head, and a square-shaped bloated face, from which peeped out two
very small eyes, partly hid by an immense superfluity of black, coarse,
oily, straight hair, covering his cheeks, hanging over his shoulders,
and rendering his head somewhat the shape and size of a bee-hive. Over
his shoulders was thrown a poncho of coarse blanket stuff. He received
them very gruffly, and appeared irritated and sulky at having been
disturbed; he was still more offended when he learned that they wished
to see his captive. They in vain endeavored to explain their real views;
but he grunted out his answer in a tone and manner which showed them
plainly that he neither did, nor wished to understand them.

Whilst in conversation with Peneleo, they stole an occasional glance at
his apartment. By the side of the fire burning in the middle of the
floor, was seated a young Indian woman, with long black hair reaching to
the ground; this, they conceived, could be no other than one of the
unfortunate persons they were in search of; and they were somewhat
disappointed to observe, that the lady was neither in tears, nor
apparently very miserable; they therefore came away impressed with the
unsentimental idea, that the amiable Peneleo had already made some
impression on her young heart.

Two Indians, who were not so drunk as the rest, followed them to the
outside of the court, and told them that several foreigners had been
taken by the Chilians in the battle near Chilian, and were now safe. The
interpreter hinted to them that this was probably invented by these
cunning people, on hearing their questions in the court; but he advised
them, as a matter of policy, to give them each a piece of money, and to
get away as far as they could.

Captain Hall returned to Conception on the 23d of October, reached
Valparaiso on the 26th, and in two weeks thereafter, the men of whom he
was in search, made their appearance.

The bloody career of Benavides now drew near to a close. The defeat on
the Chilian side of the Biobio, and the burning of Arauca with the loss
of his vessels, he never recovered. At length, in the end of December
1821, discovering the miserable state to which he was reduced, h