from starvation, the survivors
had been driven by the horrible stench of the corpses in the houses to
seek for pure air and provisions along the shore. Here they had been
killed by the savages, in whose possession a variety of European weapons
were seen.

Cavendish gave the name of Port Famine to the place, and the Spaniards
also call it in their charts Puerto de Hambre. For three weeks the
squadron lay in this sheltered harbour, unable to proceed on account of
contrary winds, but at length a fair breeze springing up, they cleared
the passage on the 24th of February, and entered the Pacific.

On the 1st of March a fearful storm coming on, the _Hugh Gallant_ was
lost sight of, and fears were entertained for her safety. For several
days the storm raged, but at length the _Desire_ and _Content_ managed
to put into Mocha, off the coast of Chili. Here, to the infinite relief
of all on board, they were soon afterwards joined by the _Hugh Gallant_;
but her crew were so greatly exhausted by labouring at the pumps, that
they could scarcely furl the sails.

Wishing to obtain provisions, Cavendish at once sent a boat to the main;
but the fierce Araucanians who inhabited the country, mistaking the crew
for Spaniards, of whom they have ever been the deadly enemies, furiously
assailed them, but were soon compelled to retreat by a few discharges of
the English calivers. They are the most warlike and intelligent
aborigines of the southern part of the continent.

The following day Cavendish landed on the island with seventy men, and
marched to the town of Santa Maria, where he was received in a friendly
way by the chief natives, who also fancied that they were their masters
the Spaniards. Here was a church with several storehouses near it, in
which had been collected the tribute of provisions destined for the
Spanish Governor. These stores, consisting of maize, potatoes, and
dried dog-fish, were at once unsuspectingly handed over to the English,
the inhabitants adding presents of hogs and fowls in large quantities.
In return Cavendish invited the two principal chiefs to dine on board
his ship, where he made them merry with wine, when to their astonishment
they found out that their hosts were not Spaniards, and that they had
handed over their tribute to the wrong persons! On this, nothing
disconcerted, the two chiefs appeared to be as friendly as ever, and
tried to induce the English to go across to Arauco, assuring them that