ght days without ever
stirring out, all which time one might have imagined one's self out of the
world; for excepting the bell for dinner, a silence reigned throughout the
whole, as if the place had been uninhabited.

A little before dark, on the eighth evening, we heard a violent knocking at
the gate, which was no sooner opened than there entered a young officer
booted and spurred, who acquainted the fathers that he was sent by the
governor to conduct us to Chaco. This young man was the governor's son, by
which means he obtained a command next in authority, upon this island, to
his father. He ought to have been kept at school, for he was a vain empty
coxcomb, much disliked by the people upon the island. After taking leave of
the Jesuits, who, I imagine, were not sorry to be rid of us, after finding
their expectations baulked, we set out, having about thirty soldiers on
horseback to attend us. We rode about eight miles that night, when we came
to an Estancia, or farm-house, belonging to an old lady, who had two
handsome daughters. Here we were very well entertained, and the good old
lady seemed to have great compassion on us. She asked the governor's son if
he thought his father would have any objection to my passing a month with
her at her farm. As she was a person of rank in this island, he said he
would acquaint his father with her request, and made no doubt but he would
grant it. I observed our soldiers, when they came into the house, had none
of them any shoes on, but wore buskins, like the Indians, without any feet
to them. They all had monstrous great spurs, some of silver and others of
copper, which made a rattling when they walked, like chains. They were all
stout strong-looking men, as the Spaniards, natives of the island, in
general are. After a good supper, we had sheep-skins laid near the fire for
us to sleep on.

Early in the morning we mounted again, and after riding some miles across
the country, we came to the water-side, where we found several periagoes
waiting for us, with some officers in them. Most of the soldiers dismounted
and embarked with us, few only being sent round with the horses. It was
three days before we arrived at Chaco, as the tides between this island and
the main are so rapid that no boat can stem them. The same precaution was
taken here as at Castro; we passed through a whole lane of soldiers, armed
as I mentioned those to have been before, excepting a few who really had
match-locks