h
was some weeks, he laid aside half his daily pay to supply us, though he
had a wife and six children, and never could have the least hope or
expectation of any recompence. However, two years after this I had the
singular pleasure of making him some return, when my circumstances were
much better than his.

One night, when we were locked up, there happened a dreadful shock of an
earthquake. We expected every moment the roof and walls of our prison to
fall in upon us and crush us to pieces; and what added to the horror of it
was, the noise of chains and imprecations in the next prison which joined
to ours, where there were near seventy felons heavily loaded with irons,
who are kept here to work upon the fortifications, as in other countries
they are condemned to the gallies. A few days after this, we were told an
order was come from the president to the governor to send us up to St Jago,
which is ninety miles from Valparaiso, and is the capital of Chili. There
were at this time several ships in the port from Lima delivering their
cargoes, so that almost every day there were large droves of mules going up
to St Jago with the goods. The governor sent for one of the master
carriers, and ordered him to take us up with him. The man asked him how he
was to be paid our expences, as he should be five days upon the road. The
governor told him he might get that as he could, for he would not advance
him a single farthing.

After taking leave of our friendly soldier, who even now brought us some
little matters to carry with us, we set out, and travelled about fourteen
miles the first day, and lay at night in the open field, which is always
the custom of these people, stopping where there is plenty of pasture and
good water for the mules. The next morning we passed over a high mountain
called Zapata; and then crossing a large plain, we passed another mountain,
very difficult for the mules, who each carried two heavy bales: There were
above an hundred in this drove. The mules of Chili are the finest in the
world; and though they are continually upon the road, and have nothing but
what they pick up at night, they are as fat and sleek as high-fed horses in
England. The fourth night we lay upon a plain in sight of St Jago, and not
above four leagues from it.

The next day, as we moved towards the city, our master-carrier, who was
naturally well-disposed, and had been very kind to us all the way upon the
road, advised me, very seriously