cell till the bell rang for dinner, when we were conducted into a hall, where there was one table for the fathers, and another for us.  After a very long Latin prayer, we sat down and eat what was put before us, without a single word passing at either table.  As soon as we had finished, there was another long prayer, which, however, did not appear so tedious as the first, and then we retired to our cell again.  In this manner we passed eight 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, the only fire-arms they have here.  The soldiers, upon our journey,