reduced, embarked in the barge on this new expedition; but after having
proceeded for a few days, the captain and four of his principal officers
being on shore, the six, who together with an Indian remained in the
barge, put off with her to sea and did not return.

By this means there were left on shore Captain Cheap, Mr. Hamilton,
lieutenant of marines; the Honourable Mr. Byron and Mr. Campbell,
midshipman; and Mr. Elliot, the surgeon. One would have thought their
distresses had long before this time been incapable of augmentation, but
they found, on reflection, that their present situation was much more
dismaying than anything they had yet gone through, being left on a
desolate coast without any provisions or the means of procuring any, for
their arms, ammunition, and every conveniency they were masters of,
except the tattered habits they had on, were all carried away in the
barge. But when they had sufficiently revolved in their own minds the
various circumstances of this unexpected calamity, and were persuaded
that they had no relief to hope for, they perceived a canoe at a
distance, which proved to be that of the Indian who had undertaken to
carry them to Chiloe, he and his family being then on board it. He made
no difficulty of coming to them, for it seems he had left Captain Cheap
and his people a little before to go a-fishing, and had in the meantime
committed them to the care of the other Indian, whom the sailors had
carried to sea in the barge. But when he came on shore and found the
barge gone and his companion missing, he was extremely concerned, and
could with difficulty be persuaded that the other Indian was not
murdered; but being at last satisfied with the account that was given
him, he still undertook to carry them to the Spanish settlements, and (as
the Indians are well skilled in fishing and fowling) to procure them
provisions by the way.