Themenofallthesetribeswearacoarsewoolenponcho：thosesouthofValdiviawearshorttrousers，andthosenorthofitapetticoat，likethechilipaoftheGauchos。Allhavetheirlonghairboundbyascarletfillet，butwithnoothercoveringontheirheads。TheseIndiansaregood-sizedmen；theircheek-bonesareprominent，andingeneralappearancetheyresemblethegreatAmericanfamilytowhichtheybelong；buttheirphysiognomyseemedtometobeslightlydifferentfromthatofanyothertribewhichIhadbeforeseen。Theirexpressionisgenerallygrave，andevenaustere，andpossessesmuchcharacter：thismaypasseitherforhonestbluntnessorfiercedetermination。Thelongblackhair，thegraveandmuch-linedfeatures，andthedarkcomplexion，calledtomymindoldportraitsofJamesI。OntheroadwemetwithnoneofthathumblepolitenesssouniversalinChiloe。
Somegavetheir“mari-mari“goodmorningwithpromptness，butthegreaternumberdidnotseeminclinedtoofferanysalute。Thisindependenceofmannersisprobablyaconsequenceoftheirlongwars，andtherepeatedvictorieswhichtheyalone，ofallthetribesinAmerica，havegainedovertheSpaniards。
Ispenttheeveningverypleasantly，talkingwiththepadre。Hewasexceedinglykindandhospitable；andcomingfromSantiago，hadcontrivedtosurroundhimselfwithsomefewcomforts。Beingamanofsomelittleeducation，hebitterlycomplainedofthetotalwantofsociety。Withnoparticularzealforreligion，nobusinessorpursuit，howcompletelymustthisman’slifebewasted！Thenextday，onourreturn，wemetsevenverywild-lookingIndians，ofwhomsomewerecaciquesthathadjustreceivedfromtheChiliangovernmenttheiryearlysmallstipendforhavinglongremainedfaithful。Theywerefine-lookingmen，andtheyrodeoneaftertheother，withmostgloomyfaces。Anoldcacique，whoheadedthem，hadbeen，Isuppose，moreexcessivelydrunkthantherest，forheseemedextremelygraveandverycrabbed。Shortlybeforethis，twoIndiansjoinedus，whoweretravellingfromadistantmissiontoValdiviaconcerningsomelawsuit。
Onewasagood-humouredoldman，butfromhiswrinkledbeardlessfacelookedmorelikeanoldwomanthanaman。Ifrequentlypresentedbothofthemwithcigars；andthoughreadytoreceivethem，andIdaresaygrateful，theywouldhardlycondescendtothankme。AChilotanIndianwouldhavetakenoffhishat，andgivenhis“Dioslepage！”Thetravellingwasverytedious，bothfromthebadnessoftheroads，andfromthenumberofgreatfallentrees，whichitwasnecessaryeithertoleapoverortoavoidbymakinglongcircuits。Wesleptontheroad，andnextmorningreachedValdivia，whenceIproceededonboard。
AfewdaysafterwardsIcrossedthebaywithapartyofofficers，andlandednearthefortcalledNiebla。Thebuildingswereinamostruinousstate，andthegun-carriagesquiterotten。Mr。Wickhamremarkedtothecommandingofficer，thatwithonedischargetheywouldcertainlyallfalltopieces。Thepoorman，tryingtoputagoodfaceuponit，gravelyreplied，“No，Iamsure，sir，theywouldstandtwo！”TheSpaniardsmusthaveintendedtohavemadethisplaceimpregnable。Thereisnowlyinginthemiddleofthecourt-yardalittlemountainofmortar，whichrivalsinhardnesstherockonwhichitisplaced。ItwasbroughtfromChile，andcost7000dollars。