Later, I will interrogate them myself, in the palace." The feelings of the crowd, on hearing this unexpected colloquy, were very mixed.

In many, the admiration which the boys' conduct had excited swallowed up all other feeling.

But among the less enthusiastic minds, a vague distrust and terror was at once excited by the news that English sailors were among them.

No Englishman had ever been seen on that coast, and they had inflicted such terrible losses, on the West Indian Islands and on the neighboring coast, that it is no matter for surprise that their first appearance on the western shores of South America was deemed an omen of terrible import.
The news rapidly spread from mouth to mouth, and a large crowd followed in the rear of the little party, and assembled around the governor's house.

The sailors who had been rescued had many friends in the port, and these took up the cause of the boys, and shouted that men who had done so gallant a deed should be pardoned, whatever their offense Perhaps, on the whole, this party were in the majority.