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C H A P T E R X I I .
Adventure sails from Rio de Janeiro to the River Pla ta—Gorriti—Ma.-
donado—Extraordinary Pampero—Beagle’s losses—Ganges arrives—
Another pampero—Go up the river for water—Gale, and consequent
detention—Sail from Monte Video—P a rt from our consorts—P o r t
Desire—^Toiver Rock—Skeletons—Sea B ea r Bay—F ire—Guanacoes
—P o r t Desire In le t—Indian g rayes~Vessels separate—Captain Foster
Chanticleer—Cape H o rn—K a ter’s P e ak—Sail from St. M artin Cove
—Tribute to Captain F oster—Valparaiso—Santiago—Pinto—Heights
—Childe—Aldunate.
T h e Adventure sailed from Rio de Janeiro on the 27th of
December 1828, leaving the Beagle to complete her i-epairs,
and follow to ,the River Plata. The day before our arrival at
Maldonado, we were overtaken by the Commander-in-chief, in
H.M.S. Ganges, and entered the river in company. The Ganges
proceeded to Monte Video ; but we went into Maldonado Bay,
where I had determined to wait for the Beagle.
Since our last visit to this place, the Island of Gorriti had
been occupied by Brazilian troops, who, before going away,
set fire to the buildings, and destroyed all the wood-work. As
one object of my stay was to obtain observations for the latitude
and longitude, I erected our portable observatory, and set up
an azimuth altitude instrument.
On the SOth of January, after some intensely hot and sultry
weather, we experienced a very severe ‘ Pampero.’ It was preceded
by the barometer falling to 29-50, and by a strong N.W.
wind, which suddenly veered round to S.W., when the pampero
burst upon us. Our ship and boats fortunately escaped any
had effects from the violence of the squall, which was so strong
as to lay the former, at anchor, upon her broadside; but on
shore our tent was blown down, and a boat that had been lately
built, and fresh painted, on the Island Gorriti, was completely
destroyed. The part above the thwarts, was torn away from
the bottom, of the boat, and carried, by the violence of the
wind, for two hundred yards along the beach. A boat, also,
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