!I_: ■'
fn ■
3':';
'•I
'i : . i Ì
'' ['■ ‘ I
: i I
•J
'.i;
190
on the opposite shore, was blown to atoms. When the squall
commenced, one of our boats was coming off from the island;
the officer being quite unconscious of the approaching hurricane,
and as she was overloaded with people, 1 felt very uneasy
until after the squall cleared away, when 1 observed her beached
on the opposite shore, many yards above high water mark,
to which position she had been driven by the force of the wind.
The violence of this pampero, during the twenty minutes it
lasted, was terrific. Old inhabitants of Maldonado declared,
that they had experienced nothing like it for the last twenty
years. The spray was carried up by whirlwinds, threatening
complete destruction to every thing that opposed them. In
less than half an hour it had diminished to a strong S.W. gale,
which lasted during the night.
J ust before the pampero commenced, L’Arethuse, French
frigate, was observed over the point of land under all sail; but
not being seen after the squaU cleared off, we were much
alarmed for her safety. A t daylight, however, the next morning,
she was seen at anchor under Lobos Island, and near her was
our consort, the Beagle, of whose approach we had known
nothing; bnt she appeared to be lying quietly, with topmasts
struck, under the lee of the island. L’Arethuse slipped her
cahle in the afternoon, and ran out to sea.
On the 1st of February the wind moderated, and enabled
the Beagle to join us, when we found that she had been nearly
capsized by the pampero ; and had suffered a considerable loss
of sails and masts, besides injury to her boats. Both topmasts,
and jib-boom, with all the small spars, were carried away; and
her jib and topsails, although furled, were blown to pieces.
The vessel was on her beam ends for some time ; but letting
go both anchors brought her head to wind and righted her,
which prevented the necessity of cutting away the lower masts.
To add to their misfortune, two men were blown overboard,
from aloft, and drowned.
These severe losses caused considerable detention; but, fortunately,
the Ganges arrived, and rendered every assistance in
repairing and replacing the Beagle’s damages.
On the night of the 2d of February we experienced another
very severe pampero, during which one of the Beagle’s boats,
hauled up on shore, was blown to atoms. The barometer had
previously fallen to 29’39.
On the 9th of February, we went to Monte Video, and on the
17th ran up the north side of the river for water; but did not
find it fresh until we were within four miles of Cape ‘ Jesus
Maria.’ The wind was against our return, so that we had to
beat down the river, in doing which the Adelaide grounded,
but without receiving any injury. We anchored twice in our
passage out, and, at the second anchorage,* experienced a
very heavy westerly gale. In attempting to weigh at its commencement,
our windlass was so much injured, that we were
obliged to ride the gale out, which we did by veering to one
hundred and ten fathoms of chain cable; and the Beagle, to
one hundred and fifty fathoms. Owing to a short heavy sea, in
which the Adventure frequently pitched her bowsprit and stern
alternately under water, her jolly-boat was washed away. This
loss we could ill afford, as we were already three boats short of
our establishment, and wants; and as the Adelaide had suffered
severely, by losing her topmast and jib-boom, and carrying
away the head of her bowsprit, we were obliged to return, very
reluctantly, after the gale had subsided, to Montevideo; whence
we finally sailed on the 1st of March. On the 5th a S.S.E.
gale separated us from our consorts, our course, therefore, was
directed for the first rendezvous, at Port Desire.
When off Cape Blanco, the high land of Espinosa, in the
interior, was clearly distinguished at a distance of sixty miles,
and might probably be seen twenty miles further; so that its
height must be, at least, four thousand feet. This range is of
irregular form, and has several peaked summits, sovery different
from the general features of this coast, where the heights are
either flat-topped, or of an undulating outline, that I suppose
the rock to be of a character unlike that of the porphyry hills
common hereabouts.
• From which the Mount (at Monte Video) bore N . 11°. W., distant
eight leagues.
' A