’T T
'in
: 4
; rt '■:
■Ir ^ .H.
•: H i :■
;«■ i 7 : ; :
' i ■; 7-
C H A P T E R X IV .
Place for a Settlement—F ro st—Boats in danger—Narrow escape—
Sudden change—Beagle HiUs—Fuegian painting—Tides—Medicine
—W ater warmer than the a ir—Jerome Channel—Mr. Stokes returns
to the Beagle—Cape Quod—Snowy Sound—AVhale Sound—Choiseul
Bay—Return to the Beagle—Adelaide returns—Plan of operations—
Difficulties removed-—-Preparations-—-Wear and te a r of clothing—
Ascend the Mountain de la Cruz-—Sail from P o rt Gallant—Tides—
Borja Bay—Cape Quod—Gulf of Xaultegua—F ro s t and snow—Meet
Adelaide—P a rt—E n ter Pacific—Arrive a t Childe.
“ 18th of May. Very cold, raining heavily, and blowing
strong from S.W. The tide turned this day (full moon), and
set to the westward at 1.15. I only say ‘ turned,’ because I
could not distinguish the ebb from the flood, so little rise and
fall was there. No sooner had the tide ceased to run in one
direction, than it began to run as strongly in the other, for
about six hours. For the last four nights I noticed, that soon
after sunset the sky was suddenly overcast, a trifling shower
fell, and afterwards the heavens became beautifully clear. The
climate must he much like that of the east coast of Patagonia,
as shrubs grow here like those I saw at Port Desire. While
Avalking, tlie leaves and dry sticks crackled under foot, which
is very different from what one observes about the Strait of
Magalhaens, where everything is wet and spungy. I was
inclined to think this place suitable for a settlement. There is
water, wood, and good soil, lit for planting, besides pasture
land; the climate is not had; and probably the Patagonian
Indians might be induced to trade in guanaco meat, as they
now do at Gregory Bay ; while any of their hostile incursions
would be prevented by the channel.
“ 19th. Two natives, a man and a boy, came to our boats
this morning; they seemed to have neither curiosity, nor fear,
nor even a relish for tobacco. They took a piece of tinder,
picked up a stone, and went away to some wigwams, at a little
distance, where we soon afterwards saw a fire burning.
“ During this night and the preceding it froze sharply; but
the sky was so clear, that I observed many sets of distances,
on each side the moon.
“ 20th. We went eastward through the little channel. Every
thing was frozen; and the boat’s sails were useless until thawed.
We left Donkin Cove directly after noon, and with a fresh and
fair wind, steered towards Pecket Harbour. I may as well
mention here my reasons for taking this course, instead of going
farther westward.
“ Considering our very limited time, and provisions, I
wished to do first what was most useful; and to find a new
passage, seemed to me the primary object. Having surveyed the
narrow winding channel, and proved its navigability for vessels
of any class; I thought it desirable to ascertain next the
nature of the separation between Otway Water and the Strait
of Magalliaens, between Laredo Bay and Pecket Harbour.
“ A western passage might be sought by the Adelaide
schooner, or by myself, at a future time. I f we tried to cross
the Skyring Water, our success would be very doubtful, for
during the whole time we had heen in the channel, the wind
blew strong from S.W., raising so much sea, that it was with
great difficulty I could sound outside the western entrance,
even in a whale-boat.
“ A fine breeze carried us rapidly eastward ; but it freshened
too fast, reef after reef was taken in, until at two o’clock we
were obliged to lower the sail, and pull to windward ; for as
far as we could see, the shore continued unbroken, flat, and
low, with a high surf breaking on it. To have attempted to
land, would have been folly; and as the wind continued to
increase, and a current setting to windward caused a very short
awkward sea, I sent Mr. Stokes off in the cutter, under his
small close-reefed sails, to hang to windward as long as he
could carry sail, while I kept the whale-boat head to wind.
At three o’clock, we were embayed, and about a mile from the
shore. My boat was deeply laden, and as our clothes and bags
got soaked, pulled more heavily. We threw a bag of fuel overboard,
but kept everything else to the last. At sunset the sea
:RS!-
■I
l l
\\
A!