f t : I
M' I
I'l
422
somewhat better plight than we had been in during the greater
part of the day, the men having been constantly soaked through,
and their hands quite numbed with cold and wet. I was disappointed
by this place ; the various coves were sounded, without
getting bottom with twenty-five fathoms of line ; and I
could find no anchorage without going further up the inlet
than would suit any vessel running in from sea for a temporary
shelter.
“ 26th. A strong gale prevented our going outside, but in
hopes that there might be an inland passage I set out to look
for one. Having pulled and sailed about six miles up the inlet,
we reached its termination, and thence returned to our bivouac.
There seemed to he an opening into Duff Bay not previously
seen, which would have saved us some time and trouble had
we known of its existence.
“ 27th. The gale continued with more or less violence, and
during the greater part of the day we were occupied in gathering
limpets and muscles, as a stock of food in case of being
detained longer than our provisions would last. Shooting did
not succeed, because the sea-birds were very wild and scarce. I
regretted that there was no harbour in the inlet which could he
planned during our stay. Every cove we could find had deep
water, and so rocky a bottom that we found difficulty in securing
even our small boat; for this continued gale raised so
much swell that we were kept on the alert at night to shift her
berth as often as the wind changed.
“ 28th. This day, and the preceding night, the wind was
exceedingly violent, from N.W. to S .Wb u t generally southward
of west. In pulling across the cove to get limpets, the
squalls at times forced the oars out of the men’s hands, and blew
them across or away from the boat. Much rain fell during
most nights, but after sunrise it generally ceased ; sometimes
however the rain poured down by day as much as by night.
“ I here saw many seals teaching their young ones to swim.
It was curious to see the old seal supporting the pup by its
flipper, as if to let it breathe and rest, and then pushing it
away into deep water to shift for itself.
“ 29th. This morning, with better weather, we sailed very
early in hopes to get round Black Point; the wind being
moderate promised well, but, with the sun, it rose again.
However, we tried hard for about six hours, during four of
which I hardly hoped to succeed, for it blew strong, and the
tide race was dangerous: but before evening we gained the
sheltered part of Trefusis Bay. The men were on their oars
from five in the morning till four in the afternoon, and, excepting
two rests of a quarter of an hour each, pulling hard all the
time. We landed in a sheltered spot, about half a mile within
the entrance of a passage which leads from Trefusis Bay to
Christmas Sound. Our fatigue and thorough drenching, by
sea and rain, was then little cared for, having gained our point,
and being only a day’s pull from the Beagle.
“ I had seen along this passage from Christinas Sound, as
well as from Leading Hill, and rejoiced to get into it, for the
outer coast is a wild one for a boat at any period of the year
—and this was the month of Mai'ch ; about the worst time.
“ 30th. A fine clear morning. We started witli the sun, and
pulled so fast along in the smooth water, that by the evening
we reached our little vessel, and found that all was well on
board ; that there had been no more visits from the Fuegians,
nor any troubles. The new boat was finished on the 23d, only
twenty days having been occupied by Mr. May and three men
in building her. Appearance was very much in her favour,
notwithstanding the disadvantages under which she was built.
Lieutenant Kempe had finished all the ship’.s work with his
usual promptness : new topmast rigging had been fitted, and
every thing prepared for sea. I was two days over the time
for which we carried provisions, but hy my coxswain’s care of
them, and by using limpets and other shell-fish, we still had a
sufficiency.
“ Having seen as much as seemed necessary of the coast
between Christmas Sound and Nassau Bay (I mean necessary
in proportion to our limited time and provisions), the Ilde-
fonsos and Diego Ramirez Isles were to be our next objects.
“ 31st, A strong wind, with much rain, prevented our mov