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64 BOAT UP SE T AND LOST. Feb. 1827.
The people in the cutter were anxiously watching her labouring
movements, when she disappeared! They hastened to the
spot—saved three men; but the other two had gone down.
Poor AinsAvorth was still clinging to the gig’s gunAvale Avhen
his shipmates eagerly approached ; but letting go his hold from
extreme exhaustion, and being heavily clothed, he sunk from
their sight to rise no more.
He had been cheering the drowning creAv, and trying to save
his companions, till the moment his gra.sp relaxed. Just before
AinsAvorth himself let go, Mr. Hodgskin lost his hold, exclaiming,
“ Ainsworth, save me !” when, exhausted as he was,
with one hand he rescued his friend, and, directly afterAvards,
his strength failing, sunk.
This addition of three people to the already loaded cutter,
made her cai-go more than was safe, therefore Mr. ’IVilliams,
who commanded her, A-ery prudently bore up for the first convenient
landing-place, and happily succeeded in reaching the
only part of the beach, between Lomas Bay and Cape Valentyn,
Avhere a boat could land.
The following morning, the Aveather being more favourable,
they crossed under sail to Freshwater Bay, and thence pulled
to Port Famine.
This melancholy disaster Avas much felt by every one. Ainsworth
was a deserving officer, and highly esteemed. Corkhill
Avas captain of the forecastle, and had served in the Polar
voyages under Sir Edward Parry. On the Sunday following,
the colours were hoisted half-mast high, and the funeral service
Avas read after morning prayers: for although to recover the
bodies was impossible, their watery grave was before our eyes;
and the performance of this last sad duty Avas a melancholy
satisfaction.
“ Ours are the tears, tho’ few, sincerely shed.
When ocean shrouds and sepulchres our dead.”
A tablet Av as subsequently erected, on Point St. Anna, to
record this fatal accident.
C H A P T E R V.
Lieutenant Sholl a rriv e s -B e a g le r e tn rn s -L o s s of the Saxe Cobourg
s e a le r-C a p ta in Stokes goes to Fury Harbour to save her creAV-
Beagle’s proceedings-BougainA-ille’s m em o ria l-C o rd o v a ’s memorial
-B e a g l e ’s d a n g e r -D iff ic u ltie s -C a p ta in Stokes’s b o a t-c ru iz e -P a s -
s a g e s -N a tiv e s -D a n g e ro u s s e rv lc e -W e s te rn entrance of the S trait
of M ag a lh a e n s-H o p e ’s cruize—P rep a re to re tu rn to Monte Video.
T he Beagle’s time of absence had expired on the 1st of April,
and our anxiety, more excited by our recent loss, was becoming
painful. I detained the Hope from going upon a service lor
which she was prepared, in case she might be required to
search for our consort: but on the 6th a strange Avhale-boat
was descried pulling towards us from the southward, m which
Ave soon distinguished Lieut. Sholl. His appearance under
such circumstances, of course raised feai's for the Beagle s
safety ; but, on approaching, his gratifying shout, “ all s well.
at once removed anxiety. , . ,
Mr. Sholl informed me, that the Beagle had picked up a
boat, belonging to the schooner ‘Prince of Saxe Cobomg,
wrecked in Fury Harbour, at the south entrance of the Bai'-
bai-a Channel; and that she had put into Port Gallant, whence
Captain Stokes had gone A v i tb the boats to assist the Sealers,
leaving Lieut. Skyring on board.
The safety of the Beagle being established, I despatched
Mr. Graves, in the Hope, to examine some openings betAA-een
the Magdalen Channel and the Dos Hermanos of Bougainville.
Several days earlier than I expected, the Beagle made her
appearance, and Captain Stokes soon gave me the agreeable
intelligence of having succeeded in saving the Prince of Saxe
Cobourg’s crew. Favoured by the weather, though delayed by
bis guide having forgotten the Avay, Captain Stokes reached
Fury Harbour in two days, and embai’ked the master and
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