f i l
Üir
i :
I i
| l i
111'' !
1
buoyancy for supporting her heavy metal, durability, and tenacity
; besides easiness as a sea-hoat, and superiority of sailing.
Vessels may easily he built to excel in any of these qualifications;
but to excel in all is the climax, only to be obtained hy
genius, aided hy extraordinary study and experience.
After running a few miles with the Snake, and finding that
she steered towards Buenos Ayres, we altered our course to resume
our easterly route, and early next morning were anchored
alongside the Adventure.
As it was evident that another month must elapse before the
schooner would be ready for her work, notwithstanding the zealous
exertions of Lieut. Wickham and his crew, I decided to
finish myself the survey, which I had intended he should begin
with, namely, of the south shore of the Plata and a reported
bank off Cape Corrientes—and defer the second visit to Tierra
del Fuego until December or January. Accordingly, the Beagle
sailed on the 23d, and after a close examination of Cape San
Antonio and the great mud-bank, called Tuyu, which lies
within it, we went to the neighbourhood of Cape Corrientes,
and there looked about and sounded in every direction, but
could find no shoal. We then returned to the river, and sounded
Sanborombon Bay, laying its shores down on the chart as accurately
as we could, considering that the water was every where
so slioal, that even a boat could not get within half a mile of
the land, except at particular times, for which we could not
wait. The distance at which the Beagle was obliged to keep,
varied from four miles to three (seldom less), and then she was
sailing in ahout a foot more water than she drew.*
On the 6th of October we returned to Maldonado; to prepare
for a long excursion southward, and to hasten the equipment
of the Adventure. By the 19th she was almost ready, so
we weighed in company, ran up the river to water, and on the
21st moored off Monte Video, to take in our final supplies previous
to quitting the River Plata for the last time. Here, to
my surprise, I found people talking about the English having
* The Beagle's draught of water was eleven feet and a half forward,
and thirteen feet aft, when in ordinary loaded trim.
taken possession of the island of Gorriti, and built houses
upon it. This, I knew, must in some way have arisen out of
the temporary encampment of the Adventure’s crew ; and enquiring
further, I found that columns of the Monte Video
newspapers had been filled with discussions on the subject.* The
local authorities at Maldonado having been told (incorrectly)
that the English had hoisted British colours upon the island—
had repaired several old buildings—and had erected a house
with glass windows, for the commanding officer’s residence—
became alarmed ; and as stories seldom lose by repetition, the
good people of Monte Video were soon in commotion. However,
the affair was easily explained ; hut not without many
a laugh at the absurdity of my little observatory (made of
ninety small pieces of wood, so as to be stowed in a boat), having
‘ loomed’ so large. Had our colours ever been displayed
ou shore, there might have been some foundation for their
alarm ; hut it so happened that the only flag that was on the
“ Monte Video, Octubre 22 de 1833.
* “ El infrascripto Ministro Secretario de Estado en el departamento de
Relaciones Exteriores, tiene orden del Gobierno paru dirigirse al Sr.
Cónsul General de S.M.B. y manifestarle, que á consecuencia de varios
sucesos que han tenido lugar en la Isla de Gorriti, donde se halla la tripulación
de la Escuna de S.M. Adventure, los cuales constan de los
documentos que en copia autorizada se acompañan ; y deseoso el Gobierno
de satisfacer la ansiedad publica que han producido aquellos sucesos,
y quitar todo pretexto de interpretaciones, espera que el Sr. Cónsul tendrá
á bien manifestarle los motivos que dieron mérito á que los individuos
pertenecientes á aquel Buque pasasen á la Isla, como igualmente las causales
de su permanencia en ella.
“ El Ministro que subscribe reitera al Sr. Cónsul General de S.M.B. los
sentimientos de su mayor consideración y aprecio. •
(Firmado) “ F r a n c i s c o L lambi.”
“ Monte Video, Octubre 28 de 1803.
“ El abajo firmado Cónsul General de S.M.B. cerca de la República
Oriental del Uruguay ha tenido el honor de transmitir al Sr. Fitz-Roy,
comandante de la barca descubridora de S.M.B. Beagle, la comunicación
y copias