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rest. He carefully searched every building in the place, without
seeing even a trace of them. . All was desolation ; yet he
learned afterwards from the two innocent gauchoes, that Antonio
Rivero and another, suspecting who the party were, had
watched them closely ; that at one time Lieut. Smith was near
treading on them ; which seemed hardly credible, until the
arrangements made on landing, the marching in Indian file to
hide his men, &c. were mentioned. Mr. Smith left with Channon
Luna’s pardon, who, on the fourth day, brought in two
horses not having been able to obtain more, as the murderers
were very watchful and fearful of each other, so much so, that
one of them had fallen a sacrifice to suspicion ; and Luna’s
desertion reduced their number to six. With Luna for their
guide, on the sixth day Lieut. Smith, four midshipmen and
twelve marines, were despatched into the interior. They
were absent four days, and marched more than a hundred
miles, enduring much fatigue, which was increased by the
boisterous state of the weather, and by continual rain for three
oyt of the four days. Water in ravines, which on going out
hardly rose above their ankles, on their return had increased to
torrents : in crossing them some nearly lost their lives, and on
the bleak moors they sunk at every step knee-deep in bog.
Without sleep or shelter, they lived for the last two days on
beef just warmed through, by fires that it took hours to kindle.
They were not successful in capturing any of the murderers,
but at one time were so near, that they had the mortification
to see them drive their horses away at a gallop, and having aU
the tame ones but two, they were quickly out of reach of
musket-shot. So hasty however was their retreat, that they left
their provisions behind them. Captain Seymour finding that
capturing the Indians would be a tedious and uncertain task,
made one of the ruined houses habitable, and leaving six
marines as an additional protection to Lieut. Smith and his
boat’s crew, proceeded as ordered. The lieutenant endeavoured
to make his abode comfortable, by clearing away rubbish
and bones, and putting a garden into some order. With
the two horses he succeeded in catching and taming two cows.
which gave about two gallons of milk daily, besides fourteen
others, five or six of which were in calf. By one means or other
all but one of the murderers were taken, and a cutter was hired
to remove them to the flag-ship at Rio de Janeiro.”
Before the Beagle’s arrival Lieut. Smith had succeeded in
capturing the principal murderer, and transporting him to an
islet in the Sound, where he was watched, and furnished with
provisions by the boat’s crew. The lieutenant applied to me
for assistance, and knowing that he was not safe while such a
desperate character as Rivero was at large, though on an islet,
and that the life of Luna (the king’s evidence) was still more
risked, I took those men, and one named Channon, who was
said to have been an accomplice in the plot, though not an
active agent, on board the Beagle. Rivero was put in irons,
Channon confined to the ship, and Luna left at liberty, though
watched.
When Mr. Low returned from his sealing expedition he
found that his life was sought, as a friend of Mr. Brisbane;
and as he could do nothing on foot against the mounted gauchoes,
he retired to Kidney Islet, at the entrance of Berkeley
Sound, to await the arrival of some ship. Tired, however, of
inaction, he set out to go westward, in search of some whaler,
and on the 6th of February, when in great distress, he fell in
with our tender, the Adventure, and immediately offered his
services as a pilot: they were accepted, provisionally, by Lieut.
Wickham, and afterwards by me, trusting that the Admiralty
would approve of my so engaging a person who, in pilotage
and general information about the Falklands,Tierra del Fuego,
Patagonia, and the Galapagos Islands, could afford us more
information than any other individual, without exception.
Mr. William Low is the son of a respectable land-agent in
Scotland; he was brought up as a sailor, and possesses strong
common sense, quick apprehension, a readiness at description,
and an extraordinary local memory.
On the 13th the Adventure arrived: shehadalmost completed
her examination of the west, south, and south-east outer coasts,
in a very satisfactory manner, having been greatly forwarded
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