a;ri fM i'i
li!
h
i) f '
ll
U, I;
, } :
) ,1
454 E F F E C T A LANDING. May
condition, but might prevent their drifting past the rocks and
nearer to the shore; both ancliors, however, were kept in readiness,
in case the water astern should deepen, which might have
happened had they struck upon an isolated shoal, like the
Dormido.
Soon after the moon rose, at about two in the morning, land
was seen astern of the ship, not far distant. I t seemed to be
rather extensive, though not high ; and as there was no longer
any doubt of their having struck upon the mainland, better
hopes of saving life relieved the torturing, anxious suspense
they had hitherto endured. Daylight shewed them the shore on
which they were. Near the ship lay an extensive sandy beach,
and beyond it, gradually rising in the interior, a thickly
wooded country appeared to reach to distant mountains. The
mizen-mast was then used to form part of a ra ft; the jolly-
boat was lowered over the stern; and in her Mr. A. Booth
(mate), after a long struggle, reached the shore, with the end
of the deep-sea lead-line. Mr. Gordon (midshipman), next tried
to land in another boat, to assist in hauling a rope ashore, but
the boat was upset, rolled over and over, and Mr. Gordon and
one of the men were drowned. The other man was saved. Mr.
Gordon was one of the most active and able young men of his
age, and very much esteemed by all his shipmates.* His fellow-
sufferer, John Edwards, was one of the best men in the ship.
A stream of tide or current, setting two or three knots an
hour, along the shore, much increased the difficulty of reaching
it, or of assisting those who were making the perilous attempt.
Meanwhile, each succeeding heave of the sea forced the ship
higher upon the sandy beach, and rendered the situation of
those on board less critical.
The men who reached the land safely, hauled stouter ropes
ashore with a line; rafts were then made; the large boats
got overboard; the sick landed, and a party was sent ashore
to protect them. A few Indians appeared at a distance, whose
approach, with numbers of their countrymen, was a serious
evil in prospect.
* Ho had anxiously sought to go in the first boat.
Before much had been done in landing stores, a great many
Indians and some creole natives had assembled. Nearly
all came on horseback, and many assisted in hauling the rafts
ashore, or helping tbe people to land. Even the Indian women
rode into the furious surf, and with their lassoes helped very
materially ; some took the boys up behind their saddles, and
carried them ashore; others fixed their lassoes to the ratts.
Thus instead of molesting the sufferers, these ‘ uncivilized
barbarians’ exerted themselves much for them. What a lesson
to the ‘ wreckers’ of some other coasts, whose inhabitants are
called civilized !
But notwithstanding these friendly acts. Captain Seymour
was too prudent to put confidence in the natives. He remembered
the saying, ‘ Nunca, nunca fiarse a los Indios ;’ and forming
a small encampment upon the beach, he barricaded it with
spars, boats, casks, and other moveables.* There every thing
was carried when landed, and put under care of the guard.
All this day was anxiously occupied in landing stores and provisions.
A small party remained on board ; but the rest were on
shore, during the night of the SOth.# Throughout the following
days, some of the officers and all the men who were not on
o-uard ashore, were constantly occupied in bringing provisions,
ammunition, and stores from the wreck. Heavy and laborious
as this duty proved, it was persevered in until every transportable
article of value was removed. Two boat caiTonades were
mounted on shore, which, with small arms and the barricade
above mentioned, would have kept off a considerable force of
Indians. / ■ .. *
On tbe 21st, Lieutenant Collins and Mr. Lane (assistant-
suro-eon) set out to go to Concepcion: whence, directly after
they arrived, Mr. Rouse set out, with horses and mules, taking
such few useful things as he could carry, among which were
two small tents, that had belonged to the Beagle, and were
lent to Mr. Rouse, when bis own house was shaken down by
the destructive earthquake of February.
* The barricade was finished on the 25th.
t It was on this day that the Swede saw the unfortunate Challenger.
i ; ii • r- "
“ il
i i i
a-■ I? SIS -a
ill
i i
f
If.!