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from sea, towards the harbour of Maldonado. Before mid-day
the breeze was fresh from N.N.W., but after noon it became
moderate, and there was a gloominess, and a close sultry feeling,
which seemed to presage thunder and rain. I should mention
that during three preceding nights hanks of clouds had
been noticed near the south-west horizon, over which there was
a frequent reflection of very distant lightning.
The barometer had been falling since the 25th, slowly, but
steadily, and on the 80th, at noon, it was at 29-4<, and the ther-
mometa- 78°. I, and those with me, thought little about the
fall of the mercury, and still less about the threatening aspect
of the south-west horizon. “ Heavy rain,” I thought, “ at night,
will not signify when we are moored in M a ld o n a d o a n d there
was then every prospect of our reaching that port before
night.
Having been often in the river Plata, and once for eight
months successively, I had acquired a familiarity with the
place, and a disregard for pamperoes, which was not surprising
in a young man who had witnessed many, but certainly, as it
happened, not one of so serious a nature as to cause any particular
impression on his mind. I had not then learned never
to despise an enemy.
A t about three o’clock the wind was Hght, and veering about
from north-west to north-east. There was a heavy bank of
clouds in the south-west, and occasionally lightning was visible
even in daylight. Myriads of insects, such as butterflies,
dragon-flies, and moths, came off from the lan d ; driven, as it
appeared, by gusts of heated wind. At four the breeze freshened
up from N.N.W., and obliged us to take in all light
sails. Maldonado Tower then bore west, and Lobos Island
(centre) S.W.b.S. The weather became more unsettled and
threatening, though still we had no expectation of any material
change before n ig h t: but soon after five it became so dai-k
towards the south-west, and the lightning increased so much,
that we shortened sail to the reefed topsails and foresail; still
hoping to reach our destination before the pampero began.
Shortly before six the upper clouds in the south-west quarter
assumed a singularly hard, and rolled or tufted appearance,
like great bales of black cotton, and altered their forms so
rapidly, that I ordered sail to be shortened, and the topsails to
be furled, leaving set only a small new foresail. The water was
smooth, and, not being deep, there was none of that agitated
swell usually noticed before a storm in the great ocean.
Gusts of hot wind came off' the nearest land, at intervals of
about a minute. The fore-topsail was just furled, and the
men down from aloft, the main-topsail in the gaskets, but the
men still on the yard, when a furious blast from the north-west
struck the ship. The helm was put up, and she paid off fa st;
yet the wind changed still more quickly, and blew so heavily
from south-west, that the foresail split to ribands, and the
ship was thrown almost on her beam-ends, and no longer
answered her helm. The main-topsail was instantly blown
loose out of the men’s hands, whose lives were in imminent
danger; the fore-topsail blew adrift out of the gaskets; the
mainsail blew away out of the gear; the lee hammock-netting
was under water; and the vessel apparently capsizing, when
topmasts and jib-boom went, close to the caps, and she
righted considerably. Both anchors were cut away (for the
land was under our lee), and a cable veered upon each, which
brought her head to wind, and upright. The heaviest rush of
wind had then passed, but it was still blowing a hard gale,
and the Beagle was pitching her forecastle into the short high
waves which had risen. As the depth of water was small, and
the ground tenacious clay, both anchors held firmly, and our
utmost exertions were immediately directed towai'ds clearing
the wreck, and saving the remains of our broken spars and
tattered sails. Had we sufiered in no other way, I should have
felt joy at having escaped so well, instead of the deep regret
occasioned by the loss of two seamen, whose lives, it seemed,
might have been spai-ed to this day had I anchored and struck
topmasts, instead of keeping under sail in hopes of entering
Maldonado before the pampero began.
Wlien the main-topsail blew away from the men, who strug-
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