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110 DECISION RESPONSIBILITY. Sept.
alarming to contemplate. I might run along the outer line of
danger in the Beagle, and connect it with the soundings in
the offing; hut how could an English ship surveying a frequented
coast overlook six large ports,* only because their
examination required time, and was dangerous ? At last, after
much anxious deliberation, I decided to hire two small schooners
—or rather decked boats, schooner-rigged—from Mr. Harris,
and employ them in assisting the Beagle and her boats. Mr.
Harris was to be in the larger, as pilot to Lieutenant Wickham—
and his friend Mr. Roberts, also settled at Del Carmen,
on the river Negro, was to be Mr. Stokes’s pilot in the smaller
vessel. These small craft, of fifteen and nine tons respectively,
guided by their owners, who had for years frequented
this complication of banks, harbours, and tides, seemed to me
capable of fulfilling the desired object—under command of
such steady and able heads as the officers mentioned—with
this great advantage; that, while the Beagle might be procuring
supplies at Monte Video, going with the Fuegians on her
first trip to the southward, and visiting the Falkland islands,
the survey of all those intricacies between Blanco Bay and
San Bias might be carried on steadily during the finest time
of year. One serious difficulty, that of my not being authorized
to hire or purchase assistance on account of the Government,
I did not then dwell upon, for I was anxious and
eager, and, it has proved, too sanguine. I made an agreement
with Mr. H a rris,! on my own individual responsibility,
for such payment as seemed to he fair compensation for his
stipulated services, and I did hope that if the results of these
arrangements should turn out well, I should stand excused
for having presumed to act so freely, and should be reimbursed
for the sum laid out, which I could so ill spare. However,
I foresaw and was willing to run the risk, and now console
myself for this, and other subsequent mortifications, by the
reflection that the service entrusted to me did not suffer.
* Blanco Bay and Port Belgrano, False Bay, Green Bay, Brightman
Inleg Union Bay, and San Bias Bay.
t See Appendix.
m
1832. PAZ— L IEB R E R E F IT . Ill
The formal agreement with Mr. Harris being duly signed,
I despatched him forthwith to the river Negro, in search of
his vessels, and sent the purser with him to ascertain the state
of things at Del Carmen, especially with a view to future
supplies.
They went in a small coasting vessel, belonging to another
Englishman (H. Elsegood), settled at Del Carmen; for the
schooner, from which Mr. Harris came to us near to Mount
Hermoso, did not delay, but continued her course towards
the river Negro.
Our boats were constantly employed while these arrangements
were pending, and directly they were finished, the Beagle
got under sail to examine the entrance and outer parts of
the port. For several days she was thus engaged, anchoring
always at night. In a week the schooners arrived, bringing
our purser and their owners. The Paz, of about fifteen tons
burthen, was as ugly and ill-built a craft as I ever saw, covered
with dirt, and soaked with rancid oil. The Liebre, of
about nine tons burthen, was a frigate’s barge,* raised and
decked—oily like the other; but as both had done their owners
good service in procuring seal and sea-elephant oil, I saw no
reason to doubt our being able to make them answer our purpose.
Yet the prospect for those who had so handsomely
volunteered to go in any thing, with or without a deck, could
not be otherwise than extremely unpleasant; for they did not
then foresee how soon a thorough cleansing and complete
outfit would be given to both vessels, and how different they
would afterwards appear.
Lieutenant Wickham, with the sailmaker, armourer, cooper,
and a small party, were immediately estabhshed under tents,
on the hanks of a small creek (Arroyo Pareja). The little
schooners were hauled ashore for examination and a thorough
refit; and then, having left them the stores and other necessaries
which they would require, I went with the Beagle
towards Blanco B ay ; completed the examination of a
narrow though deep channel, by which any ship may
* She had been the barge of the Brazilian frigate Piranga.
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