,1
jK! '
Hi
Í '
• At sun-set, there was a reddish appearance all over the sky
—clouds shot over the summits of tbe mountains in ragged
^ detached masses—and there was a lurid haze around, whicli
showed a coming storm as surely as a fell of the barometer.
The gale increased, and at midnight such furious squalls
came down from the heights, that the water was swept up, and
clouds of foam were driven along the sea. Although we were
close to a weather shore, with our top-gallant masts down and
yards braced sharp up, we hardly thought ourselves in security
with three anchors down and plenty of chain cable out.*
Dec. 31. Tired and impatient at the delay caused by bad
weather, we put to sea again the first day there was a hope of
not being driven eastward; and during a fortnight we tried hard
to work our way towards Christmas Sound. My purpose was
to land York Minster and Fuegia Basket among their own
people, near March Harbour, and return eastward through
the Beagle Channel, landing Jemmy Button also with his
tribe, the Tekeenica. Part of Whale-boat Sound and the western
arms of the Beagle Channel were to be surveyed : and by
this scheme I proposed to combine both objects.
Jan. 2d. AVe were rather too near the Diego Ramirez
Islands, during a fresh gale of wind, with much sea; but by
carrying a heavy press of sail, our good little ship weathered
them cleverly, going from seven and a half to eight knots an
horn-, under close-reefed topsails and double-reefed courses—
the top-gallant-masts being on deck.
On the 5th, the same islands were again under our lee—a
sufficient evidence that we did not make westing. In fact, no
sooner did we get a few reefs out, than we began taking them
* During such sudden, and at times tremendous squalls as these, it is
ahsolutely necessary to have a long scope of cahle out, although the vessel
may he in smooth water, in order that the first fury of the hlast may he
over before the cable is strained tight; for otherwise, the chain or anchor
might snap. AVhen the violence of the squall is past, the weight of a
chain cable sinking down, draws the ship a-head, so far as to admit of her
recoiling again at the- next williwaw; thus, a kind of elasticity may be
given to a chain, in some degree equivalent to that always possessed by a
hemp cable.
in again ; and although every change of wind was turned to
account, as far as possible, but little ground was gained.
On the I lth we saw that wild-looking height, called York
Minster, ‘ looming ’ among driving clouds, and I flattered myself
we should reach an anchorage; but after tearing through
heavy seas, under all the sail we could carry, darkness and a
succession of violent squalls, accompanied by hail and rain,
obliged me to stand to seaward, after being within a mile of
our port. All the next day we were lying-to in a heavy gale
—wearing occasionally.
At three in the morning of the I3th, the vessel lurched so
deeply, and the main-mast bent and quivered so much, that I
reluctantly took in the main-topsail (small as it was when close-
reefed), leaving set only the storm-trysails (close-reefed) and
fore-staysail.* At ten, there was so continued and heavy a
rush of wind, that even the diminutive trysails oppressed the
vessel too much, and they were still farther reduced. Soon after
one, the sea had risen to a great height, and I was anxiously
watching the successive waves, when three huge rollers approached,
whose size and steepness at once told me that our
sea-boat, good as she was, would be sorely tried. Having
steerage way, the vessel met and rose over the first unharmed,
but, of course, her way was checked ; the second deadened her
way completely, throwing her ofF the wind; and the third
great sea, taking her right a-beam, turned her so far over, that
all the lee bulwark, from the cat-head to the stern davit, was
two or three feet under water.
For a moment, our position was critical; but, like a cask,
she rolled back again, though with some feet of water over the
whole deck. Had another sea then struck her, the little ship
might have been numbered among the many of her class which
have disappeared : but the crisis was past—she shook the sea
off her through the ports, and was none the worse—excepting
* I have always succeeded in carrying a close-reefed main-topsail (five
reefs) in the Beagle, excepting on this and two other occasions ; hut were
I again under similar circumstances, I think I should try.to carry it—
even then—for some time longer.