Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle Part 39

"The Fuegians were much slower in learning English than I expected from their quickness in mimickry, but they understood clearly when we left the coast that they would return to their country at a future time, with iron, tools, clothes, and knowledge which they might spread among their countrymen. They helped the crew whenever required; were extremely tractable and good-humoured, even taking pains to walk properly, and get over the crouching posture of their countrymen.

"When we were at anchor in Good Success Bay, they went ash.o.r.e with me more than once, and occasionally took an oar in the boat, without appearing to harbour a thought of escape.

"During the night of the 13th, we were near the land about Sea Bear Bay; the wind, however, drew to the northward, and with a strong current setting to the S.E., drove us off again.

"The 14th was foggy; clouds preventing any observations, but at three in the afternoon we made the land, a little north of Port Desire, near what is called in the chart 'Rivers Peak.' The wind having hauled to the southward, and the current setting northward, prevented our approaching nearer to the port on that day.

"At daylight on the 15th, we were again off Rivers Peak, notwithstanding our having carried a press of sail in order to make southing during the night. We were set twenty miles to the northward during that time; but a slant of wind and {460} the turn of tide in our favour carried us towards the entrance of the harbour, into which we worked, the tide of ebb having just ended; and we moored abreast of the ruins. My first care was to look for traces of the Adventure or Adelaide, but I found none. A bottle which I had deposited for the Adelaide, at our last visit, by Captain King's direction, was exactly where I then left it, and the papers it contained were untouched. While in this port I got good observations, the weather being clear, though very cold. No guanacoes were shot although many were seen, but numbers of sea-birds were brought on board.[205] A quince was given to me which was found in a place where the Spanish colony had made a garden. We remarked that the tracks of the guanacoes on sh.o.r.e here were not so large, by one-half, as those we had so lately seen in Tierra del Fuego.

Having noticed the currents particularly, in order to compare them with what I observed formerly and with the tide in the port; I can now say, decidedly, that the flood tide comes from the southward, and that the ebb sets to the south-east. North of Port Desire, or from Port Desire to Cape Blanco, the flood is much the strongest, but off Penguin Island the ebb is, I think, the strongest, setting two or three knots an hour. It is high-water and slack-water, in Port Desire, at half-past twelve, on the days of full and change. The tides, if not attended to, would baffle a ship much in making this port.

"On the 21st we sailed, with a fresh breeze from the S.W.; and at nine A.M.

on the 25th when about one mile southward of the alleged position of the Ariel rocks, and near the nominal longitude, I hauled to the wind and ran some distance on their parallel, looking out for broken water. There was a very irregular and heavy swell, as much as would be raised by a gale of wind, but caused apparently by a current; and while waiting for the meridian alt.i.tude, before bearing up, having run twenty miles on the same parallel, a heavy swell rose on the quarter, which struck our weather quarter boat, and turned {461} her in upon the deck, breaking both iron davits. One of the davits of the lee-boat was also unshipped by the jerk, and the after-part of the vessel well drenched with water. We secured both boats again, but the one to windward was badly stove. For a moment, I thought we had indeed found the rocks, and the huge black back of a dead whale which just then shewed itself very near the vessel, much increased the sensation. I imagined that we were in a meeting of tides or currents; where old trees, dead whales, &c. are often found, and have frequently caused reports of rocks; for the water was not more shallow than we had found it during the day, the soundings having varied from forty to fifty fathoms; so having obtained the meridional alt.i.tude we bore up, and steered our course again.

"On the 26th we entered the Plata, and at one A.M. on the 27th, Lobos Island was seen, and soon afterwards the high land about Pan de Azucar. We continued working to the westward, and at daylight were off Whale Point, but the wind fell light, and the current being against us, we lost during the day what had been gained in the night. At seven P.M. the current set so strongly out of the river that we were obliged to drop a kedge with a stout hawser, and ride by it, though keeping all sail set and going between four and five knots through the water. When the hawser bore a strain, the log was hove, and the current found to be setting more than five knots. This was off Maldonado; Lobos bearing N.N.E., distant four miles. Soon after nine the stream slacked, we tripped the kedge and worked up the river, the wind being still westerly, but the current having turned in our favour. The U.S. frigate Hudson pa.s.sed, steering to the eastward:--she was the first sail we had seen since leaving San Carlos de Chiloe. At daylight next morning (28th), we were in sight of Flores Lighthouse, which was reported to be a vessel under sail. Soon after which another vessel was reported as being under all studding sails; this was the Mount itself: so curiously were objects distorted by the haze. Soon after noon we anch.o.r.ed off Monte Video, and from Captain Talbot, of H.M.S. Algerine, I heard of the arrival there, and subsequent departure of the Adventure and the Adelaide. {462}

"On the 9th of July we sailed from Monte Video,--on the 18th made the high land over the island of Santa Catharina, and after dark anch.o.r.ed in the bay. My object in calling there was to continue the chronometric chain, between Tierra del Fuego and Rio de Janeiro, by as short intervals as possible: and the results so obtained proved to be very satisfactory.

"While in Monte Video I tried to have the Fuegians vaccinated, but the virus did not take any effect on them. Little Fuegia was living several days with an English family, who were extremely kind to her; and the others were on sh.o.r.e at different times with me. No one noticed them; being so very like the Indians of the neighbourhood.

"The apparent astonishment and curiosity excited by what they saw, extraordinary to them as the whole scene must have been, were much less than I had antic.i.p.ated; yet their conduct was interesting, and each day they became more communicative. It was here that I first learned from them that they made a practice of eating their enemies taken in war. The women, they explained to me, eat the arms; and the men the legs; the trunk and head were always thrown into the sea.

"On the 23d we sailed from Santa Catalina; and on the 2d of August anch.o.r.ed in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro."

Here the extracts from Captain Fitz Roy's Journal end.

The Adventure and the Beagle sailed together from Rio de Janeiro on the 6th of August, having left the Adelaide as a tender to the flag-ship, but reimbarked her officers and crew; and, after a most tedious pa.s.sage, anch.o.r.ed in Plymouth Sound on the 14th of October. Both vessels were soon afterwards paid off; the Beagle at Plymouth, and the Adventure at Woolwich.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Engraved by J. Gardner.

Published by Henry Colburn, Great Marlborough Street, 1839.]

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CHAPTER XXIV.

A FEW NAUTICAL REMARKS UPON THE Pa.s.sAGE ROUND CAPE HORN; AND UPON THAT THROUGH THE STRAIT OF MAGALHAENS, OR MAGELLAN.

Ships bound from the Atlantic to any of the ports in the Pacific, will find it advantageous to keep within one hundred miles of the coast of Eastern Patagonia, as well to avoid the heavy sea that is raised by the westerly gales, which prevail to the eastward, and increase in strength according to the distance from the land, as to profit by the variableness of the wind when it is in the western board. Near the coast, from April to September, when the sun has north declination, the winds prevail more from the W.N.W.

to N.N.W. than from any other quarter. Easterly gales are of very rare occurrence, but even when they do blow, the direction being obliquely upon the coast, I do not consider it at all hazardous to keep the land on board.

In the opposite season, when the sun has south declination, the winds will incline from the southward of west, and frequently blow hard; but, as the coast is a weather sh.o.r.e, the sea goes down immediately after the gale. In this season, although the winds are generally against a ship's making quick progress, yet as they seldom remain fixed in one point, and frequently shift backward and forward six or eight points in as many hours, advantage may be taken of the change so as to keep close in with the coast.

Having once made the land, which should be done to the southward of Cape Blanco, it will be beneficial to keep it topping on the horizon, until the entrance of the Strait of Magalhaens be pa.s.sed.

With respect to this part of the voyage, whether to pa.s.s through Strait Le Maire or round Staten Island, much difference of opinion exists. Prudence, I think, suggests the {464} latter; yet I should very reluctantly give up the opportunity that might offer of clearing the strait, and therefore of being so much more to windward. With a southerly wind it would not be advisable to attempt the strait; for, with a weather tide, the sea runs very cross and deep, and might severely injure and endanger the safety of a small vessel, and to a large one do much damage. In calm weather it would be still more imprudent (unless the western side of the strait can be reached, where a ship might anchor), on account of the tides setting over to the Staten Island side; where, if it becomes advisable to anchor, it would necessarily be in very deep water, and close to the land. With a northerly wind the route seems not only practicable, but very advantageous, and it would require some resolution to give up the opportunity so invitingly offered. I doubt whether northerly winds, unless they are very strong, blow through the strait--if not, a ship is drifted over to the eastern sh.o.r.es, where, from the force of the tides, she must be quite unmanageable.

Captain Fitz Roy seems to think there is neither difficulty nor risk in pa.s.sing the strait. The only danger that does exist, and that may be an imaginary one, is the failure of the wind. Ships pa.s.sing through it from the south, are not so liable to the failure of the south-westerly wind, unless it be light, and then a breeze will probably be found from N.W., at the northern end of the strait. The anchorage in Good Success Bay, however, is at hand, should the wind or tide fail.

In pa.s.sing to leeward of Staten Island, the tide race, which extends for some distance off Cape St. John, at the N.E. end of the island, must be avoided: otherwise there exist no dangers.

The anchorage under New Year Islands, although it is a wild one, the bottom bad, and the tide very strong, yet offers good shelter from south-west winds, and might be occupied with advantage during the existence of a gale from that quarter, which is so unfavourable for ships bound round the Horn.

After pa.s.sing Staten Island, if the wind be westerly, the {465} ship should be kept upon the starboard tack, unless it veer to the southward of S.S.W., until she reaches the lat.i.tude of 60 south, and then upon that tack on which most westing may be made. In this parallel, however, the wind is thought to prevail more from the eastward than from any other quarter.

Never having pa.s.sed round Cape Horn in the summer season, I may not perhaps be justified in opposing my opinion to that of others, who, having tried both seasons, give the preference to the summer months. The advantage of long days is certainly very great, but, from my experience of the winds and weather during these opposite seasons at Port Famine, I preferred the winter pa.s.sage, and in our subsequent experience of it, found no reason to alter my opinion. Easterly and northerly winds prevail in the winter off the cape, whilst southerly and westerly winds are constant during the summer months; and not only are the winds more favourable in the winter, but they are moderate in comparison to the fury of the summer gales.

Having pa.s.sed the meridian of Cape Pillar, it will yet be advisable to take every opportunity of making westing in preference to northing until the meridian of 82 or 84 be reached, which will enable a ship to steer through the North-westerly winds that prevail between the parallels of 50 and 54. (See Hall's South America, Appendix.)

With respect to the utility of the barometer as an indicator of the weather that is experienced off Cape Horn, I do not think it can be considered so unfailing a guide as it is in the lower or middle lat.i.tudes. Captain Fitz-Roy, however, has a better opinion of the indications shewn by this valuable instrument: my opinion is, that although the rise or fall at times precedes the change, yet it more frequently accompanies it. The following sketch of the movement of the barometer, and of the weather that we experienced, may be not without its use.

Being to the north of Staten Island for three days preceding full moon, which occurred on the 3d April (1829), we had very foggy weather, with light winds from the eastward and {466} northward, causing a fall of the mercury from 29.90 to 29.56. On the day of full moon the column rose, and we had a beautiful morning, during which the high mountains of Staten Island were quite unclouded, as were also those of Tierra del Fuego. At noon, however, a fresh gale from the S.W. set in, and enveloped the land with a dense mist. No sooner had the wind changed, than the mercury rose to 29.95, but fell again the next morning; and with the descent the wind veered round to N.W., and blew strongly with thick cloudy weather and rain, which continued until the following noon, when the wind veered to S.W., the barometer at 29.54, having slightly risen; but after the change it fell, and continued to descend gradually until midnight, when we had a fresh gale from W.S.W. When this wind set in, the mercury rose, and continued to rise, as the wind veered without decreasing in strength to S.S.W., until it reached 29.95, when it fell again and the weather moderated, but without any change of wind. During the descent of the mercury, the sky with us was dull and overcast, with squalls of wind and rain, but on sh.o.r.e it seemed to be very fine sunshiny weather.

The column now fell to 29.23, and during its descent the weather remained the same, dull and showery; but as soon as the mercury became stationary, a fresh breeze set in from the southward, with fine weather.

After this to new moon the weather was very unsettled, the wind veering between South and W.S.W.; the barometer rising as it veered to the former, and falling as it became more westerly; but on no occasion did it precede the change.

The mean height of the barometer is about 29.5.

The mercury stands lowest with N.W. winds, and highest with S.E.

With the wind at N.W. or northerly the mercury is low; if it falls to 29 inches or 28.80, a S.W. gale may be expected, but it will not commence until the column has ceased to descend. It frequently, however, falls without being followed by this change. In the month of June, at Port Famine, the barometer fell to 28.17, and afterwards gradually rose to 30.5, {467} which was followed by cold weather, in which the thermometer stood at 12.

The following Table shews the mean temperature and pressure as registered at the Observatory at Port Famine in the Strait.

+----------+--------------+-----------+ 1828. Temperature. Pressure. +----------+--------------+-----------+ February 51.1 29.40 March 49.4 29.64 April 41.2 29.57 May 35.5 29.30 June 32.9 29.28 July 33.0 29.57 August 33.2 29.28 +----------+--------------+-----------+

The difficulties that present themselves to Navigators in pa.s.sing round Cape Horn, as well from adverse winds as the severe gales and heavy sea to which they are exposed, are so great, that the Strait of Magalhaens has naturally been looked to as a route by which they may be avoided. Hitherto no chart has existed in which much confidence could be placed; but by the present survey, the navigation through it, independent of wind and weather, has been rendered much easier; since a correct delineation of its sh.o.r.es, and plans of the anchorages, have been made; and in the preceding pages, sufficient descriptions of them have been given to a.s.sure the navigator of his place, and furnish him with advice as to his proceedings. The local difficulties therefore have been removed; but there remain much more serious ones, which I should not recommend a large, or even any but a very active and fast-sailing square-rigged vessel to encounter, unless detention be not an object of importance.

For a square-rigged vessel bound through the Strait, the following directions will be useful:-- {468}

In the eastern entrance the winds will frequently favour a ship's arrival off the First Narrow; where, if she selects a good anchorage on the bank which bounds the northern side of the channel, she may await an opportunity of pa.s.sing through the First Narrow and of reaching Gregory Bay; where also a delay may safely be made for the purpose of pa.s.sing the Second Narrow and arriving at the neighbourhood of Cape Negro; at which place the difficulties and dangers of the eastern entrance cease.

The dangers being carefully placed on the chart, and now sufficiently described, nothing need be repeated here; and indeed much must be left to the judgment and discretion of the navigator.

The tides answer best for vessels entering the Strait at the period of full and change of the moon, since there are two westerly tides in the day. In the winter season, if the morning tide be not sufficient to carry a vessel through the First Narrow, she may return to Possession Bay, select an anchorage, and be secured again before night; or, in the summer, if she has pa.s.sed the Narrow, and has been enabled to anchor for the tide, there will be sufficient daylight for her to proceed with the following tide to Gregory Bay, or at least to a safe anchorage off the peaked hillocks on the north sh.o.r.e.

I have twice attempted to pa.s.s the First Narrow, and been obliged to return to the anchorage in Possession Bay; and twice I have pa.s.sed through it against a strong breeze blowing directly through, by aid of the tide; which runs, in the narrower parts, at the rate of ten or twelve miles an hour.

When the tide and wind are opposed to each other, the sea is very deep and heavy, and breaks high over the decks; it is therefore advisable to close reef, or lower the topsails on the cap, and drift through; for the tide, if at the springs, will generally be sufficient to carry a ship to an anchorage, although, not always to one where it would be safe to pa.s.s the night. On this account, it would be prudent to return; for, although the holding ground is exceedingly good, yet, to part in the night, or drift towards, or through the Narrow, could scarcely happen without accident.

{469}

In leaving the anchorage in Gregory Bay, attention must be paid to the tide, which continues to run to the eastward in the Second Narrow, three hours after it has commenced setting to the S.W. at the anchorage.

With a leading wind through the Second Narrow, a ship will easily reach an anchorage off Laredo Bay, but, if the tide fails upon emerging from it, she should seek for a berth in the bay to the north of Elizabeth Island, as near to the island as possible, but to the westward of its N.E. end, to be out of the influence of the tide. The depth of water, however, will be the best guide.

Directions for pa.s.sing round the south side of Elizabeth Island are given elsewhere; and as this part offers some dangers, the chart and the description should be carefully referred to.

The only advice that seems wanting, to improve the directions for the coast from this to Port Famine, is, with a south-westerly wind, to keep close to the weather sh.o.r.e, in order to benefit by the flaws down the valleys; but this must be done with caution, in consequence of the squalls off the high land, the violence of which cannot be well imagined by a person unaccustomed to them.