Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

18S7-8- PURCHASE THE ADELAIDE. 107 rine"'s we remained eight days, and during the interval necessary for ascertaining the rates of the chronometers, I obtained mag- netic observations. After a tedious voyage of nineteen days from St. Catherine's, I arrived at Monte Video, and tliere received intelbVence that the long-wished permission from the Loid High Admiral, to procure a tender, bad been obtained. I accordingly purchased a schooner, which I named the Adelaide, and appointed Lieu- tenant Graves to the command. Five months' additional pro- visions for both vessels were purchased, and put into her; and on the 23d December, after running up the river to complete our water, we sailed out by the southern entrance, passing to the westward of the Archimedes' Shoal, and proceeded without farther detention to the southward. On the 1st of January (in latitude 43° 17' and long. 61° 9'), I was informed that we were close to a rock. Upon going on deck, I saw the object ; but in a very short time I perceived it was a dead whale, upon whose half-pvxtrid body large flocks of birds were feeding. Many on board were, however, sceptical, until, on passing to leeward, the strong odour testified the fact. Its appearance certainly was very like the summit of a dark brown rock, covered with weeds and barnacles, and the myriads of birds which sun'ounded it added to the deception. It could, however, be distinguished by its buoyancy ; for the water did not break over it, as of course it would have done had it been a fixed body. Such is probably the origin of half the ' vigias' that are found on the charts. Whales, when struck by the fishers, frequently escape and perish ; the carcass then floats on the surface of the sea, until decomposed or eaten by birds and fishes. A small vessel striking against such a mass, would probably be severely injured; and at night, the shell, that it seemed as if the shell increased with the animal's growth. When so many learned naturalists have diiFered so materially as to the character of the inhabitants of the argonauta, it would be presumption in me to express even an opinion ; I therefore merely mention the fact, and state that in no one specimen did there appear to be any connexion between the animal and the shell.