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

CHAPTER VIII. Find that the Cutter had been burned — Anxiety for the Beagle— Ux- bridge Sealer — Beagle arrives — Her cruize — Bellaco Rock — San Julian — Santa Cruz — Gallegos — Adeona— Death of Lieutenant Sholl — Adelaide Sails — Supposed Channel of San Sebastian — Useless B;iy — Natives — Port San Antonio — Humming-birds — Fuegians — Beagle sailed — Sarmiento — Roldan — Pond — AVhales — Structure — Scenery Port Gallant. Port Famine bore evident marks of having been visited in our absence by the Indians, for a large fire, apparently recent, had over-run the grass, and burned the trees upon Point Santa Anna, particularly in that part where our boat had been so care- fully concealed. Eager to know whether she had escaped the fire, I lost no time in hastening to the spot, directly after the Adventure anchored, and found, as our fears had anticipated, that she had been completely destroyed, scarcely a vestige of her wood remaining, and most of the iron-work having been carried away ; for which, doubtless, the Indians had set her on fire. The sheds for the cooper and armourer, which had been erected with some pains, were also entirely consumed, and every thing portable had been carried away. Those things which were of no use to them were either broken or burnt ; but some of our station poles on Point Santa Anna were left uninjured; as well as the tablet erected to the memory of Mr. Ainsworth and the boat's crew ; which was singular, because it was secured by iron hoops — of great value, in their eyes. From the fresh traces of horses in the neighbourhood, we at first suspected the conflagration to have been caused by the Patagonians ; but we soon found we owed our loss to the Fue- gians, for in two new wigwams were strewed some remains of our boat. The last winter appeared to have been milder than that pre- ceding it, for last January, Mount Sarmiento and the hills to