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

143 WINTER ADELAIDE SAILS. May 1828. nated ^vith finer weather than we had experienced for some weeks, but May set in with north-easterly winds and much rain, succeeded by a heavy fall of' snow. " Tristis hyems montes niveo velamine vestit." As yet the thermometer had not been very low. On one or two occasions it had fallen during the night to 28°, but gene- rally it ranged between 45° and 38°. The Adelaide was again despatched on the 30th AprU, to carry on an examination of the openings on each side of Caye- tano Island ; but she returned on the 21st of May, with the disagreeable intelligence of having had her only serviceable boat stolen by the Indians. This was a serious loss, not only on account of so much time being thrown away, but also because we had no other boat to substitute for her. To pre- vent delay, I sent to Mr. Low, at Bougainville Harbour, requesting that he would sell one of his boats ; but he was himself so badly off, from similar losses, that he could only assist us by lending one for a few weeks, and as it was the only boat he possessed, it could not be spared to go far from his vessel. I, therefore, despatched Mr. Graves, in the Adelaide, to Bougainville Harbour, to employ himself in examining the coast thence to Cape Froward, and in the mean time began to build a Avhale-boat, to be ready for the Adelaide's use as soon as winter had passed over ; for, from Mr. Graves's report of the state of the climate to the westward, very little could be done during the winter months. The following is Lieut. Graves's account of the loss of his boat : — Upon leaving Port Famine he proceeded at once to Port Gallant, and surveyed Cordes Bay ; after which he crossed the Strait to St. Simon's Bay, and anchored in Millar Cove, on its western side, immediately to the north of Port Langara, from which it is only separated by a narrow neck of land. The Adelaide remained there at anchor while Mr. Graves visited the different parts of the bay. Her presence had attracted a large party of Indians, who, occupying several wigwams near the entrance of the cove, paid daily visits to