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

422 DETAINED BY WEATHER — SEAL. Marcll 1830. somewhat better plight than we had been in during the greater part of the day, the men having been constantly soaked through, and their hands quite numbed with cold and wet. I was disap- pointed by this place ; the various coves were sounded, with- out getting bottom with twenty-five fathoms of line ; and I could find no anchorage without going further up the inlet tlian would suit any vessel running in from sea for a temporary shelter. " 26th. A strong gale prevented our going outside, but in hopes that there might be an inland passage I set out to look for one. Having pulled and sailed about six miles up the inlet, we reached its termination, and thence returned to our bivouac. There seemed to be an opening into DufF Bay not previously seen, which would have saved us some time and trouble had we known of its existence. " 27th. The gale continued with more or less violence, and during the greater part of the day we were occupied in gather- ing limpets and muscles, as a stock of food in case of being detained longer than our provisions would last. Shooting did not succeed, because the sea-birds were very wild and scarce. I regretted that there was no harbour in the inlet which could be planned during our stay. Every cove we could find had deep water, and so rocky a bottom that we found difficulty in secur- ing even our small boat ; for this continued gale raised so much swell that we were kept on the alert at night to shift her berth as often as the wind changed. " 28th. This day, and the preceding night, the wind was exceedingly violent, from N.W. to S.W., but generally south- ward of west. In pulling across the cove to get limpets, the squalls at times forced the oars out of the men's hands, and blew them across or away from the boat. Much rain fell during most nights, but after sunrise it generally ceased ; sometimes however the rain poured down by day as much as by night. " I here saw many seals teaching their young ones to swim. It was curious to see the old seal supporting the pup by its flipper, as if to let it breathe and rest, and then pushing it away into deep water to shift for itself.