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

16 GREGORY BAY NATIVES. DeC. 1896. with the Beagle on account of the weather, and the strength of the tide ; this opportunity was therefore taken to supply her with water, of which she had only enough left for two days. The greater part of this day was spent on shore, examining the country and making observations. Large smokes* were noticed to the westward. The shore was strewed with traces of men and horses, and other animals. Foxes and ostriches were seen ; and bones of guanacoes were lying about the ground. The country in the vicinity of this anchorage seemed open, low, and covered with good pasturage. It extends five or six miles, with a gradual ascent, to the base of a range of flat- topped land, whose summit is about fifteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. Not a tree was seen ; a few bushesf alone interrupted the uniformity of the view. The grass ap- peared to have been cropped by horses or guanacoes, and was much interspersed with cranberry plants, bearing a ripe and juicy, though very insipid fruit. Next day the wind was too strong and adverse to permit us to proceed. In the early part of the morning an American sealing vessel, returning from the Madre de Dios Archipelago on her way to the Falkland Islands, anchored near us. Mr. Cutler, her master, came on board the Adventure, passed the day and night with us, and gave me much useful information respecting the nature of the navigation, and anchorages in the Strait. He told me there was an Englishman in his vessel who was a pilot for the strait, and willing to join the ship. I gladly accepted the offer of his services. In the evening an Indian was observed on horseback riding to and fro upon the beach, but the weather prevented my send- ing a boat until the next morning, when Lieutenant Cooke went on shore to communicate with him and other Indians who appeared, soon after dawn, upon the beach. On landing, he was received by them without the least distrust. They were eight or ten in number, consisting of an old man and his wife, three young men, and the rest children, all mounted on » Columns of smoke rising from large fires. f Berberis,