Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

86 EXTRAORDINARY PAMPERO. 1829. from sea, towards the harbour of Maldonado. Before mid-day the breeze was fresh from N.N.W., but after noon it became moderate, and there was a gloominess, and a close sultry feel- ing, which seemed to presage thunder and rain. I shovdd men- tion that during three preceding nights banks of clouds had been noticed near the south-west horizon, over which there was a frequent reflection of very distant lightning. The barometer had been falling since the 25th, slowly, but steadily, and on the 30th, at noon, it was at 29-4, and the ther- mometer 78°. I, and those with me, thought little about the fall of the mercury, and still less about the threatening aspect of the south-west horizon. " Heavy rain," I thought, " at night, will not signify when we are moored in Maldonado :" and there was then every prospect of our reaching that port before night. Having been often in the river Plata, and once for eight months successively, I had acquired a familiarity with the place, and a disregard for pamperoes, which was not surprising in a young man who had witnessed many, but certainly, as it happened, not one of so serious a nature as to cause any par- ticular impression on his mind. I had not then learned never to despise an enemy. At about three o'clock the wind was light, and veering about from north-west to north-east. There was a heavy bank of clouds in tlie south-west, and occasionally lightning was visible even in daylight. Myriads of insects, such as butterflies, dragon-flies, and moths, came off" from the land ; driven, as it appeared, by gusts of heated wind. At four the breeze fresh- ened up from N.N.W., and obliged us to take in all light sails. Maldonado Tower then bore west, and Lobos Island (centre) S.W.b.S. The weather became more unsettled and threatening, though still we had no expectation of any material change before night : but soon after five it became so dark towards the south-west, and the lightning increased so much, that we shortened sail to the reefed topsails and foresail ; still hoping to reach our destination before the pampero began. Shortly before six the upper clouds in the south-west quarter