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

126 GALES — HASTY OPINIONS Jan. the loss of a lee-quarter boat, which, although carried three feet higher than in the former voyage (1826-1830), was dipped under water, and torn away.* From that time the wind abated, and the sea became less high.-}- The main-topsail was again set, though with difficulty, and at four o'clock the fore-topsail and double-reefed foresail were helping us towards False Cape Horn, my intention being to anchor in Nassau Bay. When the quarter-boat was torn away, we were between the Ildefonsos and Diego Ramirez : the wind varying from W.S.W. to S.W. This gale was severely felt on all parts of the coast, south of 48°, as I afterwards ascertained from sealing-vessels : and at the Falkland Islands, a French whaler, called Le Magellan, was driven from her anchors and totally wrecked in that land- locked and excellent port, Berkeley Sound. Some persons are disposed to form a very premature opinion of the wind or weather to be met with in particular regions, judging only from what they may themselves have expe- rienced. Happily, extreme cases are not often met with ; but one cannot help regretting the haste with which some men (who have sailed round Cape Horn with royals set) incline to cavil at and doubt the description of Anson and other navi- gators, who were not only far less fortvmate as to weather, but had to deal with crazy ships, inefficient crews, and unknown shores ; besides hunger, thirst, and disease. Before midnight we anchored under shelter of the land • It was well that all our hatchways were thoroughly secured, and that nothing heavy could break a-drift. But little water found its way to the lower deck, though Mr. Darwin's collections, in the poop and forecastle cabins on deck, were much injured. Next to keeping a sharp look-out upon the skj^, the water, and the barometer, we were always anxious to batten down our hatches in time — especially at night, during a gale, or j in very squally weather. t The roller which hove us almost on our beam ends, was the highest j and most hollow that I have seen, excepting one in the Bay of Biscay,] and one in the Southern Atlantic; yet so easy was our little vessel that! nothing was injured besides the boat, the netting (washed away), and one [ chronometer.