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

262 PROSPECTIVE ADVANTAGES. ping at Port William, could not fail to prosper, if a free port Avere offered there to ships of all nations. Homeward-bound ships from our rapidly growing colonies in Australia, as well as those from Mexico, Peru, and Chile, are often in want of a port to which they can resort about the middle of their voy- age. The River Plata is out of the way and dangerous ; Santa Catharina is almost as much out of reach, and deficient in many articles of supply ; Rio de Janeiro and Bahia are also out of the line and very expensive, though they are often resorted to ; St. Helena is too far east, scantily supplied, and more expensive than the Brazils. But almost every one of those ships 'sight' the eastern end of the Falklands as they pass by, to correct or verify their longitude, and how very little delay then would they experience, if the course were shaped so as to pass a little nearer Port William, and there heave to imder the lee of the land, or let go an anchor, as might be most suitable. Water and fresh provisions might be speedily pro- cured, at a price now moderate, and if a colony were once well organized, in a short time as low as in any part of the world. A few small vessels should be attached to the colony, and two small men of war, one of which should be always about the chief harbour, and the other visiting the various ports of the archipelago. I have alluded more than once to the fact of excellent fresh water being plentiful every where, and I may here add, that if a sailing tank-vessel were kept at Port Wil- liam in readiness to supply ships without delay, that one con- venience only, when generally known, would ensure the visits of almost every Australian and Mexican trader, besides many others. No one making a long voyage hesitates to take in an additional supply of good water during his passage, if he can do so without delay (of consequence) and without danger. It is the natural unwillingness to get in with the land — to be delayed in port — to pay heavy port dues, and to risk losing men— that generally induces seamen in command of vessels to avoid every port excepting that to which they are bound ; but if you could ensvire to a ship loading at Sydney a safe ' half-way house' at the Falklands, she would hardly prefer carrying a quantity of