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

292 TTJYU — CAPE CORRIENTES. Sept. Oct. buoyancy for supporting her heavy metal, durabihty, and tena- city ; besides easiness as a sea-boat, and superiority of saihng. Vessels may easily be built to excel in any of these qualifica- tions ; but to excel in all is the climax, only to be obtained by genius, aided by extraordinary study and experience. After running a few miles with the Snake, and finding that she steered towards Buenos Ayres, we altered our course to re- sume our easterly route, and early next morning were anchored alongside the Adventure. As it was evident that another month must elapse before the schooner would be ready for her work, notwithstanding the zea- lous exertions of Lieut. Wickham and his crew, I decided to finish myself the survey, which I had intended he should begin with, namely, of the south shore of the Plata and a reported bank off Cape Corrientes — and defer the second visit to Tierra del Fuego until December or January. Accordingly, the Beagle sailed on the 23d, and after a close examination of Cape San Antonio and the great mud-bank, called Tuyu, which lies within it, we went to the neighbourhood of Cape Corrientes, and there looked about and sounded in every direction, but could find no shoal. We then returned to the river, and sounded Sanborombon Bay, laying its shores down on the chart as accu- rately as we could, considering that the water was every where so shoal, that even a boat could not get within half a mile of the land, except at particular times, for which we could not wait. The distance at which the Beagle was obliged to keep, varied from four miles to three (seldom less), and then she was sailing in about a foot more Avater than she drew.* On the 6th of October we returned to Maldonado ; to pre- pare for a long excursion southward, and to hasten the equip- ment of the Adventure. By the 19th she was almost ready, so we weighed in company, ran up the river to water, and on the 21st moored off Monte Video, to take in our final supplies pre- vious to quitting the River Plata for the last time. Here, to my surprise, I found people talking about the English having * The Beagle's draught of water was eleven feet and a half forward, and thirteen feet aft, when in ordinary loaded trim.