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

CHAPTER XIV. Paz and Liebre begin work — Chronometers — Fish — Animals — San Bias — Wrecks — River Negro — Del Carmen — Inhabitants — Indians Trade — Williams drowned — Port Desire — Gale — Salinas — Lightning — Bones in Tomb — Trees — Dangers — New Bay — Cattle — Seals — Soil —River Chupat — Drift Timber — Fertility— Wild Cattle— V aides Creek — Imminent danger — Tide Races — Bar of the Negro — Hunting — Attack of Indians — Villarino — Falkner. The Paz and Liebre parted company with the Beagle on the 18th of October 1832, and commenced their undertaking by a cursory examination of the entrance to False Bay, Green Bay, and Brightman Inlet. Lieut. Wickham and Mr. King, with Roberts and four men, were in the Liebre.* Messrs. Stokes, Mellersh, and Forsyth, Avith Harris and five men, were on board the Paz.-f- While they were northward of the Colo- rado, true bearings of the Ventana Mountain, and observed latitudes, made them independent of their five chronometers but it was soon found that the rates of those useful machines were not injured even by the continual as well as sudden mo- tions of so small a vessel. They were bedded in sawdust, wool, and sand,:J: within a large tub, which was secured to the deck under the cabin table of the Paz, not far from the centre of least motion. In Brightman Inlet great quantities of fish were caught, by stopping up the mouths of small creeks with a net at high water, and when the tide ebbed many more were left ashore than were wanted. On Green Island they found good water by digging wells seven or eight feet deep. The island itself was overrun by deer and cavies : and on the main land the wild pig of the country ( javali) Avas seen. On the 23d they entered the river Colorado, but had much trouble in warping to a safe berth, on account of the water being very shoal at the entrance which they had chosen. The principal mouth was a * Nine tons burthen. t Fifteen tons. J Sawdust alone would have been better.