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 XV. Beagle and Adventure sail from Monte Video— Port Desire — Bellaco Rock — Refraction — Port San Julian — Viedma — Drake — Magalhaens ' — Patagonians — Port Famine — San Sebastian Bay — VVoollya — Jemmy — Story — Treachery— Oens-men — Improvement — Gratitude — Falk- lands — Events Captain Seymonr — Search for Murderers — Lieutenant Smith — Brisbane — Wreck — SuiFerings — Lieutenant Clive — Sail from Falklands. Dec. 6th, 1833. With a supply of provisions and coals,* sufficient for at least nine months, the Beagle and her tender sailed together from Monte yideo. We first touched at Port Desire (23d Dec), and after passing a very cheerful Christmas-day ,-f- and exploring the inlet to its extremity, the Adventure was left to complete some alterations in her masts and rigging, while the Beagle would survey the coast between Sea Bear Bay and Port San Julian, The party who went up the inlet were much struck by the wildness and height]: of the rocky cliffs which they saw on each side of what appeared to have been the bed of a former river ; but could go no further with the yawl than I had been in 1829- This I had foreseen, and therefore Mr. Chaffers, who was in charge of the party, took with him a small dinghy, in which he went on after the yawl was stopped by the mud. Having proceeded two miles further, the prospect changed suddenly ; instead of wild glens and precipitous heights of porphyritic rock, low flat banks were seen, covered with rushes near the water, and, further from the stream, with luxuriant pasture. It was almost high water when the dinghy reached this spot and entered a fresh water river about a hundred * Wood and water being easily procured in the regions we were going to visit, we carried only a month's store of those essentials. t After noon on the 25th, both crews amused themselves on shore in wrestling, racing, jumping, and various games. J About three hundred feet.