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

334 SUFFERINGS — DISASTERS. 1830 or two at night, thougli working all day, while they were so hard pressed for food. " 22d. Launched the shallop, or rather, hauled her down at low water, and let her float. 24th. Indians more troublesome than ever ; obliged to fire at them repeatedly. 27th. Almost starved, eating bullock's hide. 30th. Nothing to eat but bul- lock's hide and berries. Could not get the shallop over the reef because of a heavy surf. " May 1st. Got out to sea ; found the shallop leak very much: nothing to eat but hide. 2d. Lat. 54°. 00'. Long. east. 63°. 50'. 5th. Made Cape Meredith (in the Falklands), but could not get near for want of wind. 6th. Two men gave out(c) for want of food : they had gone six days with but one pound of hide. 7th. A heavy gale; the shallop under bare poles, and almost sinking; sea making a clear breach over her ; men quite worn out by constant pumping and baling, and by want of food : we had a very hard job to keep her from sinking : at dusk saw land through the rain and spray, half a mile to leeward ; showed the head of the jib, and bore away right before the wind for the nearest part : saw a cove, ran into it, and anchored. Killed numbers of geese ; thanked God for our safety. 11th. Many of our men ill from the sudden change. 17th. Went ashore in Pleasant Harbour ; saw a great number of cattle ; the dog caught two of them, and held them for us to kill.(d) 30th of May. Anchored in Port Louis, landed, and hauled the shallop ashore at high-water." The vessel in which Brisbane and Bray were wrecked, was driven ashore in a northerly gale, while sealing near Policarpo Cove. Their crew consisted of about twenty men, most of whom had fire-arms, and plenty of ammunition. Though it will swell yet more the catalogue of his disasters, I must add that Brisbane was once wrecked on South Georgia, and escaped thence to Monte Video in a shallop, which he and his compa- nions in distress built out of the wreck of their sealing vessel. fcj Could work no longer. R. F. {dj Seized them by the lip. He was a large, strong animal, between a bull-dog and a mastiff. R. F. A