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 XVI. Sounding-s — Anchor in Santa Cruz — Lay Beagle ashore for repair Prepare to ascend River — Set out — View of surrounding country- Rapid stream — Cold — Ostriches — Guanacoes — Indians — Fish — Cliffs — Firewood — Lava Cliffs — Difficulties — Chalia — See Andes — Far- thest West — View round — Return — Danger — Guanaco hunters Puma— Cat — Tides — Sail from Santa Cruz. In working to the westward from Berkeley Sound to the River Santa Cruz, we sounded frequently, and found that the depth is nowhere much above one hundred fathoms between those places. But the water is not of so little depth between the Falklands and Cape Virgins, or Tierra del Fuego ; for there we could not strike soundings in some places, towards the islands, with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. On the 13th we anchored in the Santa Cruz, and imme- diately prepared to lay our vessel ashore for a tide, to ascertain how much injury had been caused by the rock at Port Desire, and to examine the copper previous to her employment in the Pacific Ocean, where worms soon eat their way through unpro- tected planks. (16th.) When on the beach, at a place we after- wards called ' Keel Point,' it was found that a piece of the false keel under the ' fore-foot,' had been knocked off, and that a few sheets of copper were a good deal rubbed. By Mr. May's exer- tions all was repaired in one tide ; and the following day we were making preparations for an excursion up the river. 17th. An examination, or rather a partial exploring, of the River Santa Cruz had long been meditated. During the former voyage of the Beagle, Captain Stokes had ascended the rapid current as far as a heavy boat could be taken ; but his account served only to stimulate our curiosity, and decided my follow- ing his example. Three light boats were prepared (whale-boats strengthened)- as much provision as they could stow with safety was put into them, and a party of officers and men selected. Lieut. Sulivan,