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

340 weddell's rluff — fresh watf.r. April around, and with a snort and a growl, threw his huge shapelessness, by a floundering waddle, towards the nearest water. As far as Weddell's Bluff* we sailed merrily ; but there took to the oars, because the river makes a sudden turn, or rather, the river Santa Cruz (properly so called), enters the estuary of the same name from the south-west, as far as can be seen from WeddelFs Bluff: — but a Httle beyond where the eye reaches, it takes a westerly direction. Another river, the Chico of Viedma, also enters the estuary at this place from the north-west. Here, a little above the Bluff, the water was fresh on the surface, and sometimes it is quite fresh, even into the estuary ; but in filling casks, or dipping any thing into the stream for fresh water, it is advisable not to dip deep, or to let the hose (if one is used), go many inches below the surface, since it often happens that the upper water is quite fresh, while that underneath is salt. This occurs, more or less, in all rivers which empty themselves into the sea : the fresh water, specifi- cally lighter, is always uppermost. Wind failing us entii-ely, we pulled to the south-west. On our left, high cliffs still continued, and at their base a wide shingle beach offered tempting landing-places, with many spots ex- tremely well adapted for laying a vessel ashore, to be repaired or cleaned ; on our right, a low shore extended, rising gradually, however, in the north-west, f to cliffs Uke those near Keel Point. The flowing tide favoured us until about five, when we landed on the north shore, at a spot where the rise and fall of the tide had diminished to four feet. Here the river was six hundred and forty yards in breadth, running down at the rate of about six knots during a part of the ebb, and from two to four knots an hour during the greater part of the flood-tide. It was perfectly fresh to the bottom, and in mid-channel about three fathoms deep ; but this depth extended very little way * Named after the enterprizing southern navigator. i On the south side of the north-west arm of the Santa Cruz.