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

364< ISLAND OF SOCORRO — INDIANS. Dec t)f provisions in the boat as soon as possible, in order that they might be obliged to return without going far. But Low was too much inured to hardship to be so easily diverted from his plan ; he went on, directly south, even after his provisions were consumed ; obliging them to live for fourteen days upon shell-fish and sea-weed. After exploring much of the Chonos Archipelago, sufficiently to facilitate our survey materially, he returned with his hungry crew to Caylin. 24th. Lieutenant Sulivan set out with the yawl and a whale- boat, to survey the east side of Chiloe and the islets in the Gulf of Ancud.* With him were Messrs. Darwin, Usborne, Stewart and Kent ; Douglas as a pilot, and ten men. Two days afterwards, the Beagle sailed, to examine the western coast of Chiloe, and the Chonos Archipelago. Dec. 2d. While standing towards distant mountainous land, about the latitude of 45°, we saw a comparatively low and level island ;-|- considerably detached from those which seemed like Tierra del Fuego, being a range of irregular mountains and hills, forming apparently a continuous coast. This level island I have since ascertained to be that formerly called Nuestra Senora del Socorro, where Narborough anchored and landed, in 1670. It was selected in 1740, by Anson, as a rendezvous for his squadron ; but no one seemed to know where to look for it the Anna Pink having made the land in 45°. 35', and the unfor- tunate Wager in 47°, near Cape Tres Montes. Narborough mentions seeing ' an old Indian hut"" on this island ; and in a MS. journal, written by Moraleda| (now in my possession) it is said that the former natives of the Chonos used to make annual excursions to that as well as other outlying islands. After witnessing the distance to which savages venture in such frail canoes as those of Tierra del Fuego, it does not surprise one to find them going fifteen or twenty miles across an open • Orders in Appendix, No. 21. t About three or four hundred feet in height, excepting one hill, which is seven hundred feet. + MS. Diary of Moraleda's examination of Chiloe and part of the Chonos Islands in 1787-93, given to me at Lima, by a friend to whom I am much indebted for valuable information.