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

372 ANIMALS — TIDES — IXCHE-MO. DeC. beads was lying in the cave, but they noticed notliing else. The skull seemed to them to have been that of a black man. No animals were seen at any time except deer and nutria, seal and otter ; the former were of a reddish colour, with short straight horns, and very rough coats : no traces of other quadrupeds were observed, nor during the whole fourteen months did they ever meet a native human being. They told me that the night tides seemed always to be a foot or more higher than those of the day, which, as they said, rose from four to seven or eight feet perpendicularly. I had intended to explore the interior of Port S^n Estevan ; but as they had already done so, and found it terminate in a fresh water river, or rather mountain stream, I gave up that plan, and sailed next day. 29th. While examining the coast towards Cape Taytao* (I must omit haohuon), we found a very dangerous patch of rocks, -f- five miles from the nearest land ; there are soundings near them. In the evening we dropped our anchor under Inche- mo Island ; an interesting locality, because there the Anna Pink anchored before she was drifted across the adjacent bay into Port Refuge (in 1741). 30th. On landing- an old wooden hut was discovered in a sheltered corner, and we found that the island was over- run with goats, which I suppose to have been left by the Santa Barbara's crew, if not by Machado's people. While Mr. Stokes and I were engaged with the instruments, and two boats sounding, a couple of guns were sent against the goats, and in consequence of their effectual employment in the hands of Mr. Bynoe and H. Fuller, all on board had a good fresh meal the next two days. After noon we sailed across the Bay,;]: and found a snug, though very small cove,§ where we moored in security, and remained till the 4th of January, exploring the neighbourhood — an unprofitable wilderness of rocky moun- tains, woody and swampy valleys, islands and rocks in pro- * Cape Taytao is a high bold promontory. t Hellyer Rocks. I Now called Anna Pink Bay. § Patch Cove.