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

488 CllATEKS TOilTOlSES WATER. Sept. anchored close to a low rugged point, near the north-east end of the island : employed two boats in examining the shore, and landed a party to look for terrapin : Mr. Darwin and Mr, Stokes went to the top of a neighbouring hiU. Throughout this day it blew so fresh a breeze, that double-reefed topsails were as much as could be carried : but I think this strength of wind only prevailed under the lee of the island, where the wind rushed down in squalls, after having been intercepted and checked by the high land. All the hills appear to have been the craters of volcanoes : some are of sandy mud, others are lava. There is plenty of wood hereabouts, though stunted and dry. On no part of this shore is there a chance of finding water ; all is stony, without any soil which could either collect or carry it off. Our party brought eighteen terrapin on board. In size they were not remarkable, none exceeding eighty pounds. This animal appears to be well defended by nature ; but, in truth, it is rather helpless, and easily injured. The shell is slight, and becomes weaker (in proportion to the animal's size), as the tor- toise grows older. 19th. Sailed round the north-east extremity of the island, and worked to the southward against a tide, or rather current, setting strongly to the north-west. 20th. At daylight we were off the south-east part of the island ; and continued working to the south-west, during the forenoon, along a shore quite bold, excepting the small rocks above water in ' Middle' Bay. At noon, seeing a small cove, I went in a boat to examine it, and look for water. We found no sio-ns of any in that place ; but a little farther west, a fine stream was seen falling from a lava cliff, about thirty feet high. Mr. Low had described this waterfall correctly ; and his account of the watering place near it was soon verified, by our dis- covering a cove half a mile to the westward of the cascade. We landed on a stony beach in the cove, and found a fine stream of excellent water : two others were likewise seen, but they were inaccessible. This water runs from the highest parts of the island (which are almost always enveloped in