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

5fi2 ' Marion'' — canoes — traffic. Dec. tide runs outwards during about seven hours, and the tide sets inwai-ds about five, tliough with still less strength. At times, the outward stream may run about two knots in the narrow places. Mr. Mair"'s house and shipping-yard, Mr. Clendon''s establishment, and the pleasantly-situated house and garden of Mr. Wright gave an English aspect to the eastern side of the harbour ; while boats passing and ships lying at anchor in an estuary, much resembling one in our own country, prevented the frequent occurrence of a thought, that we were near the Antij)odes ; and that on the western side of the harbour is the ])h!ce where ' Marion' and so many of his crew were mas- sacred, and afterwards eaten ! That horrid catastrophe is now said to have been caused by mutual ignorance of language. The Frenchmen not understanding that the spot was tabooed, persisted in fishing there, and endeavoured to maintain their intrusion by force. Canoes met and passed us as we proceeded. It was pleasant to witness the cordial greetings exchanged between most of their occupants and Mr. Baker. All these canoes were going to Kororareka, to sell their cargoes of firewood, potatoes, yams, or pigs. Here and there, by the water-side, we saw a house, or rather hut, with a patch of cleared and cultivated ground, a great pile of firewood, ready for sale, and perhaps a canoe close by, which the native owners were loading with the marketable produce of their land. When the estuary had diminished, and we found ourselves in a fresh-water river, there was much resem- blance to parts of the river at Valdivia ; but the amount of ground under cultivation, and the number of huts scattered over the face of the country and along the banks of the river, were less near Valdivia, exclusive of the town itself, than in this so lately a cannibal country. Though on a small scale, the banks of this river are interest- ing and picturesque. On each side, the soil is extremely good on the low grounds, and the hills are well clothed with wood ; they are not high, but approach the river rather closely in some places, so tliat the winding stream, spaces of level and partially cultivated land, and woody heights, are agreeably