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

596 UESOURCES IN PACIFIC. DcC. be a much more serious affair than a similar accident happen- ing to a smaller vessel : and, by obliging her to return to England, or go to an East-Indian dockyard, would upset all plans and expose Polynesia to greater irregularities and less control than ever, until new arrangements could be made. To the ' risk of getting ashore,' I answer : large ships are in general more efficiently officered and manned than small ones, and they are less likely to get into danger, because they are consequently more carefully managed. The Pacific is, technically speaking, a ' deep water ' ocean : all its coral reefs are ' steep-to."' Sand or mud banks are unknown, except near the shores of continents, and even there they are rare, unless on the Japanese and Chinese shores. Small ships attempt to sail in intricate passages, and get ashore : — large vessels use warps, or await very favourable opportunities, and are not risked. Secondly: supplies may now be obtained in any quan- tity on the coast of South America, as well as in Australia ; and fresh provisions can be obtained by regular, reasonable purchase, at the principal islands. New Zealand, Norfolk Island, the north-west coast of America and other places, are stocked with the finest spars : and lastly : a large ship, well provided, has the resources of a small dock-yard within her- self. An East-India trader of eight hundred tons, was hove down by lier own crew, and the natives, at Otaheite. Cook laid his ship ashore for repair in Endeavour River, on the north-east coast of New Holland ; where the rise and fall of tide is very great. Sydney is an excellent place for heaving down and repairing a ship of any size. Guayaquil has a great rise and fall of tide. Lima, or rather Callao, — and Coquimbo, are good places for a ship to refit in. But Sydney is superior to all as a rendezvous, and any repairs may be effected there. Large ships are able to do all their own work, while small vessels are frequently obliged to ask for the help of their neighbovirs, when they get into difficvilty, or want repairs. These considerations, however, should not prevent a frigate from having a good tender, for much risk would then be