Chapter II: Introduction

In 1825, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty directed two ships to be prepared for a Survey of the Southern Coasts of South America; and in May, of the following year, the ADVENTURE and the BEAGLE were lying in Plymouth Sound, ready to carry the orders of their Lordships into execution.

These vessels were well provided with every necessary, and every comfort, which the liberality and kindness of the Admiralty, Navy Board, and officers of the Dock-yards, could cause to be furnished.

On board the Adventure, a roomy ship, of 330 tons burthen, without guns,[1] lightly though strongly rigged, and very strongly built, were--

PHILLIP PARKER KING, Commander and Surveyor, Senior
Officer of the Expedition.

J. COOKE Lieutenant.
B. AINSWORTH Master.
J. TARN Surgeon.
{xii}
G. ROWLETT Purser.
R. H. SHOLL Mate.
J. C. WICKHAM Mate.
J. F. BRAND Mate.
T. GRAVES Mate and Assistant Surveyor.
G. HARRISON Mate.
E. WILLIAMS Second Master.
J. PARK Assistant Surgeon.
W. W. WILSON Midshipman.
A. MILLAR Master's Assistant.
A. MELLERSH Volunteer 1st Class.
J. RUSSELL Volunteer 2d Class.
G. HODGSKIN Clerk.
J. ANDERSON Botanical Collector.

Gunner--Boatswain--and Carpenter.

Serjeant and fourteen Marines; and about forty Seamen and
Boys.

In the Beagle, a well-built little vessel, of 235 tons, rigged as a barque, and carrying six guns, were--

PRINGLE STOKES Commander and Surveyor.
E. HAWES Lieutenant.
W. G. SKYRING Lieut. and Assist. Surveyor.
S. S. FLINN Master.
E. BOWEN Surgeon.
J. ATRILL Purser.
J. KIRKE Mate.
B. BYNOE Assistant Surgeon.
J. L. STOKES Midshipman.
R. F. LUNIE Volunteer 1st Class.
W. JONES Volunteer 2d Class.
J. MACDOUALL Clerk.

Carpenter.

Serjeant and nine Marines; and about forty Seamen and Boys.

{xiii}

In the course of the voyage, several changes occurred among the officers, which it may be well to mention here.

In September, 1826, Lieutenant Hawes invalided: and was succeeded by Mr. R. H. Sholl, the senior mate in the Expedition.

In February, 1827, Mr. Ainsworth was unfortunately drowned; and, in his place, Mr. Williams acted, until superseded by Mr. S. S. Flinn, of the Beagle.

Lieutenant Cooke invalided in June, 1827; and was succeeded by Mr. J. C. Wickham.

In the same month Mr. Graves received information of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant.

Between May and December, 1827, Mr. Bowen and Mr. Atrill invalided; besides Messrs. Lunie, Jones, and Macdouall: Mr. W. Mogg joined the Beagle, as acting Purser; and Mr. D. Braily, as volunteer of the second class.

Mr. Bynoe acted as Surgeon of the Beagle, after Mr. Bowen left, until December, 1828.

In August, 1828, Captain Stokes's lamented vacancy was temporarily filled by Lieutenant Skyring; whose place was taken by Mr. Brand.

Mr. Flinn was then removed to the Adventure; and Mr. A. Millar put into his place.

{xiv}

In December, 1828, the Commander-in-chief of the Station (Sir Robert Waller Otway) superseded the temporary arrangements of Captain King, and appointed a commander, lieutenant, master, and surgeon to the Beagle. Mr. Brand then invalided, and the lists of officers stood thus--

Adventure (1828-30).

PHILLIP PARKER KING, Commander and Surveyor, Senior
Officer of the Expedition.

T. GRAVES Lieut. and Assist. Surveyor.
J. C. WICKHAM Lieutenant.
S. S. FLINN Master.
J. TARN Surgeon.
G. ROWLETT Purser.
G. HARRISON Mate.
W. W. WILSON Mate.
E. WILLIAMS Second Master.
J. PARK Assistant Surgeon.
A. MELLERSH Midshipman.
A. MILLAR Master's Assistant.
J. RUSSELL Volunteer 2d Class.
G. HODGSKIN Clerk.
J. ANDERSON Botanical Collector.

Gunner--Boatswain--and Carpenter.

Serjeant and fourteen Marines: and about fifty[2] Seamen and
Boys.

Beagle (1828-30).

ROBERT FITZ-ROY Commander and Surveyor.
W. G. SKYRING Lieut. and Assist. Surveyor.
J. KEMPE Lieutenant.
M. MURRAY Master.
{xv}
J. WILSON Surgeon.
W. MOGG (Acting) Purser.
J. KIRKE Mate.
B. BYNOE Assistant Surgeon.
J. L. STOKES Midshipman.
J. MAY Carpenter.
D. BRAILY Volunteer 2d Class.
J. MEGGET Clerk.

Serjeant and nine Marines: and about forty Seamen and Boys.

In June, 1829, Lieutenant Mitchell joined the Adventure; and in February, 1830, Mr. A. Millar died very suddenly:--and very much regretted.

The following Instructions were given to the Senior Officer of the Expedition.

"By the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.

"Whereas we think fit that an accurate Survey should be made of the Southern Coasts of the Peninsula of South America, from the southern entrance of the River Plata, round to Chiloe; and of Tierra del Fuego; and whereas we have been induced to repose confidence in you, from your conduct of the Surveys in New Holland; we have placed you in the command of His Majesty's Surveying Vessel the Adventure; and we have directed Captain Stokes, of His Majesty's Surveying Vessel the Beagle, to follow your orders.

"Both these vessels are provided with all the {xvi} means which are necessary for the complete execution of the object above-mentioned, and for the health and comfort of their Ships' Companies. You are also furnished with all the information, we at present possess, of the ports which you are to survey; and nine Government Chronometers have been embarked in the Adventure, and three in the Beagle, for the better determination of the Longitudes.

"You are therefore hereby required and directed, as soon as both vessels shall be in all respects ready, to put to sea with them; and on your way to your ulterior destination, you are to make, or call at, the following places, successively; namely; Madeira: Teneriffe: the northern point of St. Antonio, and the anchorage at St. Jago; both in the Cape Verd Islands: the Island of Trinidad, in the Southern Atlantic: and Rio de Janeiro: for the purpose of ascertaining the differences of the longitudes of those several places.

"At Rio de Janeiro, you will receive any supplies you may require; and make with the Commander-in-chief, on that Station, such arrangements as may tend to facilitate your receiving further supplies, in the course of your Expedition.

"After which, you are to proceed to the entrance of the River Plata, to ascertain the longitudes of the Cape Santa Maria, and Monte Video: you are then to proceed to survey the Coasts, Islands, and Straits; from Cape St. Antonio, at the south side {xvii} of the River Plata, to Chiloe; on the west coast of America; in such manner and order, as the state of the season, the information you may have received, or other circumstances, may induce you to adopt.

"You are to continue on this service until it shall be completed; taking every opportunity to communicate to our Secretary, and the Commander-in-Chief, your proceedings: and also, whenever you may be able to form any judgment of it, where the Commander-in-Chief, or our Secretary, may be able to communicate with you.

"In addition to any arrangements made with the Admiral, for recruiting your stores, and provisions; you are, of course, at liberty to take all other means, which may be within your reach, for that essential purpose.

"You are to avail yourself of every opportunity of collecting and preserving Specimens of such objects of Natural History as may be new, rare, or interesting; and you are to instruct Captain Stokes, and all the other Officers, to use their best diligence in increasing the Collections in each ship: the whole of which must be understood to belong to the Public.

"In the event of any irreparable accident happening to either of the two vessels, you are to cause the officers and crew of the disabled vessel to be {xviii} removed into the other, and with her, singly, to proceed in prosecution of the service, or return to England, according as circumstances shall appear to require; understanding that the officers and crews of both vessels are hereby authorized, and required, to continue to perform their duties, according to their respective ranks and stations, on board either vessel to which they may be so removed. Should, unfortunately, your own vessel be the one disabled, you are in that case to take the command of the Beagle: and, in the event of any fatal accident happening to yourself; Captain Stokes is hereby authorized to take the command of the Expedition; either on board the Adventure, or Beagle, as he may prefer; placing the officer of the Expedition who may then be next in seniority to him, in command of the second vessel: also, in the event of your inability, by sickness or otherwise, at any period of this service, to continue to carry the Instructions into execution, you are to transfer them to Captain Stokes, or to the surviving officer then next in command to you, who is hereby required to execute them, in the best manner he can, for the attainment of the object in view.

"When you shall have completed the service, or shall, from any cause, be induced to give it up; you will return to Spithead with all convenient expedition; and report your arrival, and proceedings, to our Secretary, for our information.

{xix}

"Whilst on the South American Station, you are to consider yourself under the command of the Admiral of that Station; to whom we have expressed our desire that he should not interfere with these orders, except under peculiar necessity.

"Given under our hands the 16th of May 1826.
(Signed) "MELVILLE.
"G. COCKBURN.

"To Phillip P. King, Esq., Commander
of His Majesty's Surveying Vessel
Adventure, at Plymouth.

"By command of their Lordships.
(Signed) "J. W. CROKER."

On the 22d of May, 1826, the Adventure and Beagle sailed from Plymouth; and, in their way to Rio de Janeiro, called successively at Madeira, Teneriffe, and St. Jago.

Unfavourable weather prevented a boat being sent ashore at the northern part of San Antonio; but observations were made in Terrafal Bay, on the south-west side of the island: and, after crossing the Equator, the Trade-wind hung so much to the southward, that Trinidad could not be approached without a sacrifice of time, which, it was considered, might be prejudicial to more important objects of the Expedition.

Both ships anchored at Rio de Janeiro on the {xx} 10th of August, and remained there until the 2d of October, when they sailed to the River Plata.

In Maldonado,[3] their anchors were dropped on the 13th of the same month; and, till the 12th of November, each vessel was employed on the north side of the river, between Cape St. Mary and Monte Video.

* * * * *

{xxi}

CONTENTS

VOLUME I.

------

CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Departure from Monte Video--Port Santa Elena--Geological
remarks--Cape Fairweather--Non-existence of Chalk--Natural
History--Approach to Cape Virgins, and the Strait of
Magalhaens (or Magellan) 1

CHAPTER II.

Enter the Strait of Magalhaens (or Magellan), and anchor
off Cape Possession--First Narrow--Gregory Bay--Patagonian
Indians--Second Narrow--Elizabeth Island--Freshwater Bay--
Fuegian Indians--Arrival at Port Famine 12

CHAPTER III.

Prepare the Beagle, and a decked boat (the Hope) for
surveying the Strait--Beagle sails westward, and the Hope
towards the south-east--Sarmiento's Voyage--and description
of the colony formed by him at Port Famine--Steamer Duck--
Large trees--Parroquets--Mount Tarn--Barometrical
observations--Geological character--Report of the Hope's
cruise 26

CHAPTER IV.

Deer seen--Hope sails again--Eagle Bay--Gabriel Channel--
'Williwaws'--Port Waterfall--Natives--Admiralty Sound--
Gabriel Channel--Magdalen Channel--Hope returns to Port
Famine--San Antonio--Lomas Bay--Loss of boat--Master and
two seamen drowned 48
{xxii}

CHAPTER V.

Lieutenant Sholl arrives--Beagle returns--Loss of the Saxe
Coburg sealer--Captain Stokes goes to Fury Harbour to save
her Crew--Beagle's proceedings--Bougainville's memorial--
Cordova's memorial--Beagle's danger--Difficulties--Captain
Stokes's boat-cruise--Passages--Natives--Dangerous service--
Western entrance of the Strait of Magalhaens--Hope's
cruise--Prepare to return to Monte Video 65

CHAPTER VI.

Trees--Leave Port Famine--Patagonians--Gregory Bay--
Bysante--Maria--Falkner's account of the Natives--
Indians seen on the borders of the Otway Water, in 1829--
Maria visits the Adventure--Religious ceremony--Patagonian
Encampment--Tomb of a Child--Women's employment--
Children--Gratitude of a Native--Size of Patagonians--
Former accounts of their gigantic height--Character--
Articles for barter--Fuegians living with Patagonians--
Ships sail--Arrive at Monte Video and Rio de Janeiro 84

CHAPTER VII.

Leave Rio de Janeiro--Santos--Sta. Catharina--Monte
Video--Purchase the Adelaide schooner, for a Tender to
the Adventure--Leave Monte Video--Beagle goes to Port
Desire--Shoals off Cape Blanco--Bellaco Rock--Cape
Virgins--Possession Bay--First Narrow--Race--Gregory
Bay--View--Tomb--Traffic with Natives--Cordial meeting--
Maria goes on board--Natives intoxicated--Laredo Bay--
Port Famine 106

CHAPTER VIII.

Find that the Cutter had been burned--Anxiety for the
Beagle--Uxbridge Sealer--Beagle arrives--Her cruise--
Bellaco Rock--San Julian--Santa Cruz--Gallegos--Adeona--
{xxiii}
Death of Lieutenant Sholl--Adelaide sails--Supposed
Channel of San Antonio--Useless Bay--Natives--Port San
Antonio--Humming-birds--Fuegians--Beagle sails--Sarmiento--
Roldan--Pond--Whales--Structure--Scenery--Port Gallant 118

CHAPTER IX.

Detention in Port Gallant--Humming-birds in snow showers--
Fuegians--Geological remarks--Canoes--Carving--Birds--
Fish--Shag Narrows--Glaciers--Avalanches--Natives--
Climate--Winter setting in--Adelaide loses a boat--
Floods--Lightning--Scurvy--Adelaide's survey--Bougainville
Harbour--Indians cross the Strait, and visit Port Famine--
Sealing vessels sail--Scurvy increases--Adelaide sent for
guanaco meat--Return of the Beagle--Captain Stokes very
ill--Adelaide brings meat from the Patagonians--Death of
Captain Stokes 133

CHAPTER X.

Account of the Beagle's cruise--Borja Bay--Cape Quod--
Stuart Bay--Cape Notch--Remarks on weather, and errors
of Chart--Evangelists--Santa Lucia--Madre de Dios--Gulf of
Trinidad--Port Henry--Puma's track--Humming-birds--Very
bad weather--Campana Island--Dangers--Gale--Wet--Sick--
Santa Barbara--Wager's beam--Wigwams--Guaineco Islands--
Cape Tres Montes--St. Paul--Port Otway--Hoppner Sound--
Cape Raper 154

CHAPTER XI.

Leave Port Otway--San Quintin Sound--Gulf of Penas--Kelly
Harbour--St. Xavier Island--Death of Serjeant Lyndsey--
Port Xavier--Ygnacio Bay--Channel's mouth--Bad weather--
Perilous situation--Lose the yawl--Sick list--Return to
Port Otway--Thence to Port Famine--Gregory Bay--Natives--
Guanaco meat--Skunk--Condors--Brazilians--Juanico--Captain
Foster--Changes of officers 173

{xxiv}
CHAPTER XII.

Adventure sails from Rio de Janeiro to the River Plata--
Gorriti--Maldonado--Extraordinary Pampero--Beagle's
losses--Ganges arrives--another Pampero--Go up the river
for water--Gale, and consequent detention--Sail from Monte
Video--part from Consorts--Port Desire--Tower Rock--
Skeletons--Sea Bear Bay--Fire--Guanacoes--Port Desire
Inlet--Indian graves--Vessels separate--Captain Foster--
Chanticleer--Cape Horn--Kater Peak--Sail from St. Martin
Cove--Tribute to Captain Foster--Valparaiso--Santiago--
Pinto Heights--Chiloe--Aldunate 189

CHAPTER XIII.

Beagle and Adelaide anchor in Possession Bay--Beagle
passes the First Narrow--Fogs--Pecket Harbour--Adelaide
arrives with Guanaco meat--Portuguese Seamen--Peculiar
light--Party missing--Return--Proceed towards Port
Famine--Fuegians--Lieut. Skyring--Adelaide sails to survey
Magdalen and Barbara Channels--Views--Lyell Sound--Kempe
Harbour--Cascade Bay--San Pedro Sound--Port Gallant--
Diet--Rain--Awnings--Boat cruise--Warning--Jerome
Channel--Blanket bags--Otway Water--Frequent rain--
Difficulty in lighting fires 212

CHAPTER XIV.

Place for a Settlement--Frost--Boats in danger--Narrow
escape--Sudden change--Beagle Hills--Fuegian Painting--
Tides--Medicine--Water warmer than the air--Jerome
Channel--Mr. Stokes returns to the Beagle--Cape Quod--
Snowy Sound--Whale Sound--Choiseul Bay--Return to the
Beagle--Adelaide returns--Plan of operations--Difficulties
removed--Preparations--Wear and tear of clothing--Ascend
the Mountain de la Cruz--Sail from Port Gallant--Tides--
Borja Bay--Cape Quod--Gulf of Xaultegua--Frost and snow--
Meet Adelaide--Part--Enter Pacific--Arrive at Chiloe 230

{xxv}
CHAPTER XV.

Extracts from the Journals of Lieutenants Skyring and
Graves--Magdalen Channel--Keats Sound--Mount Sarmiento--
Barrow Head--Cockburn Channel--Prevalence of south-west
winds--Melville Sound--Ascent of Mount Skyring--Memorial--
Cockburn and Barbara Channels--Mass of Islets and Rocks--
Hewett Bay--Cypress trees useful--Adelaide rejoins Beagle
in Port Gallant--Captain King's narrative resumed--Plan of
future proceedings--Adelaide arrives at Chiloe--Abstract
of Lieutenant Skyring's account of her proceedings--Smyth
Channel--Mount Burney--'Ancon sin Salida'--Natives--Kirke
Narrow--Guia Narrow--Peculiar tides--Indians in plank
Canoes--Passage to Chiloe 251

CHAPTER XVI.

Chiloe--Its probable importance--Valdivia founds seven
Cities; afterwards destroyed by the Indians--Migration of
Spanish settlers--Province and Islands of Chiloe--Districts
and population--Government--Defence--Winds--Town--
Durability of wooden Buildings--Cultivation--Want of
industry--Improvement--Dress--Habits of lower Classes--
Morality--Schools--Language--Produce--Manufactures--
Exports and imports--Varieties of wood--Alerse--Roads--
Piraguas--Ploughs--Corn--Potatoes--Contributions--Birds--
Shell-fish--Medical practitioners--Remedies--Climate 269

CHAPTER XVII.

Chiloe the last Spanish possession in South America--
Freyre's Expedition--Failure--Second Expedition under
Freyre and Blanco--Quintanilla's capitulation--Chiloe
taken--Aldunate placed in command--Chiloe a dependency of
Chile--Beagle sails to sea coast of Tierra del Fuego--
Adelaide repaired--Adelaide sails--Adventure goes to
{xxvi}
Valparaiso--Juan Fernandez--Fishery--Goats--Dogs--
Geology--Botany--Shells--Spanish accounts--Anson's
voyage--Talcahuano--Concepcion--Pinoleo--Araucanian
Indians--Re-enter the Strait of Magalhaens--Fuegians 298

CHAPTER XVIII.

Adelaide's last cruise--Port Otway--San Quintin--Marine
Islands--Unknown river or passage--San Tadeo--Isthmus
of Ofqui--San Rafael--Sufferings and route of Wager's
party--Channel's Mouth--Byron--Cheap--Elliot--Hamilton--
Campbell--Indian Cacique--Passage of the Desecho--
Osorio--Xavier Island--Jesuit Sound--Kirke's report--
Night tides--Guaianeco Islands--Site of the Wager's
wreck--Bulkely and Cummings--Speedwell Bay--Indigenous
wild Potato--Mesier Channel--Fatal Bay--Death of Mr.
Millar--Fallos Channel--Lieutenant Skyring's illness--
English Narrow--Fish--Wigwams--Indians--Level Bay--Brazo
Ancho--Eyre Sound--Seal--Icebergs--Walker Bay--Nature of
the Country--Habits of the Natives--Scarcity of population 323

CHAPTER XIX.

Sarmiento Channel--Ancon sin Salida--Cape Earnest--Canal
of the Mountains--Termination of the Andes--Kirke Narrow--
Easter Bay--Disappointment Bay--Obstruction Sound--Last
Hope Inlet--Swans--Coots--Deer River--Lagoon--Singular
Eddies--Passage of the Narrow--Arrival at Port Famine--
Zoological remarks 346

CHAPTER XX.

Beagle sails from San Carlos--Enters Strait--Harbour of
Mercy--Cape Pillar--Apostles--Judges--Landfall Island--
Cape Gloucester--Dislocation Harbour--Week Islands--
Fuegians--Latitude Bay--Boat's crew in distress--Petrel--
Passages--Otway Bay--Cape Tate--Fincham Islands--
{xxvii}
Deepwater Sound--Breaker Bay--Grafton Islands--Geological
remarks--Barbara Channel--Mount Skyring--Compasses
affected--Drawings--Provisions--Opportunities lost 360

CHAPTER XXI.

Skyring's chart--Noir Island--Penguins--Fuegians--
Sarmiento--Townshend Harbour--Horace Peaks--Cape
Desolation--Boat lost--Basket--Search in Desolation Bay--
Natives--Heavy Gale--Surprise--Seizure--Consequences--
Return to Beagle--Sail to Stewart Harbour--Set out
again--Escape of Natives--Unavailing search--Discomforts--
Tides--Nature of Coast--Doris Cove--Christmas Sound--
Cook--York-Minster--March Harbour--Build a boat--
Treacherous rocks--Skirmish with the Natives--Captives--
Boat Memory--Petrel 386

CHAPTER XXII.

Mr. Murray returns--Go to New Year Sound--See Diego
Ramirez Islands from Henderson Island--Weddell's Indian
Cove--Sympiesometer--Return to Christmas Sound--Beagle
sails--Passes the Ildefonso and Diego Ramirez Islands--
Anchors in Nassau Bay--Orange Bay--Yapoos--Mr. Murray
discovers the Beagle Channel--Numerous Natives--
Guanacoes--Compasses affected--Cape Horn--Specimens--
Chanticleer--Mistake about St. Francis Bay--Diego Ramirez
Islands--Climate--San Joachim Cove--Barnevelt Isles--
Evouts Isle--Lennox Harbour 417

CHAPTER XXIII.

Set out in boats--Find Guanacoes--Murray Narrow--Birch
Fungus--Tide--Channel--Glaciers--View--Mountains--
Unbroken chain--Passages--Steam-vessels--Jemmy Button--
Puma--Nest--Accident--Natives--Murray's Journal--Cape
Graham--Cape Kinnaird--Spaniard Harbour--Valentyn Bay--
{xxviii}
Cape Good Success--Natives--Lennox Island--Strait le
Maire--Good Success Bay--Accident--Tide race--San
Vicente--San Diego--Tides--Soundings--North-East Coast--
San Sebastian--Reflections--Port Desire--Monte Video--
Santa Catharina--Rio de Janeiro 438