178 S. CRUZ, PATAGONIA. [chap. ix. 



valley varies from five to ten miles in breadth ; it is bounded by 

 step-formed terraces, which rise in most parts, one above the 

 other, to the height of five hundred feet, and have on the oppo- 

 site sides a remarkable correspondence. 



April \9th. Against so strong a current it was, of course, 

 quite impossible to row or sail : consequently the three boats 

 were fastened together head and stern, two hands left in each, 

 and the rest came on shore to track. As the general arrange- 

 ments made by Captain Fitz Roy were very good for facilitating 

 the work of all, and as all had a share in it, I will describe the 

 system. The party, including every one, was divided into two 

 spells, each of which hauled at the tracking line alternately for 

 an hour and a half. The officers of each boat lived with, ate the 

 same food, and slept in the same tent with their crew, so that 

 each boat was quite independent of the others. After sunset the 

 first level spot where any bushes were growing, was chosen for 

 our night's lodging. Each of the crew took it in turns to be 

 cook. Immediately the boat was hauled up, the cook made his 

 fire ; two others pitched the tent ; the coxswain handed the 

 things out of the boat ; the rest carried them up to the tents and 

 collected firewood. By this order, in half an hour everything 

 was ready for the night. A watch of two men and an officer 

 was always kept, whose duty it was to look after the boats, keep 

 up the fire, and guard against Indians. Each in the party had 

 his one hour every night. 



During this day we tracked but a short distance, for there 

 were many islets, covered by thorny bushes, and the channels 

 between them were shallow. 



April 20th. We passed the islands and set to work. Our 

 regular day's inarch, although it was hard enough, carried us on 

 an average only ten miles in a straight line, and perhaps fifteen 

 or twenty altogether. Beyond the place where we slept last 

 night, the country is completely terra incognita, for it was there 

 that Captain Stokes turned back. We saw in the distance a 

 great smoke, and found the skeleton of a horse, so we knew that 

 Indians were in the neighbourhood. On the next morning (21st) 

 tracks of a party of horse, and marks left by the trailing of the 

 chuzos, or long spears, were observed on the ground. It was 

 generally thought that the Indians had reconnoitred us during 



