Correspondence — Straits of Magellan ^2> 



Coal has been found nine miles from this : I am going to the mine on Christmas 

 day, and we are to have a sack or two sent off to try. I brought a specimen 

 off, and the engineer says it will do very well mixed with other coal. 



" The governor says, they never experience the least trouble with the natives here. 



" It is, perhaps, premature to say much of the surveying staff, until we send 

 you home some charts, but I may say, so far as I have yet seen, I am very 

 much pleased with them. 



" The weather is still beautiful — the sun at this moment shining as brightly 

 as on an English summer's day." 



"Jason, West Cay, — in 67° east, $6 miles. — February 18, 1867. — So far, 

 all the work of the survey has gone very well, and the only bad news I have to 

 give, is of Mr Connor having been wounded by some Fuegians, who attacked 

 a party that was detached under the command of Mr Gray. On the 29th 

 December, we left Sandy Point, and reached an old anchorage under Direction 

 Hill that evening. On Monday (31st) I steamed over to Cape Orange, and left 

 Messrs Gray and Connor, first whaler and cutter, to look for a base on Orange 

 Bank, while I took the ship into Possession Bay, and went with the galley and 

 steam cutter to look for one there. We were very fortunate in each getting a 

 good base, and I got three set of circums, and a three day rate, — while Mr 

 Hoskyn, in the steam cutter, sounded the narrow bank. I saw Mr Gray's 

 boats go on board on the 3rd, but merely assumed they had finished their work, 

 and was, therefore, much surprised to hear, when I went on board on the 5 th, 

 of the attack on their party. I enclose you the letter I have written about it, 

 which contains all I know ; at that time, I could not get an interpreter, although 

 I have since done so. I fear, however, we shall never be able to trust the 

 Fuegians. We had an interview with the Patagonians the other day, and they 

 sold us some guanaco and ostrich meat, and promised not to meddle with our 

 marks. Mr Connor has since quite recovered from his wound. 



" To return to our work, — I measured a base of 7705 feet, and Mr Gray one 

 of 5204 feet. Mine being from the base of Direction Hill towards the Narrows, 

 and his along the Orange Bank, — and fixing Orange Peak independently, our 

 two bearings agreed exactly, so that we started with Orange to Direction — 

 nearly nine miles — as our base east and west. We had a week of beautiful 

 weather, and worked out to Cape Virgin and Cape Espiritu Santo, with cal- 

 culated triangles the whole way, fixing Mount Dinero from each base, and then 

 from the long base. I had marked out the triangulation on the passage out, 

 and have carried out the scheme then drawn, though I confess, when I drew it, 

 I thought it very improbable I should carry it out. We have been most 

 fortunate in our sights. Fitzroy says, it is ' fruitless waste of time' to attempt 

 rating the chronometers by equal altitudes, in other months than May, June, 

 and July, but we got excellent sights at Sandy Point on our arrival there, and 

 also on quitting it the other day ; besides which, we have rated at our Direction 

 Hill base, got circums two days running at Dunganness Spit, and any number 

 of true bearings at Cape Virgin, Direction Hill, and Cape Gregory. On the 

 whole, therefore, I think our astronomical observations very satisfactory, much 

 more so than I thought they would be. 



" Messrs Hoskyn and Connor, I have left behind at Elizabeth Island, with 

 the steam cutter and one whaler, a month's provisions and coals ; I dropped 

 them on the way to Sandy Point last time, and then called there on my way up 

 to see if they were all right, and to leave them eight days' fresh beef They 

 were all volunteers. I hope they will be able to finish Royal Roads, and connect 

 with Cape Gregory before our return. All the staff are going on very well, and 

 I still consider myself very fortunate in them. 



''''February 21. — Just before leaving Sandy Point, Cunningham and I 

 visited the coal seam near it, but it is not at all fit for working, and Cunningham 

 thinks would not be so without considerable boring. 



" I wish to call your attention to our Rio longitude, and that of Mouchez. 

 No doubt you have seen his address to the Academic, in which he says, — that 

 after much trouble, &c., &c., he considers Rio in 3h. oim. 5 7s. 00 west of 

 Greenwich, — while our mean distance, which we have taken as our most 

 correct, is 3h. oim. 57s. 50. The agreement is curious at least." 



