228 SANTA CRUZ, PATAGONIA. 



is, perhaps, its most remarkable feature. The wa- 

 ter is of a fine blue colour, but with a slight milky 

 tinge, and not so transparent as at first sight would 

 have been expected. It flows over a bed of peb- 

 bles, like those which compose the beach and the 

 surrounding plains. It runs in a winding course 

 through a valley, which extends in a direct line 

 westward. This 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 opposite sides a remarkable correspondence, 

 April 19th. — Against so strong a current it was, 

 of course, quite impossible to row or sail : conse- 

 quently 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 arrangements 

 made by Captain Fitz Roy were very good for fa- 

 cilitating the work of all, and as all had a share in 

 it, I will describe the system. The party, inclu- 

 ding 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 in- 

 dependent 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 ujj 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. 



