2i6 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



over the boat. The reason of these sudden chanofes is not far to 

 seek.*^ 



" Here, encircled by snow-capped mountains and bounded by 

 high chffs, the waters of Argentino are often struck by swift squalls 

 ciescendino- from the "-oro-es. The vovaoer may be, as we w^ere, 

 nian\" miles distant from the actual spot where the storm first 

 strikes, but the squall rushes down the funnel-like openings, bring- 

 ing a heavy sea with it. The seas are also very short, which more 

 than doubles the difficulty of navi<'ation. 



" On this occasion the sun was obscured and the outlook 

 to the westward became more and more menacing. Tlie launch 

 began to creak and groan as usual, and to make but slight 

 headway. Far away glimmered an iceberg, which lay at the 

 entrance of the bay that marked our next harbouraoe. Soon it 

 became clear that we should never be able to reach its friendly 

 shelter without gathering a fresh supply of fuel. There was only 

 one alternative left to us, and ihat was to put in close to the shore, 

 and either wade or swim off to get more. 



" The squall had now more or less spent itself, so we ran in 

 close, gaining some small shelter from a promontory which ended 

 in a biof boulder. 



"To attain such shelter as the promontory offered it was neces- 

 sary to make our way through a group of rocks. This we did, and 

 llie wind sinking. Cattle and I scrambled ashore with the axes and 

 lell to work while Bernardo remained on board. 



" Before, however, we had gathered half the required (juantity of 

 wood a second squall, more heavy than the first, came screaming 

 across the lake, tearing the launch from her anchorage and almost 

 driving her upon the beach. We stripped off some of our clothes 

 and waded down into the water, and after a ten- minutes hard 

 struggle we succeeded in getting her back into deep water, where 

 she again dropped anchor. 



" We returned to our work ashore, and cut and piled a good 

 store of fuel, almost as much as we needed, on the shingle ready to 

 carr\- aboard, Ixit the violence of the waves put all hope of 



'■•• Tliis we came to understand very thoroughly at a later date, when we penetrated 

 to the end of the long twisting arms ot the lake. 



