CHAPTER III. 



Ready for sea— Detained— Sail from England— Well provided — Bay of 

 Biscay — Compasses — Local attraction — Eight Stones — Madeira — 

 Deception — Squall — Teneriffe — Santa Cruz — Quarantine — Squalls — 

 Cape Verd Islands — Port Praya — Produce — Arehilla — Bad season — 

 St. Paul Rocks — Cross Equator — Fernando Noronha — Bahia — 

 Slavery — Abrolhos — Cape Frio. 



I^' November, the Beagle was ready for sea, but a succes- 

 sion of hard gales from the westward prevented her leaving 

 England until the end of December. Twice she sailed, and 

 went a few leagues ; yet was obliged to return in order to 

 avoid the risk of being damaged, or losing a boat, at the very 

 beginning of her voyage. At last the westerly gales seemed 

 exhausted, a dead calm succeeded, and, warned by the ap- 

 pearances so peculiar to easterly winds, we unmoored at day- 

 light on the 27th, and, as soon as the tide would allow, for 

 there was still no breeze, we warped from our sheltered and 

 picturesque retreat in Barn-pool, under that beautiful place 

 Mount Edgecumbe. 



Vessels in the offing, and distant land ' looming' much ; a 

 few mottled, hard-edged clouds appearing in the east ; streaks 

 (mare's tails) across the sky, spreading from the same quarter ; 

 a high barometer (30. 3) ; and the smoke from chimneys rising 

 high into the air, and then going westwai'd ; were the signs 

 which assured us of a favourable wind. A light ' cat's paw' 

 rippled the water, we made all sail, the breeze increased, and 

 at noon our little vessel was outside the Breakwater, with a 

 fresh easterly wind. 



Of the bitter feelings experienced by most of us when every 

 sail was trimmed, and the land sinking fast from our view, I 

 will say nothing : yet there were enlivening hopes, and all were 

 glad to be freed from the tiresome vmcertainty of the past 

 month, all were anxious to enter upon a voyage which, though 



