CHAPTER XIII. 



Anchor in Berkeley Sound — Le Magellan — British flag hoisted — Ruined 

 Settlement — Mr. Hellyer drowned — Burial — French Whalers — Uni- 

 corn — Adventure — Squall — Flashes — Fossils — Killing Wild Cattle — 

 Sail from Falklands — River Negro — Maldonado — Constitucion — 

 Heave down, copper and refit Adventure — Signs of weather — Sound 

 banks — Los Cesares — Settle with Harris and part company — Blanco 

 Bay — Return to Maldonado— Monte Video. 



March 1. The Beagle anchored at the south side of Berke- 

 ley Sound (near the beach where Freycinet was obliged to run 

 rUranie ashore, in 1820, after striking on the detached rock 

 off Volunteer Point), and remained there till I had ascertained 

 the state of affairs on shore : for seeing a French flag flying 

 near some tents beliind Johnson Cove or harbour, and know- 

 ing that, in 1831, the flag of Buenos Ayres was hoisted at a 

 settlement in the sound, it was evident a change of some kind 

 had occurred. Directly our anchor had dropped, a whale-boat 

 belonging to the wrecked whale-ship, ' Le Magellan,' came 

 alongside ; and from her chief mate (who was also whaling- 

 master), we learned that his ship had parted from her anchors 

 during a tremendous squall on the night of the 12th of 

 January, and was totally wrecked. He then informed me 

 that the British colours had been hoisted on these islands by 

 H.M.S. Clio ; and that H.M.S. Tyne had since visited the 

 port and saluted the flag ; that the white flag was hoisted at 

 the French tents only as a signal to us ; and that he was sent 

 by M. le Dilly, his captain, to entreat us to render them assist- 

 ance. Two of our boats were forthwith manned ; one was sent 

 to the settlement at Port Louis, and in the other I went to the 

 Frenchmen at Johnson Cove. I found them very comfortably 

 estabHshed in large tents made from the sails of their lost ship ; 

 but they manifested extreme impatience to get away from the 

 islands, even at the risk of abandoning the vessel and cargo. 

 After due inquiry, I promised to carry as many of them as I 



