340 weddell's rluff — fresh watf.r. April 



around, and with a snort and a growl, threw his huge 

 shapelessness, by a floundering waddle, towards the nearest 

 water. 



As far as Weddell's Bluff* we sailed merrily ; but there 

 took to the oars, because the river makes a sudden turn, or 

 rather, the river Santa Cruz (properly so called), enters the 

 estuary of the same name from the south-west, as far as can 

 be seen from WeddelFs Bluff: — but a Httle beyond where the 

 eye reaches, it takes a westerly direction. Another river, the 

 Chico of Viedma, also enters the estuary at this place from the 

 north-west. Here, a little above the Bluff, the water was fresh 

 on the surface, and sometimes it is quite fresh, even into the 

 estuary ; but in filling casks, or dipping any thing into the 

 stream for fresh water, it is advisable not to dip deep, or to let 

 the hose (if one is used), go many inches below the surface, 

 since it often happens that the upper water is quite fresh, while 

 that underneath is salt. This occurs, more or less, in all rivers 

 which empty themselves into the sea : the fresh water, specifi- 

 cally lighter, is always uppermost. 



Wind failing us entii-ely, we pulled to the south-west. On our 

 left, high cliffs still continued, and at their base a wide shingle 

 beach offered tempting landing-places, with many spots ex- 

 tremely well adapted for laying a vessel ashore, to be repaired 

 or cleaned ; on our right, a low shore extended, rising gradually, 

 however, in the north-west, f to cliffs Uke those near Keel 

 Point. 



The flowing tide favoured us until about five, when we 

 landed on the north shore, at a spot where the rise and fall of 

 the tide had diminished to four feet. Here the river was six 

 hundred and forty yards in breadth, running down at the rate 

 of about six knots during a part of the ebb, and from two to 

 four knots an hour during the greater part of the flood-tide. 

 It was perfectly fresh to the bottom, and in mid-channel about 

 three fathoms deep ; but this depth extended very little way 



* Named after the enterprizing southern navigator. 



i On the south side of the north-west arm of the Santa Cruz. 



