1834. PLANS FOR FUTURK — MR. LOW. 363 



lightly of, while I could hold out to them the prospect of seeing 

 as well as doing a great deal among the islands of the Pacific, 

 besides completing the surveys of Chile and Peru. 



I now proposed, first, to go to San Carlos, there set two 

 of our boats at work among; the islands eastward of the large 

 island, while the Beagle would survey the more exposed coasts, 

 those to the west and south ; then the ship was to examine 

 the seaward shores of the Chonos archipelago, while another 

 of her boats was employed among those islands ; and, the 

 Chonos explored, she would return to San Carlos, collect her 

 scattered parties, and proceed along the coast, northwards, 

 taking all the ports and islands in her way. 



On the 21 st we arrived at San Carlos, and were pleased to 

 find that Mr. Low had returned safe from his difficult under- 

 taking ; and that a person (Mr. Douglas) whom I had engaged 

 to make an excursion to Calbuco and into the forests of 'Alerse,' 

 on the Cordillera of the Andes, had also come back with the 

 required information, and was ready to engage himself to act 

 as a pilot and interpreter. 



When last at San Carlos I proposed to Mr. Low, then serving 

 as pilot on board the Adventure, to pass the time of our absence 

 at Valparaiso, in exploring part of the Chonos Archipelago 

 with a whale-boat belonging to me, and a crew of natives 

 (Chilotes). Low, ever restless and enterprising, entered eagerly 

 into my views ; so furnishing him with money, a chart, and a 

 few instruments, I explained where I wished him to go, and 

 when he should be again at San Carlos, all further arrange- 

 ment being left to him. 



Mr. Low hired a crew of six men,* and set out. After he 

 had quitted the southernmost place at which provisions could 

 be procured, called Caylin, or ' El fin de la Christiandad,' one 

 of his men-f" persuaded some of the othersj to eat up the stock 



* A Welshman, two Chilotes, a Chilian, and two Sandwich Islanders 

 who had been left at San Carlos by a whaler. t The Chilian. 



J The Chilotes and Sandwich Islanders. Taffy remained faithful : he 

 and Low, being able-bodied active men, frijj htened the rest into reluctant 

 submission. 



