474 SCHOONEH — ACCIDENTS. July 



her, and finding that she was the schooner Carmen, closed and 

 took her in tow. But for the Blonde''s opportune arrival, she 

 would have been drifted to the northward, and obliged to run 

 into any port she could reach. Mr. Usborne came on board, 

 and as soon as he had refreshed himself by a few hours' sleep, 

 gave me the following account of his proceedings and accidents. 



After leaving Talcahuano, wind and weather favoured the 

 Carmen until she had run along the coast from Tucapel Head 

 to Cape Tirua, at about a mile from the surf, without seeing 

 either smoke, flags, people, or wreck ; but, during one night, 

 a fire was seen on Tucapel Head. When Mr. Usborne spoke 

 the Blonde, on the morning of the 29th, the schooner was on 

 her way to the place where she had seen the fire; and he 

 would have said so when the Blonde hailed him had he had 

 time, but as she passed on without stopping, and he felt sure 

 that the Challenger's people were not in the direction which 

 she was taking, he kept a different course. At about two 

 in the afternoon of that day, while four seamen were aloft on 

 the topsail yard, furling the topsail, the schooner gave a sud- 

 den plunge into a high swell, and away went the foremast 

 head, fore-topmast, and topsail-yard. The four men were carried 

 overboard, but saved ; though one (James Bennett) was severely 

 bruised. The mainmast followed, being dragged downwards 

 and broken by the rigging attached to the head of the foremast ; 

 and in this state, a mere wreck, the Carmen drifted towards 

 Mocha. So wretchedly was the vessel provided in every way, 

 that the only tools which they had to cut the laniards of the 

 rigging with, were knives and a cooper's old adze. 



After clearing the wreck, they got up a small spar abaft, on 

 which was set the Beagle's boat's sail ; and by means of cleats,* 

 Bennett and J. Nutcher (boatswain's mate of the Blonde), got 

 to the head of the stump of the foremast, although, being loose 

 in the step, it swayed to and fro as if it would go overboard, 

 and fixed temporary rigging, A staysail and trysail were 

 then set, and just saved her from going ashore upon the wea- 



* To secure these cleats to the mast, they were obliged to draw nails 

 out of the vessel's beams, having no others. 



