66 BEAGLE RETURNS. April 18277. 
crew of the wrecked vessel, with all their personal property, 
and the greater part of the seal-skins which they had cured. 
He reached Port Gallant again on the fourth day ; sailed 
immediately in the Beagle, and two days afterwards anchored 
in Port Famine. 
The Prince of Saxe Cobourg, belonging to Mr. Weddel 
(whose voyage towards the South Pole is so well known), and 
commanded by Mr. Matthew Brisbane, who accompanied 
Weddel on that occasion, sailed from England in the summer 
of 1826, on a sealing voyage. At South Shetland she encoun- 
tered a continuance of bad weather, was beset by a large body 
of ice for several days, and received so much damage as to 
oblige her to run for the Fuegian coast, and anchor in Fury 
Harbour, at the entrance of the Barbara Channel. There 
(December 16th, 1826) she was driven on shore by the furious 
strength of the williwaws, and wrecked. The crew were, 
however, enabled to save most of the provisions and stores, as 
well as their three boats. Having made tents, and established 
themselves on shore, they remained in anxious expectation of 
the arrival of some vessel which might relieve them; day after 
day however passed, without succour. 
Two boats were despatched to look for any sealing vessel 
that might be in the vicinity, but after fifteen days’ absence 
they returned unsuccessful. In this interval one of the crew, 
who had long been sickly, died ; and another, in carelessly 
discharging a musket, exploded twenty pounds of gunpowder, 
by which he was very much burned. Three of the people being 
mutinous, were punished by being sent, each to a different 
island, with only a week’s provisions. 
Soon afterwards another boat was sent away, which reached 
Hope Harbour, but found no vessel there. Seven of the people 
then obtained permission from the master (who kept up a very 
proper state of discipline), to take the largest whale-boat, and 
go towards the River Negro. Previous to their departure 
they drew up articles of agreement for their general conduct, 
a breach of which was to be punished by the offender 
being left upon the coast, wherever they might happen to 
