SEARCH FOR THE BOAT. 393 
while their wigwams were so hidden as to escape the obser- 
vation of the whale-boat’s crew. At two o'clock on the first 
morning, Mr. Murray sent one of the men out of the tent 
to see if the boat rode well at her moorings in the cove, and 
he found her secure. At four another man went to look out, 
but she was then gone. The crew, doubtful what had been 
her fate, immediately spread about the shore of the island to 
seek for traces of her, and in their search they found the wig- 
wams, evidently just deserted: the fire not being extinguished. 
This at once explained the mystery, and some proceeding along 
the shore, others went up on the hills to look for her in the 
offing; but all in vain. The next morning Mr. Murray began 
the basket, which was made chiefly by two of his men out of 
small boughs, and some parts of the tent, with a lining of clayey 
earth at the bottom. Being on an island, about fifteen miles 
from the Beagle, their plan was as necessary as it was inge- 
nious: though certainly something more. like a canoe than a 
coracle could have been paddled faster. 
“© The chronometer, theodolite, and other instruments having 
been saved, Mr. Murray had made observations for fixing the 
position of the place, and had done all that was required before 
I arrived, when they embarked, with their things, in my boat, 
which then contained altogether eleven men, a fortnight’s 
provisions, two tents,* and clothing; yet with this load she 
travelled many a long mile, during the following week, a proof 
of the qualities of this five-oared whale-boat, which was also 
built by Mr. Jonathan May, our carpenter, while we were at 
San Carlos. 
* The very first place we went to, a small island about two 
miles distant, convinced us still more decidedly of the fate of our 
lost boat, and gave us hopes of retrieving her ; for near a lately 
used wigwam, we found her mast, part of which had been cut off 
with an axe that was in the boat. Our next point was then to 
be considered, for to chase the thieves I was determined. North 
and east of us, as far as the eye could reach, lay an extensive 
* T carried two tents from the Beagle, theirs having been cut up for 
the basket. 
