204 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



Bernardo to get up steam, and we put the baggage aboard, and as 

 the boat had no name we christened her the Ariel. She was 

 given other names before we were done with her ! 



Burbury was to take the horses by the banks of the, river, while 

 we steamed down the channel. It was blowing pretty strong when 

 all was ready, and Bernardo, to inaugurate the start, raised a feeble 

 whistle, thereby seriously diminishing the amount of steam in the 

 boiler. The Ariel got under way with some wheezing and groan- 

 ing, and soon we were heaving up and down, head to swell. The 

 waves were all breaking, and the seas short, with the consequence 

 that we had several duckings. Presently, however, the wind lulled 

 and I thought all was about to go well with us. 



But soon I noticed that the figure of Burbury, standing upon 

 the shore, remained ominously stationary. The wind was rising 

 again, two or three heavy seas broke over us, and the launch 

 would not answer her tiller. Bernardo shouted that the boiler was 

 leaking, and it looked as if we should soon be in trouble. 



Ultimately we were obliged to put back into the bay, which 

 we managed with difficulty, and there anchored. 



We determined to try again to-morrow, and then got up the 

 tent and turned in. 



On the morrow the wind had dropped somewhat, though the 

 lake was still white with breakers. We had a matd by the fire on 

 the promontory and prepared to start again. It was 9.30 when 

 all was ready, and by that time the Cordillera was shut out by a 

 big purple rain-cloud. As the rain began to fall we took our 

 places and heaved in the anchor. 



We started at one knot full steam ahead, and the Ariel creaked 

 as she crept out into the lake. The rain and mist from the 

 direction of the Cordillera had blotted out all sight of them, and 

 were beating down on us steadily. The rain, however, was in 

 reality favourable to our attempt, as it served to smooth the water. 

 The short waves leaped up under every puff of wind, but the 

 launch ran along past the mouth of the river, attaining to a quite 

 respectable speed as she proceeded. 



A nasty little squall struck us for a moment as we were broad- 

 side on, but it passed, and then, with her nose pointed toward the 



