108 RIO,NEGRO. 
the absence of three boats, caused me much anxiety. During the 
night the wind increased to a gale from the southeast. At daylight 
the Peacock made signal that the boats had reached her in safety. 
It had now became necessary for the squadron to leave this dangerous 
anchorage. Taking advantage of the tide, we effected it without diffi- 
culty, getting off under our storm-sails; three of the vessels were 
obliged to slip their cables. The barometer during the gale fell to 
29-600°, which was lower than we had seen it since our departure 
from the United States. Towards evening, when the weather mode- 
rated, we again sought our anchorage. One of the boats returned to 
the Vincennes with but half her crew ; the rest, it was reported to 
me, had deserted. Two boats with officers were accordingly des- 
patched for the purpose of apprehending them, as soon as we 
anchored. The men were found by the Guachos without difficulty. 
They accounted for their absence, that they had, while waiting 
on the beach, been enticed into the interior in chase of some game 5 , 
and the fog coming on suddenly, they had lost their way, missed 
the boat, and were obliged to pass the night on the prairie. The 
boats in returning to the ships narrowly escaped accident in passing 
through the rollers on the bar, and it was with great difficulty they 
reached the ship at midnight. Their lengthened absence caused no 
little anxiety for their safety to all on board. 
Dr. Pickering on this occasion at my request visited a cave he had 
mentioned to me as existing, for the purpose of ascertaining its 
temperature, believing it would give some more accurate information 
as to the mean temperature of the climate at this season. It was 
found to be 70°, in a horizontal hole twelve feet from the surface. 
On the 1st February, the Peacock, Porpoise and tenders, were 
engaged looking for their anchors; the two latter regained theirs, but 
the former was lost, the buoy having sunk. 
El Carmen may be termed a convict settlement; for culprits 
and exiles are sent here from Buenos Ayres. The garrison is 
composed of about two hundred soldiers, principally African and 
Brazilian slaves brought here during the Banda Oriental war. 
Among them we found a person who called himself an American, 
from Rhode Island, by name Benjamin Harden, junior, who was 
desirous of claiming our protection. He was of small stature 
slender make, and a light complexion, with a mild expression of 
countenance, and about thirty years of age. His story was, that he 
had been by chance in Buenos Ayres at the time when the govern- 
