CHAPTER VI. 



Beag-le sails with Paz andLiebre^ — Part company — Beagle visits Buenos 

 Ayres — Nautical remarks on the Plata — Sail from Monte Video for 

 San Bias — Lieut. Wickham and tenders — Butterflies — Sail for Tierra 

 del Fuego — White-water — Icebergs — Rocks— Cape San Sebastian — 

 Oens-men — Cape San Diego — Good Success Bay — Natives — Guana- 

 coes — Cape Horn — St. Martin Cove — Gales — Heavy Seas — Nassau 

 Bay — Goree Road — Prepare to land Matthews and the Fuegians. 



18th October. No person who had only seen the Paz and 

 Liebre in their former wretched condition, would easily have 

 recognised them after being refitted, and having indeed almost a 

 new equipment. Spars altered, and improved rigging, well-cut 

 sails, fresh paint, ^ and thorough cleanliness, had transformed 

 the dirty sealing craft into smart little cock-boats : and as they 

 sailed out of Port Belgrano with the Beagle, their appear- 

 ance and behaviour were by no means discouraging. 



At dusk, Lieutenant Wickham and his small party of ven- 

 turous associates separated from us, and steered into False 

 Bay.f The Beagle anchored for the night, and next day pur- 

 sued her route towards Monte Video, where she arrived on the 

 26th. 



Desirous of communicating with the Government at Buenos 

 Ayres, and measuring the difference of meridians between that 

 city and Monte Video, we weighed anchor on the 31st, pro- 

 ceeded up the river, and remained in the outer roadstead, off 

 Buenos Ayres, until the 10th of November. We then em- 

 ployed three days in verifying the positions of some banks,J 

 as laid down in Hey wood's and other charts, and returned to 

 Monte Video on the 14th. 



* Or rather red-ochre, coal-tar, and white-wash* 

 t See orders to Lieut. Wickham, in the Appendix, 

 J Ortiz, Chico, and Ensenada. 



