284 



REFITTING HEAVING DOWN. 



May 



Hamond decided to return to England,* and we consequently 

 lost a valuable member of our small society. 



On the 17th, having engaged men and purchased plank, 

 copper, provisions and other necessaries, we sailed from Monte 

 Video, and next morning anchored in Maldonado. As soon as 

 a part of our cargo was landed — all that was then wanted by 

 the working party on Gorriti, under Mr. Chaffers — we pro- 

 ceeded up the river to fill water, anchored again off Monte 

 Video for a short time, and returned to our future consort 

 at Gorriti (24th). Preparations were then commenced for 

 heaving the schooner down to copper her. We hauled her 

 alongside, and on the 28th hove her 'keel out,' for a few hours, 

 and righted her again at dark. W^hile standing on her keel, 

 examining the state of her copper and planking, I saw a sail in 

 the offing, which was soon made out to be the Constitucion, and 

 just after we righted the schooner Lieut. W^ickham came along- 

 side. He brought good tidings— without drawback— and those 

 who know what it is to feel anxiety for the safety of friends 

 whose lives are risked by their willingness to follow up the 

 plans of their commanding officer — however critical those plans 

 may be — will understand my sensations that night. The Con- 

 stitucion anchored off the Negro on the 11th, entered it next 

 day, found the Paz and Liebre there, and on the 17th sailed 

 again. Six knots and a-half an hour was the most she could 

 accomplish under any circumstances, yet her passages were 

 very good, considering the distance. During June we re- 

 mained in Maldonado, employed about the Adventure, and 

 refitting as well as painting our own ship. Meanwhile Mr. 

 Darwin was living on shore, sometimes at the village of Mal- 

 donado, sometimes making excursions into the country to 

 a considerable distance; and my own time was fully occu- 

 pied by calculations and chart-work, while the officers attended 

 to heaving down the Adventure. This process, in a place 

 partly exposed to south-west winds, was extremely tedious, 



* Provided that the Commander-in-Chief approved of his doing so — 

 a sanction which I had no doubt of his receiving-. 



