TUYtJ — CAPE COBRIENTES. 



Sept. Oct. 



buoyancy for supporting her heavy metal, durabihty, and tena- 

 city ; besides easiness as a sea-boat, and superiority of saiHng. 

 Vessels may easily be built to excel in any of these qualifica- 

 tions ; but to excel in all is the climax, only to be obtained by 

 genius, aided by extraordinary study and experience. 



After running a few miles with the Snake, and finding that 

 she steered towards Buenos Ayres, we altered our course to re^ 

 sume our easterly route, and early next morning were anchored 

 alongside the Adventure. 



As it was evident that another month must elapse before the 

 schooner would be ready for her work, notwithstanding the zea- 

 lous exertions of Lieut. Wickham and his crew, I decided to 

 finish myself the survey, which I had intended he should begin 

 with, namely, of the south shore of the Plata and a reported 

 bank off Cape Corrientes — and defer the second visit to Tierra 

 del Fuego until December or January. Accordingly, the Beagle 

 sailed on the 23d, and after a close examination of Cape San 

 Antonio and the great mud-bank, called Tuyu, which lies 

 within it, we went to the neighbourhood of Cape Corrientes, 

 and there looked about and sounded in every direction, but 

 could find no shoal. We then returned to the river, and sounded 

 Sanborombon Bay, laying its shores down on the chart as accu- 

 rately as we could, considering that the water was every where 

 so shoal, that even a boat could not get within half a mile of 

 the land, except at particular times, for which we could not 

 wait. The distance at which the Beagle was obliged to keep, 

 varied from four miles to three (seldom less), and then she was 

 sailing in about a foot more water than she drew.*" 



On the 6th of October we returned to Maldonado ; to pre- 

 pare for a long excursion southward, and to hasten the equip- 

 ment of the Adventure. By the 19th she was almost ready, so 

 we weighed in company, ran up the river to water, and on the 

 21st moored off Monte Video, to take in our final supplies pre- 

 vious to quitting the River Plata for the last time. Here, to 

 my surprise, I found people talking about the English having 



* The Beagle's draught of water was eleven feet and a half forward, 

 and thirteen feet aft, when in ordinary loaded trim. 



