Jan. 1833. 



PORT DESIRE; — GALE. 



303 



ing, raises the water ; and the reverse. Although ships drawing 

 fourteen feet have passed the bar, at unusually favourable 

 times, others of only ten feet draught have been detained forty 

 days in the river. 



29th. Both our little vessels sailed, and on the 4th of Janu- 

 ary they anchored safely in Port Desire : — this was a bold 

 stroke, but success attended it. They were thus placed at the 

 southernmost point of the coast they were to survey, while the 

 sun was farthest south ; and as the days shortened, they would 

 work along the coast northward. Recent traces of Indians were 

 found ; and the master of an American sealer told Mr. Wick- 

 ham that they had been there in considerable numbers, about 

 two months previously. The wells were all full ; therefore 

 much rain must have fallen during October, November, or 

 December. I have mentioned elsewhere that although the 

 eastern coast of Patagonia is usually an arid desert, there 

 are periodical times, of short duration, at which rain falls 

 abundantly. 



11th. Having rated their chronometers, the little vessels 

 stood out to sea, in company with the North American sealer ; 

 but they had not sailed many miles before the wind increased 

 to a gale, and still becoming stronger, bringing clouds of dust 

 and sand off the land, they were reduced to bare poles, and 

 drifted fast off-shore, as well as northward. When the fury of 

 the gale was over, their balance-reefed foresails were set, and 

 with their tillers unshipped they made very good weather, until 

 they were driven near the tide-races off Cape Blanco, where 

 some anxious hours were passed, half-buried in foam, and the 

 wind again almost a hurricane. Towards evening, the storm 

 abated ; our water-soaked explorers succeeded in regaining 

 a position under shelter of the land ; and anchored next morn- 

 ing under Cape Blanco, to dry themselves and take observa- 

 tions. In this severe gale, the North American schooner 

 split two close-reefed foresails, lost a boat, and was otherwise 

 damaged. 



Lieutenant Wickham and Mr. Mellersh walked a long way 



