1838. 



' races"* SAN J0S6. 



311 



leagues N.W. of the port (San Jose), he got into one of these 

 races, ^ and could not extricate his vessel. No soundings could 

 be obtained : the sails were useless in consequence of the vio- 

 lent motion and want of wind, where the water was breaking so 

 furiously, though elsewhere a fresh breeze was blowing ; and 

 nothing could be done. The crew took to the rigging, to avoid 

 being washed overboard ; and for almost three hours they 

 were tossed about, like an empty bottle in a ripple, before the 

 race abated, with the turn of tide, so as to admit of their 

 sails acting enough to draw them a-head out of the commo- 

 tion. The vessel, though a strong one, was so much shaken and 

 damaged, the horses so much injured, and all hands so much 

 ' scared,' as Harris honestly told me, that he steered back 

 direct for the Negro, forfeited his agreement, and refused to go 

 again. 



On the 14th March the Paz and Liebre again crossed 

 the bar of the River Negro, and next day they anchored 

 a-breast of the town (Carmen). Lieut. Wickham found that 

 an expedition had been sent from Buenos Ayres for the pur- 

 pose of obliging the Indians to retire beyond (southward of) 

 the Negro ; and, if possible, deprive them of their horses. 

 Bad weather and a heavy sea on the bar, caused by south-east 

 gales, prevented the Paz and Liebre from sailing again until 

 the 11th of April, when they went to Port San Antonio, and 

 afterwards into Port San Jose. Plenty of firewood, and abun- 

 dance of fish, were found at San Antonio ; but no fresh water, 

 except by digging wells. The tide-stream rushes into and out 

 of Port San Jose in a violent manner, especially when opposed 

 by wind ; but after the narrow part of the entrance is passed, 

 all agitation of the water ceases, except what may be caused by 

 wind. It is a barren and desolate place, without wood or fresh 

 water, and too large for a harbour. Our party saw proof of 

 this assertion in the wreck of a small vessel at the north-east 

 part of the port, which had been driven from her anchors and 



* The tide-races within the bay are less formidable than those off Point 

 Norte, near which our vessels were. 



