CHAPTER XV. 



Beag-le and Adventure sail from Monte Video— Port Desire — Bellaco 

 Rock — Refraction— Port San Julian — Viedraa — Drake — Magalhaens 

 — Patagonians — Port Famine — San Sebastian Bay— Woollya — Jemmy 

 — Story — Treachery— Oens-men — Improvement — Gratitude — Falk- 

 lands — Events — Captain Seymonr — Search for Murderers — Lieutenant 

 Smith — Brisbane — Wreck — Sufferings — Lieutenant Clive — Sail from 

 Falklands. 



Dec. Gth, 1833. With a supply of provisions and coals,* 

 sufficient for at least nine months, the Beagle and her tender 

 sailed together from Monte Video. 



We first touched at Port Desire (23d Dec), and after 

 passing a very cheerful Christmas-day ,-[- and exploring the 

 inlet to its extremity, the Adventure was left to complete 

 some alterations in her masts and rigging, while the Beagle 

 would survey the coast between Sea Bear Bay and Port San 

 Julian. 



The party who went up the inlet were much struck by the 

 wildness and height^ of the rocky cliffs which they saw on 

 each side of what appeared to have been the bed of a former 

 river ; but could go no further with the yawl than I had been 

 in 18^9. This I had foreseen, and therefore Mr. Chaffers, who 

 was in charge of the party, took with him a small dinghy, in 

 which he went on after the yawl was stopped by the mud. 

 Having proceeded two miles further, the prospect changed 

 suddenly ; instead of wild glens and precipitous heights of 

 porphyritic rock, low flat banks were seen, covered with rushes 

 near the water, and, further from the stream, with luxuriant 

 pasture. It was almost high water when the dinghy reached 

 this spot and entered a fresh water river about a hundred 



* Wood and water being easily procured in the regions we were going- 

 to visit, we carried only a month's store of those essentials. 



t After noon on the 25th, both crews amused themselves on shore in 

 wrestling, racing, jumping, and various games. 



t About three hundred feet. 



