332 



BRISBANE WRECK. 



March 1834. 



and helped by Mr. Low's minute acquaintance with every 

 port, and almost every danger. Our tender sailed to continue 

 her coasting examination on the 21st. She returned on the 

 26th, and sailed again on the 30th. Meanwhile our own boats 

 were constantly occupied in and near Berkeley Sound and 

 Port William. 



When I visited the settlement it looked more melancholy 

 than ever ; and at two hundred yards' distance from the house 

 in which he had lived, I found, to my horror, the feet of poor 

 Brisbane protruding above the ground. So shallow was his 

 grave that dogs had disturbed his mortal remains, and had 

 fed upon the corpse. This was the fate of an honest, indus- 

 trious, and most faithful man : of a man who feared no danger, 

 and despised hardships. He was murdered by villains, because 

 he defended the property of his friend ; he was mangled by them 

 to satisfy their hellish spite ; dragged by a lasso, at a horse's 

 heels, away from the houses, and left to be eaten by dogs. 



Besides my own acquaintance with him and opinions derived 

 from the personal knowledge of the Beagle's officers, some of 

 whom had known Brisbane when his vessel, the Saxe Cobourg, 

 was wrecked in Fury Harbour (owing to no fault of his), 

 Mr. Weddell bears testimony to his character on many occa- 

 sions, particularly by an observation in page 48 (Weddell's 

 Voyage), where he says, " I had full confidence in the care 

 and ability of Mr. Brisbane." (1823.) 



In 1830 Mr, Brisbane was wrecked on the eastern coast of 

 Tierra del Fuego, near Policarpo Cove, (54° 38' S.), when seal- 

 ing there in partnership with Mr. Bray, who afterwards com- 

 manded the sealing schooner 'Transport,' lost in 1833, at 

 Hope Harbour. I have a copy of their log in my possession, 

 from which the following extracts are selected, to show with 

 what enduring patience some of those hardy sealers bear mis- 

 fortune and distress, 



" Feb. 23d. Employed saving things from the wreck : six 

 Indians came to us. 24th. Twenty-five Indians came, with their 

 women and children. 25th. Another visit from natives : men, 

 women, and children. 26th. Indians began to be very trou- 



