CHAPTER XVI. 



Soundings — Anchor in Santa Cruz — Lay Beagle ashore for repair- 

 Prepare to ascend River — Set out — View of surrounding country- 

 Rapid stream — Cold — Ostriches — Guanacoes — Indians — Fish. — Cliffs 

 — Firewood— Lava Cliffs — Difficulties — Chalia — See Andes — Far- 

 thest V/ est — View round — Return — . Danger — Guanaco hunters — 

 Puma — Cat — Tides — Sail from Santa Cruz. 



In working to the westward from Berkeley Sound to the 

 River Santa Cruz, we sounded frequently, and found that the 

 depth is nowhere much above one hundred fathoms between 

 those places. But the water is not of so little depth between the 

 Falklands and Cape Virgins, or Tierra del Fuego ; for there 

 we could not strike soundings in some places, towards the 

 islands, with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. 



On the 13th we anchored in the Santa Cruz, and imme- 

 diately prepared to lay our vessel ashore for a tide, to ascertain 

 how much injury had been caused by the rock at Port Desire, 

 and to examine the copper previous to her employment in the 

 Pacific Ocean, where worms soon eat their way through unpro- 

 tected planks. (16th.) When on the beach, at a place we after- 

 wards called ' Keel Point,' it was found that a piece of the false 

 keel under the ' fore-foot,' had been knocked off, and that a few 

 sheets of copper were a good deal rubbed. By Mr. May's exer- 

 tions all was repaired in one tide ; and the following day we 

 were making preparations for an excursion up the river. 



17th. An examination, or rather a partial exploring, of the 

 River Santa Cruz had long been meditated. During the former 

 voyage of the Beagle, Captain Stokes had ascended the rapid 

 current as far as a heavy boat could be taken ; but his account 

 served only to stimulate our curiosity, and decided my follow- 

 ing his example. 



Three light boats were prepared (whale-boats strengthened): 

 as much provision as they could stow with safety was put into 

 them, and a party of officers and men selected. Lieut. Sulivan, 



