484 



MR. WILSON — -DON E. CARRASCO. 



Sept. 



of that country — the anarchical mternal dissensions which are 

 the bane of all South America, but especially of Peru. In 

 this respect there were so many prospective dangers, as well as 

 difficulties, that I should not have ventured to let him encoun- 

 ter them, had we not had such a man as Belford Hinton Wil- 

 son*' to rely upon for foresight, advice, influence, and as hearty 

 unflinching assistance, as any one public servant could aflbrd 

 to another. Mr. Wilson'^s exertions were unceasing, until he 

 procured every passport and document that could by any pos- 

 sibility be required for Mr. Usborne. He introduced him as 

 well as myself, to the hydrographer (Don Eduardo Carrasco) 

 who assisted us in many ways most materially ; and after I left 

 the coast he showed every possible attention and kindness to 

 all the Constitucion^s party ; winding up by advancing a large 

 sum of money out of his own purse, to forward the service in 

 which they were engaged, and increase their comfort during 

 a long passage to England round Cape Horn. 



Captain Carrasco, formerly in the Spanish navy, and now 

 Director of the Nautical School at Lima, gave me, and 

 afterwards Mr. Usborne, every particle of information which 

 he and I thought might be useful — both verbally and in writ- 

 ing — besides which he ransacked the archives for manuscripts, 

 charts, and books, from which he allowed extracts to be taken 

 or copies made, in the most truly liberal manner ; and I long 

 to see the results of our voyage, whatever they may be, laid 

 before him and his friends, as an acknowledgment — however 

 slight^ — of their free assistance and co-operation. 



On the 6th of September Mr. Usborne sailed.f He was to 

 commence near Paposo ; work along the coast thence to Gua- 

 yaquil, and afterwards return to Callao. 



The following day the Beagle left Callao, and steered direct 

 towards the Galapagos Islands, of which, as they are novel 

 ground, I shall be rather minute in my description. 



15th. Uncertain of the strength, and even of the direction 

 of the currents— though avvare that at times the former is very 



* Then consul-general, now charge d'affaires of H.B.M. in Peru. • 

 t Orders in Appendix. 



