Dec. 1826. 



FALL AND STRENGTH OF TIDE. 



15 



their movements. Guanacoes also were seen feedi^lg near 

 the beach, which was the first intimation we had of the 

 existence of that animal southward of the Strait of Magal- 

 haens. 



When day broke (S9th) it was discovered that the ship had 

 drifted considerably during the night. The anchor was 

 weighed, and with a favourable tide we reached an anchorage 

 a mile in advance of the Beagle. We had shoaled rather 

 suddenly to eight fathoms, upon which the anchor was imme- 

 diately dropped, and on veering cable the depth was eleven 

 fathoms. We had anchored on the edge of a bank, which 

 soon afterwards, by the tide falling, was left dry within 

 one hundred yards of the ship. Finding ourselves so near a 

 shoal, preparations were made to prevent the ship from touch- 

 ing it. An anchor was dropped under foot, and others were 

 got ready to lay out, for the depth alongside had decreased 

 from eleven to seven fathoms, and was still falling. For- 

 tunately we had brought up to leeward of the bank, and suf- 

 fered no inconvenience; the flood made, and as soon as possible 

 the ship was shifted to another position, about half a mile to 

 the S. E., in a situation very favourable for our next attempt 

 to pass the Narrow. This night the tide fell thirty-six feet, 

 and the stream ran six knots. 



The ensuing morning we made another attempt to get through 

 the Narrow, and, from having anchored so close to its entrance, 

 by which the full benefit of the strength, as well as the whole 

 duration of the tide was obtained, we succeeded in clearing it 

 in two hours, although the distance was more than twenty 

 miles, and the wind directly against us, the sea, as before, 

 breaking repeatedly over the ship. 



After emerging from the Narrow we had to pass through a 

 heavy ' race' before we ' reached' out of the influence of the 

 stream that runs between the First and Second Narrow, but 

 the tide lasted long enough to carry us to a quiet anchorage. 

 In the evening we weighed again, and reached Gregory Bay, 

 where the Beagle joined us the next morning. 



Since entering the Strait, we had not had any communication 



