66 



BEAGLE RETURNS. 



April 1827. 



crew of the wrecked vessel, with all their personal property, 

 and the greater part of the seal-skins which they had cured. 

 He reached Port Gallant again on the fourth day ; sailed 

 immediately in the Beagle, and two days afterwards anchored 

 in Port Famine. 



The Prince of Saxe Cobourg, belonging to Mr. Weddel 

 (whose voyage towards the South Pole is so well linown), and 

 commanded by Mr. Matthew Brisbane, v/ho accompanied 

 Weddel on that occasion, sailed from Enoland in the summer 

 of 1826, on a sealing voyage. At South Shetland she encoun- 

 tered a continuance of bad weather, was beset by a large body 

 of ice for several days, and received so much damage as to 

 oblige her to run for the Fuegian coast, and anchor in Fury 

 Harbour, at the entrance of the Barbara Channel. There 

 (December 16th, 1826) she was driven on shore by the furious 

 strength of the williwaws, and wrecked. The crew were, 

 however, enabled to save most of the provisions and stores, as 

 well as their three boats. Having made tents, and established 

 themselves on shore, they remained in anxious expectation of 

 the arrival of some vessel which might relieve them ; day after 

 day however passed, without succour. 



Two boats were despatched to look for any sealing vessel 

 that might be in the vicinity, but after fifteen days' absence 

 they returned unsuccessful. In this interval one of the crew, 

 who had long been sickly, died ; and another, in carelessly 

 discharging a musket, exploded twenty pounds of gunpowder, 

 by which he was very much burned. Three of the people being 

 mutinous, were punished by being sent, each to a different 

 island, with only a week's provisions. 



Soon afterwards another boat was sent away, which reached 

 Hope Harbour, but found no vessel there. Seven of the people 

 then obtained permission from the master (who kept up a very 

 proper state of discipline), to take the largest whale-boat, and 

 go towards the River Negro. Previous to their departure 

 they drew up articles of agreement for their general conduct., 

 a breach of which was to be punished by the offender 

 being left upon the coast, wdierever they might happen to 



