May 1827. patagonians — guegory bay. ' 85 



water Bay, where we passed the night. At last, on the 8th, 

 accompanied by the Beagle, we proceeded on our course with 

 a strong south-westerly breeze, which carried us quickly up to 

 Cape Negro, when it blew so hard that I anchored off Laredo 

 Bay. At this anchorage we certainly felt the air much colder 

 and sharper than at Port Famine, arising from our being in 

 a more exposed situation, and from the approach of winter, as 

 well as from the severe south-west gale which was blowing. 



After the gale had abated, we proceeded with fair weather 

 and a light breeze to the Second Narrow, when the wind fell ; 

 but the tide being in our favour, we passed rapidly through. 

 On a hill near us we observed three or four Patagonian Indians 

 standing together, and their horses feeding close to them. 

 A fire was soon kindled, to attract our notice, to which signal 

 we replied by showing our colours ; and had we not already 

 communicated with these people, we should certainly have 

 thought them giants, for they " loomed very large'"* as they 

 stood on the summit of the hill. This optical deception must 

 doubtless have been caused by mirage : the haze has always 

 been observed to be very great during fine w^eather and a hot 

 day, arising from rapid evaporation of the moisture so abun- 

 dantly deposited, on the surface of the ground, in all parts of 

 the Strait. 



As soon as the Patagonians found they were noticed, they 

 mounted and rode along the shore abreast of us, being joined 

 by other parties, until the whole number could not have been 

 less than forty. Several foals and dogs were with them. Having 

 anchored in Gregory Bay, where I intended remaining for two 

 days to communicate with them, I sent up a rocket, burnt a 

 blue-light, and despatched Lieutenant Cooke on shore to ask 

 for a large supply of guanaco meat, for which we would pay 

 in knives and beads. The boat returned on board immediately, 

 bringing off four natives, three men and ' Maria."* This 

 rather remarkable woman must have been, judging by her 

 appearance, about forty years old : she is said to have been 

 born at Assuncion, in Paraguay, but I think the place of her 

 birth was nearer Buenos Ayres. She spoke broken, but intel- 



