120 



BELLACO RIVER. GALLEGOS. 



Jan. 1828. 



been examining the whole coast between Port Desire and Cape 

 Virgins, and for the last ten days had been detained in the 

 Gallegos River by heavy gales of wind. He had sounded 

 round, and fixed the position of the Bellaco Rock, or St. Este- 

 van's Shoal, the existence of which had been so long doubted. 

 He had also visited and partially surveyed, the harbours of 

 Port San Julian and Santa Cruz, besides Coy Bay, and had 

 made almost a complete survey of the River Gallegos, which 

 he found to be a large and rapid river, whose entrance forms 

 a spacious port : instead of being blocked up by a mound 

 of shingle four or five feet above the level of the sea, and 

 having so small a stream as to escape the notice of Mr. Weddell 

 as he walked along the beach. ^ Cape Fairweather is so remark- 

 able, and so correctly placed upon the chart, that Mr. Weddell, 

 in his search for the river, must have very much deceived 

 himself. I should think he must have mistaken the ravine 

 described upon my former visit, since that is the only part 

 which answers his description : it could not be Coy Bay, be- 

 cause that opening, although of minor importance, has a broad 

 boat communication with the sea. 



Captain Stokes described the tide at the anchorage, within 

 the mouth of the Gallegos, as running at the rate of five knots, 

 and rising forty-six feet. From Mr. WeddelFs account, he was 

 on the point of passing by without examining it; but the wea- 

 ther being fine, he determined to go in his boat and ascertain 

 the truth of that description. It was soon evident that the 

 river was large, and, returning to his ship, he lost no time in 

 anchoring her within the entrance, where she rode out a heavy 

 gale from S.W. 



The Beagle left the Gallegos on the 23d, and reached Port 

 Famine on the 28th, a very short passage, since she remained 

 for a night and the greater part of a day at Gregory Bay, to 

 communicate with the natives. When approaching the First 

 Narrow, Captain Stokes observed a brig, apparently at anchor, 

 under Cape Orange, and supposing her either to have found 

 a good anchorage, or to be in distress, steered towards her^ 

 * Weddell's Voyage. 



