CHAPTER XIV. 



Place for a Settlement — Frost — Boats in danger — Narrow escape — 

 Sudden change — Beagle Hills — Fuegian painting — Tides — Medicine 

 ■ — Water warmer than the air — Jerome Channel — Mr. Stokes returns 

 to the Beagle — Cape Quod — Snowy Sound — Whale Sound — Choiseul 

 Bay — Return to the Beagle — Adelaide returns — Plan of operations — 

 -Difficulties removed — Preparations — Wear and tear of clothing — 

 Ascend the Mountain de la Cruz — Sail from Port Gallant— Tides — 

 Borja Bay — Cape Quod — Gulf of Xaultegua — Frost and snow — Meet 

 Adelaide— Part — Enter Pacific— Arrive at Chiloe. 



18th of May. Very cold, raining heavily, and blowing 

 strong from S.V\^. The tide turned this day (full moon), and 

 set to the westward at 1.15. I only say ' turned,' because I 

 could not distinguish the ebb from the flood, so little rise and 

 fall was there. No sooner had the tide ceased to run in one 

 direction, than it began to run as strongly in the other, for 

 about six hours. For the last four nights I noticed, that soon 

 after sunset the sky was suddenly overcast, a trifling shower 

 fell, and afterwards the heavens became beautifully clear. The 

 climate must be much like that of the east coast of Patagonia, 

 as shrubs grow here like those I saw at Port Desire. While 

 walking, the leaves and dry sticks crackled under foot, which 

 is very different from what one observes about the Strait of 

 Magalhaens, where everything is wet and spungy. I was 

 inclined to think this place suitable for a settlement. There is 

 water, wood, and good soil, fit for planting, besides pasture 

 land ; the climate is not bad ; and probably the Patagonian 

 Indians might be induced to trade in guanaco meat, as they 

 now do at Gregory Bay ; while any of their hostile incursions 

 would be prevented by the channel. 



" 19th. Two natives, a man and a boy, came to our boats 

 this morning ; they seemed to have neither curiosity, nor fear, 

 nor even a relish for tobacco. They took a piece of tinder, 

 picked up a stone, and went away to some wigwams, at a little 

 distance, where we soon afterwards saw a fire burning. 



