SEARCH FOR THE BOAT. 



393 



while their wigwams were so hidden as to escape the obser- 

 vation of the whale-boat's crew. At two o'clock on the first 

 morning, Mr. Murray sent one of the men out of the tent 

 to see if the boat rode well at her moorings in the cove, and 

 he found her secure. At four another man went to look out, 

 but she was then gone. The crew, doubtful what had been 

 her fate, immediately spread about the shore of the island to 

 seek for traces of her, and in their search they found the wig- 

 wams, evidently just deserted : the fire not being extinguished. 

 This at once explained the mystery, and some proceeding along 

 the shore, others went up on the hills to look for her in the 

 offing ; but all in vain. The next morning Mr. Murray began 

 the basket, which was made chiefly by two of his men out of 

 small boughs, and some parts of the tent, with a lining of clayey 

 earth at the bottom. Being on an island, about fifteen miles 

 from the Beagle, their plan was as necessary as it was inge- 

 nious : though certainly something more like a canoe than a 

 coracle could have been paddled faster. 



" The chronometer, theodolite, and other instruments having 

 been saved, Mr. Murray had made observations for fixing the 

 position of the place, and had done all that was required before 

 I arrived, when they embarked, with their things, in my boat, 

 which then contained altogether eleven men, a fortnight's 

 provisions, tv/o tents,* and clothing ; yet with this load she 

 travelled many a long mile, during the following week, a proof 

 of the qualities of this five-oared whale-boat, which was also 

 built by Mr. Jonathan May, our carpenter, while we were at 

 San Carlos. 



" The very first place we went to, a small island about two 

 miles distant, convinced us still more decidedly of the fate of our 

 lost boat, and gave us hopes of retrieving her ; for near a lately 

 used wigwam, we found her mast, part of which had been cut off 

 with an axe that was in the boat. Our next point was then to 

 be considered, for to chase the thieves I was determined. North 

 and east of us, as far as the eye could reach, lay an extensive 



* T carried two tents from the Beagle, theirs having- been cut up for 

 the basket. 



