448 VALENTYN—GOOD SUCCESS — NATIVES. May 1830. 



and breaking in all directions, like water boiling in an im- 

 mense caldron. When through, and again in safety, I was 

 astonished at our fortunate escape. Looking back upon it, 

 only a mass of breakers could be seen, which passed rapidly 

 to the westward, and therefore led me to suppose that the 

 ' race' was caused by a meeting of tides ; not by a strong tide 

 passing over a rocky ledge. 



" ' The land near Bell Cape is steep, high, and so rocky, that 

 we could not find any place at which to land. We went into 

 all the small coves, but they were so guarded by rocks as to 

 be impracticable. Sailing eastward, 1 at last found a small 

 cove, near Valentyn Bay, in which we hauled the boat ashore, 

 A small stream ran into it, near which were many wigwams, 

 but no natives could be seen. 



" ' 12th. We crossed Valentyn Bay, and landed near Cape 

 Good Success. I walked to the summit, and thence obtained a 

 good view of Staten Island, on the east ; and all the coast west- 

 ward, as far as New Island. In the north-east corner of 

 Valentyn Bay, we found some Indians, living in one large 

 wigwam, without any canoes. There were eight men, each of 

 whom had a bow and a few arrows in his hand, and all, 

 except one, were clothed in guanaco-skins hanging down to 

 their heels, the woolly side being outwards. We obtained 

 several bows from them, by barter, but they were reluctant 

 to part with many arrows. One of the number wore a large 

 seal-skin, that I purchased with a knife, which, to my surprise, 

 he distinctly called ' cuchillo.' They had some fine dogs, one 

 being much like a young lion ; but nothing we could offer 

 seemed, in their eyes, to be considered an equivalent for his 

 value. Afterwards we examined Valentyn Bay, and found it 

 unfit for vessels, being exposed to a heavy swell, and affording 

 but bad anchorage. 



" 'On the 13th and 14th, a heavy gale confined us to our 

 cove, into which such numbers of wild-fowl came, for shelter 

 I suppose, that we shot as many as we wanted. 



" 'On the 15th, 16th, and 17th, we were returning to the 

 Beagle, not without meeting difficulties and risks similar to 



