458 



NO SAN SEBASTIAN CHANNEL. June 1830. 



I had overshot the proper place ; especially as the land con- 

 tinued flat, and unbroken, for many miles to the N.W., while 

 to the S.E. it seemed hilly and irregular. 



" Having ranged along shore several miles, yet still seeing 

 from the mast-head a continuation of the same kind of coast- 

 line, as far as an eye could trace the surf on the beach, without 

 any opening, we wore ship and stood to the northward, satis- 

 fied that the St. Sebastian channel did not exist within many 

 miles of the position laid down in the chart. 



" In the afternoon the weather became very thick, with 

 rain, a fresh wind blowing right on shore, and the glasses 

 falling ; so we carried sail to get off" the land and out of the 

 shoal water, in which there was a heavy ground swell. At 

 midnight we had obtained a good offing. 



" On the 10th, a fresh breeze from the N.E., a low glass, 

 and thick weather, with constant rain, would have pre- 

 vented my nearing the land again if I had been disposed to do 

 so. Though reluctant to leave any part of the coast of Tierra 

 del Fuego unexplored, while I had so effective a vessel, 

 and all with me in good health, I was bound to remember 

 our distance from the appointed rendezvous ; the state of our 

 provisions, of which we had only three weeks left on board ; 

 and that I was ordered to be at Rio de Janeiro on the 20th 

 of this month. I therefore decided to hasten to Port Desire, 

 for the sake of the chronometer measurements; and from 

 thence proceed to Monte Video and Rio de Janeiro. I had 

 previously made up my mind to carry the Fuegians, whom we 

 had with us, to England ; trusting that the ultimate benefits 

 arising from their acquaintance with our habits and language, 

 would make up for the temporary separation from their own 

 country. But this decision was not contemplated when I first 

 took them on board ; I then only thought of detaining them 

 while we were on their coasts; yet afterwards finding that 

 they were happy and in good health, I began to think of the 

 various advantages which might result to them and their 

 countrymen, as well as to us, by taking them to England, 

 educating them there as far as might be practicable, and then 



