June. 



RIVER PLATA : 



MONTE VIDEO. 



461 



her in upon the deck, breaking both iron davits. One of the 

 davits of the lee-boat was also unshipped by the jerk, and the 

 after-part of the vessel well drenched with water. We secured 

 both boats again, but the one to windward was badly stove. 

 For a moment, I thought we had indeed found the rocks, and 

 the huge black back of a dead whale which just then shewed 

 itself very near the vessel, much increased the sensation. I 

 imagined that we were in a meeting of tides or currents ; where 

 old trees, dead whales, &c. are often found, and have frequently 

 caused reports of rocks ; for the water was not more shallow than 

 we had found it during the day, the soundings having varied 

 from forty to fifty fathoms ; so having obtained the meridional 

 altitude we bore up, and steered our course again. 



" On the 26th we entered the Plata, and at one a.m. on the 

 27th, Lobos Island was seen, and soon afterwards the high 

 land about Pan de Azucar. W e continued working to the 

 westward, and at daylight were off Whale Point, but the wind 

 fell light, and the current being against us, we lost during the 

 day what had been gained in the night. At seven p.m. the 

 current set so strongly out of the river that we were obliged 

 to drop a kedge with a stout hawser, and ride by it, though 

 keeping all sail set and going between four and five knots 

 through the water. When the hawser bore a strain, the log was 

 hove, and the current found to be setting more than five knots. 

 This was off Maldonado ; Lobos bearing N.N.E., distant four 

 miles. Soon after nine the stream slacked, we tripped the kedge 

 and worked up the river, the wind being still westerly, but the 

 current having turned in our favour. The U. S. frigate Hud- 

 son passed, steering to the eastward : — she was the first sail 

 we had seen since leaving San Carlos de Chiloe. At daylight 

 next morning (28th), we were in sight of Flores Lighthouse, 

 which was reported to be a vessel under sail. Soon after which 

 another vessel was reported as being under all studding sails ; 

 this was the Mount itself : so curiously were objects distorted 

 by the haze. Soon after noon we anchored off Monte Video, 

 and from Captain Talbot, of H.M.S. Algerine, I heard of the 

 arrival there, and subsequent departure of the Adventure and 

 the Adelaide. 



