214 



PATAGONIA. 



April, 1834. 



ward. This valley varies from five to ten miles in breadth ; 

 it is bounded by step-formed terraces, which rise in most 

 parts one above the other to the height of five hundred feet, 

 and have on the opposite sides a remarkable correspondence. 



April 19th. — Against so strong a current, it was of 

 course quite impossible to row or sail. Consequently the 

 three boats were fastened together head and stern, two 

 hands left in each, and the rest came on shore to track. 

 As the general arrangements, made by Captain FitzRoy, were 

 very good for facilitating the work of all, and as all had a 

 share of it, I will describe the system. The party, including 

 every one, was divided into two spells, each of which hauled 

 at the tracking line alternately for an hour and a half. The 

 officers of each boat lived with, ate the same food, and slept in 

 the same tent with their crew, so that each boat was quite 

 independent of the others. After sunset, the first level spot 

 where any bushes were growing, was chosen for our night^s 

 lodging. Each of the crew took it in turns to be cook. Im- 

 mediately the boat was hauled up, the cook made his fire ; 

 two others pitched the tent ; the coxswain handed the things 

 out of the boat ; the rest carried them up to the tents, and 

 collected firewood. By this order, in half an hour, every 

 thing was ready for the night. A watch of two men and an 

 officer was always kept, whose duty it was to look after the 

 boats, keep up the fire, and guard against Indians. Each 

 in the party had his one hour every night. 



During this day we tracked but a short distance, for there 

 were many islets, covered by thorny bushes, and the channels 

 between them were shallow. 



April 20th. — We passed the islands and set to work. 

 Our regular day^s march, although it was hard enough, car- 

 ried us on an average only ten miles in a straight line, and 

 perhaps fifteen or twenty altogether. Beyond the place 

 where we slept last night the country is completely terra 

 incognita y for it was there that Captain Stokes turned back. 

 We saw in the distance a great smoke, and found the skele- 

 ton of a horse, so we knew that Indians were in the neigh- 



