X 
THE BEAGLE CHANNEL 
229 
compelled us to shorten sail and stand out to sea. The surf 
was breaking fearfully on the coast, and the spray was carried 
over a cliff estimated at 200 feet in height. On the 12th the 
gale was very heavy, and we did not know exactly where we 
were: it was a most unpleasant sound to hear constantly 
repeated, “Keep a good lookout to leeward.” On the 13th 
the storm raged with its full fury : our horizon was narrowly 
limited by the sheets of spray borne by the wind. The sea 
looked ominous, like a dreary waving plain with patches of 
drifted snow ; whilst the ship laboured heavily, the albatross 
BAD WEATHER, MAGELLAN STRAITS. 
glided with its expanded wings right up the wind. At noon a 
great sea broke over us, and filled one of the whale-boats, which 
was obliged to be instantly cut away. The poor Beagle 
trembled at the shock, and for a few minutes would not obey 
her helm ; but soon, like a good ship that she was, she righted 
and came up to the wind again. Had another sea followed the 
first, our fate would have been decided soon, and for ever. 
We had now been twenty-four days trying in vain to get west¬ 
ward ; the men were worn out with fatigue, and they had not 
had for many nights or days a dry thing to put on. Captain 
Fitz Roy gave up the attempt to get westward by the outside 
coast. In the evening we ran in behind False Cape Horn, and 
