RESCUE OF SCHOONER 
I 2 I 
Alakaluf Indians: a terrific hurricane had blown away their 
toldo (wigwam) during the night and they were very much 
frightened. The old woman’s face was painted with black 
charcoal. We had little in the way of stores to give them, 
but the Captain gave them a little meat and biscuits for their 
skins. After the departure of the Indians, the sea calmed 
again and once more the men were in the row boat endeavour¬ 
ing to get us out of Cockburn Channel into Magdalen Sound 
from where we hoped to attract attention from the San Isidro 
lighthouse. 
An hour later we suddenly felt a south-west wind coming 
in concentrated and relentless fury as it fell upon us released 
from the mountain faces, one furious gust breaking our 
mainsail-sheet and swamping the tow boat; one of the crew 
narrowly escaped being washed away. The glowering snow 
mountains we had been striving to pass quickly receded; 
we were travelling at a terrific speed. Forced to our bunks 
in the chainlocker, the booming and hissing of the sea as 
our boat competed with the furies were indescribable, snow 
squalls at intervals adding to the Captain’s difficulties, who 
without food steered and shrieked at his crew until 12 p.m. 
that evening, when the wind turned against us, and we an¬ 
chored off San Isidro lighthouse. 
July 23, Tuesday . At daybreak, rowed by Captain, Senor 
Williams, and one of the crew along coast, from where 
I telephoned English Consul and Capitan of the Port for 
help—Magallanes being only 12 miles away. After two and 
a half hours of awful waiting, the rescue boat under sail and 
motor appeared. Meanwhile the sea had grown in fury. 
Each wind seemed to storm against a worse wind, and after 
one almost fatal attempt to tranship us, each boat was forced 
to guard herself. Towards evening the excited yelling of 
the sailors announced the second boat sent out for us, which 
managed to come alongside us and quickly and successfully 
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