A Christian ship-master--Cruise for whales, and for a
California-bound vessel--An outlandish craft--An American
vessel--Passage secured for California--Tempestuous passage through
the Straits of Magellan--Warlike demonstrations, with an inglorious
issue--Chilian penal settlement--Pleasing reception--Extensive
coal-mine--Sea-lions--Mutiny of the convicts, and awful fate of the
governor and chaplain.
Captain Clift cordially welcomed me to his ship, and immediately
tendered me whatever I might need for personal comfort. I declined
availing myself of his generosity, assuring him that I could be
comfortable with present supplies; but he insisted on replenishing my
wardrobe, silencing all objections by the remark that I plainly needed
the articles, and that it was a part of our duty on earth to give to the
needy. Captain Clift was a Christian in precept and example. He had
daily prayer on board his ship, and made his religion an inseparable
part of himself; something more than a profession, that did not expend
itself in words, but found expression in acts of kindness to all within
his reach. He had on board a poor sick Irish lad, who was taken into the
cabin, and nursed with all the care that circumstances admitted. Had
poor Mike been his own son, he could not have done more for him. Such
acts, incapable of being traced to any sordid or selfish motive, sprung
spontaneously from his capacious heart, full to overflowing with the
milk of human kindness. As the ship had been at the Falkland Islands for
several months, where they lived exclusively upon fresh meat, it seemed
impossible that there should be a case of scurvy on board; but the
captain remarked that the Patagonian coast was the worst he ever visited
in this respect.
The crew, under direction of the mate, a brother of the captain, were
busy in landing cattle, swine, empty casks and other articles, to make
room on board for trying out whales, in case they captured any more, for
which the schooner was getting ready to cruise up and down the coast.
The mate went in the tender on her first trip out; but she returned, in
three or four days, unsuccessful. A second cruise was undertaken, but in
a week's absence only one whale was discovered, and this they failed to
secure. A third and still longer trip was equally unsuccessful, and they
returned not a little discouraged. During this time I had repeatedly
exchanged visits with Mr. Hall, and felt quite comfortable in my new
quarters; but suffered the misery of idleness, and of impatience at my
detention, even among such generous and considerate friends. Partially
to relieve the tedium of inactivity, in compliance with an urgent
request for some useful employment, I was allowed to repair the ship's
spanker. But I determined that, on the next cruise of the tender, I
would take a berth, in the hope of falling in with some vessel bound
around Cape Horn, or to Montevideo, Rio Janeiro, Pernambuco, or any
other port from which it might be possible to secure a passage to
California,--a land I was resolved at least to see, after having got so
far on my way, though so inauspiciously.
The vessel was soon ready to sail. The evening before our departure Mr.
Hall visited me, and also came in the morning, before we were off;--the
whole-souled fellow! I shall always pray for his happiness. Captain
Clift added to his other kindnesses by pressing upon me various articles
of comfort for the voyage, with a nice clothes-bag to contain them all.
I parted from them, heartily praying a continuance of God's blessing on
them both; adding, however, that it was very likely they would see me
turning up among them, like a bad penny, on the return of the schooner.
In truth, my natural buoyancy had so far died out, that but faint hopes
of a successful termination of the voyage, begun, so long before, under
auspices apparently cheering, now encouraged me. We hove up the anchor,
hoisted sail, and steered out of the harbor and down the coast, running
off and standing in on the land, in hope to fall in with whales. On the
fourth day out, we discovered a sail coming down the coast towards us.
It proved to be an outlandish-looking craft, from her rig appearing to
be a Portuguese schooner. We sailed towards her with a light breeze,
lowered our boat, and went alongside the foreigner. She had on board a
large crew of cut-throat looking fellows, loitering about. We were not
asked on board, but remained in the boat talking with them through one
of our men, a Portuguese. They said they were from some place, the name
of which I have now quite forgotten, up the Straits of Gibraltar, and
were bound through the Straits of Magellan to California. I suggested to
Mr. Clift the propriety of getting on board, and going to Port Famine or
to California. He said I could do as I pleased; but that, for his own
part, he would feel hardly willing to trust himself among them, in which
opinion I concurred.
Our Portuguese hand went on board, and talked with the captain of my
adventures among the Indians, and of the occupation, &c., of our
schooner. He was directed to inquire for whales, and brought us answer
that several had been seen along the coast, some distance to the
northward. While this conversation was going on, a tall, hairy fellow
came up from the cabin, encased in a dark-colored cloak having a red
collar, and stripes of the same hue running about the edge; a hood, or
cap, of divers gaudy colors, lay back on his shoulders, and another,
gayly and profusely variegated in hue, was perched upon his head.
Altogether he was a comical-looking piece of human nature. He took a
look at our vessel through the glass. In answer to an inquiry through
our interpreter, we learned that they had passed, the day before, an
American schooner bound that way, which could not be far off. One of the
sailors passed some liquor to us over the side of the vessel; it was sad
stuff, and I could only out of compliment go through with the form of
drinking. While this little courtesy was enacting, our Esau over-head
was scanning the horizon with his glass, and at length exclaimed that he
saw the vessel; we turned, and distinctly perceived a sail making
towards us.
We soon returned to the tender, and stood in for the shore, in order to
cut off the approaching stranger; anxious to meet her, I went aloft to
the mast-head, where the view was better, and kept the mate advised of
her course. When near enough to be watched from the deck, I came down,
as it was impossible she could escape us. Mr. Clift offered to board
her, and I accordingly picked up my things, ready for contingencies; the
breeze was light, and the strange schooner approached slowly. We stood
in till it was judged we were in her track, and then hove to, with the
stars and stripes flying at the main gaff, as a signal that we wished to
speak her. Presently the same beautiful flag was run up her main peak;
on she came,--our boat was lowered, Mr. Clift jumped in with me, and we
were rowed alongside, the schooner rounding to, and laying by for us to
come on board. Captain Clift announced himself to the master of the
schooner, who came to the side to receive us, and introduced me. He
courteously invited us on board, jocosely remarking that we had a good
many captains for one vessel, took us into the cabin, and treated us
with the greatest civility.
The schooner proved to be the Hopewell, of New Orleans, Captain Morton,
from Antigua, and bound to San Francisco, through the Straits of
Magellan. There were two passengers aboard, an American gentleman, and a
Portuguese, taken aboard at Bahia. At Captain Morton's request, I gave a
sketch of my expedition and sojourn among the cannibals. "You were bound
to California when you embarked?" he inquired, when I had concluded; "I
am bound there, and, if you wish to finish your voyage, you can go with
me." My mind was relieved; I almost feared to ask a passage, but my wish
had been anticipated,--my request generously granted before it was
uttered. I gratefully accepted his offer; remarking that unless my
vessel had arrived in safety, of which I had no assurance, I should find
myself as destitute on landing as at that moment; but that he could
leave me at Port Famine, if I became troublesome. The "John Allyne" I
supposed to have been lost soon after my capture; I had heard nothing of
her since. He desired me to give myself no trouble in that matter on
_his_ account, and exerted himself to entertain us. As we were opposite
the river Gallegos, and could easily run down to Cape Virgin during the
night, Captain Morton felt in no hurry; and the whaling schooner was
very well posted for observation on the coast, so that our men were well
contented, and we had a very pleasant social interview of two or three
hours. Finally, after partaking of some refreshments, I bade adieu to my
excellent friend Mr. Clift, and the two vessels parted, to pursue their
different courses.
During the night, we worked our way down to the straits. I sat up quite
late with the captain; and, when at length I retired to my state-room,
fell soundly asleep. The next morning we were nearly opposite Cape
Virgin, the north point of the entrance to the straits. We were rather
wide off the cape; the wind was ahead, and a good strong breeze; we beat
in at last, and anchored under Point Dungeness. The Portuguese schooner
was in the offing; she worked up before night, and anchored a little to
the windward of us. We lay at anchor through the night; the next morning
we both got under way, with a light breeze, which lasted, however, but a
little while, when the wind came round ahead. As we were passing Point
Dungeness,--it was not fairly daylight, and I had not yet risen,--Mr.
F., one of the passengers, cried out that the shore opposite was lined
with Indians. I hurried on deck, to get a peep at them; upon looking,
there appeared a great school of seals on the beach; they seemed to be
standing up, and walking on their hind feet, so as to have, in the dusk,
very much the appearance of Indians. With some difficulty we worked up
to near the point where the John Allyne lay when I made my unlucky visit
on shore, and came to anchor; so that I was brought back again almost to
the starting-point of this "eventful history,"--a revolution suggestive
of many reflections.
The next day there came a heavy gale; the Portuguese schooner had
anchored on the preceding night, in the bight of Possession Bay, further
down. We lay heavily pitching at our anchors till afternoon, when
Captain Morton determined to get his anchors, if possible, and run down
to where the foreign schooner lay, thinking it might prove a safe
anchorage. After much trouble in raising the anchors, we ran back,
keeping the lead going, and running at a furious rate, under bare poles,
excepting the head of the jib. The whole bay was a sheet of surf and
foam. I began to think we had not much bettered our condition by
removing. We anchored abreast of our Portuguese friend, but still
dragged the anchors. We finally brought up by securing some iron
castings we had on board to the kedge; the chain-cable was reeved
through them,--they were let down ten or fifteen feet from the anchor.
The small kedge thus fixed, with the weight attached to the chain,
ploughed to the bottom, instead of being lifted out by the strain on the
cable, thereby performing the service of one many times its weight. Our
little vessel rode out the gale, which was of short duration; as the sun
went down the wind subsided. We had hoisted a small sail to the
main-mast, in shape resembling a leg of mutton, to make the vessel ride
head to the wind, instead of lying in the trough of the sea. The tide,
running at the time strongly against the wind, caused us to lie nearly
broadside to the force of the gale; but this temporary sail, supplying
the place of after-sail, caused the craft to lie more steadily. Just
before sunset we got our anchors at the bow, and were under close-reefed
sail, beating back to the place we left in the forenoon, near the first
narrows. We arrived there in the evening, and again anchored; the next
morning, with a light breeze from the eastward, we stood into the
narrows, in company with the Portuguese schooner. Soon after we had
passed through the narrows, the wind came ahead; we beat along, and
anchored under Cape Gregory, a fine anchorage.
Towards evening we discovered something sitting upon a high, abrupt
sand-cliff, on the bordering shore; we could perceive, by an occasional
movement, that it was a living creature. The object was of considerable
interest, and was closely inspected with the glass; at last it was
pronounced to be an Indian. The shore was closely scanned in all
directions, to ascertain whether there were more in the vicinity; none
were in sight, and we concluded to pay the solitary a visit; but, as
hundreds might be concealed in the neighborhood, we armed to the teeth.
Old flint-lock muskets, rusty with long idleness, were dragged from
their hiding-places, and treated to a dose of oil, to limber their aged
joints; new flints were fitted to the locks, and everything put in good
order. The guns were heavily charged with powder and shot; pistols and
cutlasses, dirks and bowie-knives, were all in readiness, and the boat
was alongside, manned by the sailors ready to receive us. Mr. F., the
first and second mates, and myself, pushed off for the shore. We landed
at some distance from the object of our visit, that we might have a
better opportunity to survey the country around. Before the boat fairly
felt the bottom, the second mate jumped into the water, and ran along
the beach, until he could see that the supposed Indian was a large bird.
He raised his gun, and fired; the bird came tumbling down the precipice,
and, on running up, we found it to be a large condor. The Dutchman had
broken his wing. We caught our prize and took it on board the vessel,
and were heartily laughed at for our pains by the captain, who had been
viewing the onslaught through the glass. Mr. F. was teased by him many
days for the intrepidity of his charge on the poor bird, rushing to the
attack with a drawn sword in one hand, and a cocked pistol in the other.
We all felt a little crest-fallen, I must admit, after having made such
formidable preparations for an Indian fight, to return with so
inglorious a prize; but, as none of my former tormentors could
reasonably be supposed to have strayed to this part of the country, and
I had no animosities towards other tribes to be gratified, I felt, on
the whole, very well satisfied with the result. We measured the bird;
but, as I was not "takin' notes" at the time, it is now impossible to
give its dimensions; it was very large.
The next day we commenced beating under a head-wind through the second
narrows; but, when partially through, it commenced blowing so severely
that we were compelled to return to our anchorage at Cape Gregory. The
following day we double-reefed the sails, beat through the narrows, and
anchored in Oazy Harbor. Here we went on shore, and discovered traces of
Indians; the smoke of their fires was seen to the westward. We roamed
about on shore for some hours, but found nothing to interest us; it was
all exceeding bare and monotonous. The breeze continuing fresh ahead, we
remained one day in the harbor, spending our leisure in shooting
sea-fowls, which were very abundant. Once more we got under way, and
anchored off the mouth of Pecket Harbor until daylight, then stood into
Royal Road, and passed to the westward of Elizabeth Island into Catalina
Bay.
Before passing Sandy Point, we saw several horses, and a Chilian flag
flying. We hauled in and came to anchor, as we wished to procure wood
and water. A large gathering of Spaniards from the settlement came to
the shore. Among them I noticed a little man, handsomely dressed, with a
beautiful cloak, and a cap having a wide gilt band; he appeared to be
about fifty years old. A young man, of perhaps thirty, of fine
appearance, accompanied him. He was dressed in military costume, blue
trousers with white side-stripe, blue coat with standing collar, and
cloth cap with a gilt band. These important personages were no less than
the governor and his highest officer. They were walking along in
conversation, and came down to meet us as we landed, shaking hands, and
asking us where we were from, whither bound, and if we stood in need of
anything. Capt. Morton could understand the Spanish, when spoken, easier
than he could speak it himself. I therefore acted as spokesman, and
replied that we wanted wood and water. After learning the quantity
needed, his excellency gave his men orders to cut and split the wood,
and draw it to the shore; and said that if we would send our water-casks
ashore, his men should fill them. In due time both orders were
executed, and we received a good supply of these necessary stores. We
were then invited to the governor's house. His table was sumptuously
spread, and we were entertained in the most handsome style. He was a
kind, gentlemanly man, and refused to receive a penny for the supplies
he furnished us, but accepted some presents from the captain. The young
officer also treated us very politely, and hospitably entertained us in
his house. Our vessel remained here about a week. Every day the governor
sent us a large bucket of sweet milk, and sometimes fresh beef. The
place was a Chilian penal settlement. He was about removing the colony
from Port Famine here, on account of the superiority of the soil. The
young soldier and the Catholic _padre_ were his principal officers. A
part of the colony yet remained at Port Famine.
One day, while walking out with the governor to look at the settlement,
he asked if we were acquainted with coal. I replied, pointing to Mr. F.,
that he had been an engineer on several steamboats, and ought to be able
to judge of _carbon_, as they called it. He sent his men along the
little brook to look for some. They soon returned with several small
specimens, which Mr. F. pronounced good coal. The governor said that the
little brook led up to a large coal-mine, six or seven miles back, and
he requested us to go and look at it. The next day he renewed the
proposal, offered us horses and a man to clear the way, and said the
_padre_ would accompany us. I hesitated a little, suggesting that we
might fall in with Indians. But he said, and the priest concurred, that
there was no danger on that score, and we consented to go. We
accordingly went on shore the following morning, and found horses in
readiness for us. Mr. F., the _padre_ and myself, started off,
accompanied by a Spaniard on foot, armed with an axe, to clear away the
obstructions in our path. After leaving the settlement, we plunged into
a thick wood, on low, marshy ground, and followed a blind trail, leading
now over the trunk of a large tree, which our horses leaped with
difficulty, now across a quagmire, which had to be filled with bushes to
furnish a foothold, and again was obstructed by an overhanging tree, or
pendent branch, which arrested our progress till it could be cut away.
In this manner we worked a passage for about a mile, when we emerged
into an upland region free from underbrush. By this time, the thought
recurred that it was rather imprudent travelling unarmed in that
miserable country, infested by savage men and wild beasts; but I was in
for it, and jogged along with dogged resolution. The face of the country
became more uneven as we proceeded, tall trees were numerous, and we
caught an occasional glimpse of snow on the hills. We soon reached a
height at which there was abundance of snow. Our guide strode in
advance, his Spanish axe swung upon his shoulder, calmly whistling a
tune to himself. As we were descending a steep place, my horse suddenly
stopped, and bent his head and legs to the ground,--the saddle slipped
over his head, and his rider instantly found himself about thirty feet
below, his head and hands stuck fast in the snow, and his heels elevated
high in air. A little smart exertion extricated me from my uncomfortable
position. Our guide came to me, uttering maledictions on the stumbling
beast. Clambering with me back to where the horse stood, he beat him
soundly, and again girt the saddle so tightly that I almost feared it
would sever his body. I remonstrated, but he replied that it was a bad
horse, and was playing old tricks. At the bottom of the declivity I
remounted; we travelled through the snow as far as we could ride, then
left our horses and continued our way on foot. The snow was very deep,
in places frozen hard enough to bear our weight. A walk of a mile or
more brought us, with some fatigue, to the coal-mine. But there was such
a depth of snow that we could see only here and there a projection of
coal in the banks of the brook which runs down from the mountains to the
settlement.
The coal was pronounced by Mr. F. to be of good quality for steamboat
use. Some pieces which we brought down with us burned very freely, and
emitted great heat. Mr. F. thought it a great discovery, and had an
inclination to apply to the Chilian government for permission to work
the mine. The Buenos Ayrean government, also, I was informed, laid claim
to this desolate country. Forest trees, of great size, both of hard and
soft wood, appeared to be abundant; and numerous streams of water are
convenient, which could readily supply water-power sufficient to
manufacture almost any quantity of lumber. A canal might very easily be
dug to the straits, or a railroad might be constructed, so as to take
the coal, with little trouble, from the mine to the colony. The _padre_
said that an English company, some time ago, started to explore this
mine, but, on account of the great depth of snow, gave up the enterprise
without inspection.
We returned to the settlement before night, and went to the young
officer's house, where we were bountifully supplied with refreshments,
and had a very pleasant, sociable interview, into which the priest
entered with due spirit, in respect both to the physical and mental
refreshments. Returned to the vessel at dusk. The next morning we
landed some goods, and traded with the people. The principal articles
purchased were cougar-skins, guanaco-skins, and a few ostrich-skins,
sewed together in the form of a cape, the long feathers being extracted,
leaving a soft, downy surface. The governor asked permission, which the
captain readily granted, for some of the women to visit the vessel and
trade on board; and in the afternoon half a dozen or more of them
visited us, viewed the vessel, purchased such articles as they wanted,
and were then set on shore. We spent here a day or two more very
agreeably, trading with the convicts and gunning in the vicinity of the
settlement. We had a little sport in trying to capture some sea-lions
that were gambolling around the vessel, but were unsuccessful. We saw
the skin of one that had been captured by one of the convicts; it was
black, covered with a thick coat of coarse hair, or rather bristles. In
size they were about equal to the common bull-dog. They rise every now
and then to the surface of the water, to blow, like a porpoise. We bade
the governor, the young officer and the _padre_, an affectionate
farewell. Their kindness and courtesy had made our visit so agreeable
that we were almost sorry to leave them. Not long after our departure,
we were shocked to learn that they had met with a sudden and cruel fate.
The convicts mutinied, and rose upon the officers. The governor and the
priest succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, where they remained
three days without food. They decided to return to the settlement, and
abide the consequences, whatever they might be. The convicts bound them
hand and foot, roasted them alive, burned their bones, and danced over
their ashes! We had parted from them expecting never again to see their
faces, but had loved to think of them as still inhabiting that bleak
shore, turning it, by the magic of their cheerful temper, into a
pleasant garden, and warming it in the glow of their kindly hearts.
Their end was in such fearful contrast to their lives, and did such
violence to our remembrance of their virtues, that the tidings affected
us with a sense of personal loss, and made that lonely spot at once
among the happiest and the saddest of my experience.