Enter the Straits of Magalhaens (or Magellan), and anchor off Cape
Possession--First Narrow--Gregory Bay--Patagonian Indians--Second
Narrow--Elizabeth Island--Freshwater Bay--Fuegian Indians--Arrival
at Port Famine.
A contrary tide and light winds detained us at anchor near Cape Virgins
until four o'clock in the afternoon, when, with the turn of the tide, a
light air carried us past Dungeness Point, aptly named by Wallis from its
resemblance to that in the English Channel. A great number of seals were
huddled together upon the bank, above the wash of the tide, whilst others
were sporting about in the surf. Cape Possession was in sight, and with the
wind and tide in our favour we proceeded until ten o'clock, when the anchor
was dropped. At daylight we found ourselves six miles to the eastward of
the cape. The anchor was then weighed, and was again dropped at three miles
from the cape until the afternoon, when we made another attempt; but lost
ground, and anchored a third time. Before night a fourth attempt was made,
but the tide prevented our making any advance, and we again anchored.
Mount Aymond[11] and "his four sons," or (according to the old quaint
nomenclature) the Asses' Ears, had been in sight all day, as well as a
small hummock of land on the S.W. horizon, which afterwards proved to be
the peaked hillock upon Cape Orange, at the south side of the entrance to
the First Narrow.
At this anchorage the tide fell thirty feet, but the strength of the
current, compared with the rate at which we afterwards found it to run, was
inconsiderable. Here we first experienced {13} the peculiar tides of which
former navigators have written. During the first half of the flood[12] or
westward tide, the depth decreased, and then, after a short interval,
increased until three hours after the stream of tide had begun to run to
the eastward.
The following morning (21st) we gained a little ground. Our glasses were
directed to the shore in search of inhabitants, for it was hereabouts that
Byron, and Wallis, and some of the Spanish navigators held communication
with the Patagonian Indians; but we saw none. Masses of large sea-weed,[13]
drifting with the tide, floated past the ship. A description of this
remarkable plant, although it has often been given before, may not be
irrelevant here. It is rooted upon rocks or stones at the bottom of the
sea, and rises to the surface, even from great depths. We have found it
firmly fixed to the ground more than twenty fathoms under water, yet
trailing along the surface for forty or fifty feet. When firmly rooted it
shows the set of the tide or current. It has also the advantage of
indicating rocky ground: for wherever there are rocks under water, their
situation is, as it were, buoyed by a mass of sea-weed[14] on the surface
of the sea, of larger extent than that of the danger below. In many
instances perhaps it causes unnecessary alarm, since it often grows in deep
water; but it should not be entered without its vicinity having been
sounded, especially if seen in masses, with the extremities of the stems
trailing along the surface. If there be no tide, or if the wind and tide
are the same way, the plant lies smoothly upon the water, but if the wind
be against the tide, the leaves curl up and are visible at a distance,
giving a rough, rippling appearance to the surface of the water.
During the last two days the dredge had furnished us with a few specimens
of _Infundibulum_ of Sowerby (_Patella trochi-formis_, Lin.), and some dead
shells (_Murex Magellanicus_) were brought up by the sounding-lead.
We made another attempt next morning, but again lost {14} ground, and the
anchor was dropped for the eighth time. The threatening appearances of the
clouds, and a considerable fall of the barometer indicating bad weather,
Captain Stokes agreed with me in thinking it advisable to await the
spring-tides to pass the First Narrow: the ships were therefore made snug
for the expected gale, which soon came on, and we remained several days
wind-bound, with top-masts struck, in a rapid tide-way, whose stream
sometimes ran seven knots. On the 28th, with some appearance of improving
weather, we made an attempt to pass through the Narrow. The wind blowing
strong, directly against us, and strengthening as we advanced, caused a
hollow sea, that repeatedly broke over us. The tide set us through the
Narrow very rapidly, but the gale was so violent that we could not show
more sail than was absolutely necessary to keep the ship under command.
Wearing every ten minutes, as we approached either shore, lost us a great
deal of ground, and as the anchorage we left was at a considerable distance
from the entrance of the Narrows, the tide was not sufficient to carry us
through. At slack water the wind fell, and as the weather became fine, I
was induced to search for anchorage near the south shore. The sight of
kelp, however, fringing the coast, warned me off, and we were obliged to
return to an anchorage in Possession Bay. The Beagle had already anchored
in a very favourable berth; but the tide was too strong to permit us to
reach the place she occupied, and our anchor was dropped a mile astern of
her, in nineteen fathoms. The tide was then running five, and soon
afterwards six miles an hour. Had the western tide set with equal strength,
we should have succeeded in passing the Narrow. Our failure, however,
answered the good purpose of making us more acquainted with the extent of a
bank that lines the northern side of Possession Bay, and with the time of
the turn of tide in the Narrow; which on this day (new moon) took place
within a few minutes of noon.
As we passed Cape Orange, some Indians were observed lighting a fire under
the lee of the hill to attract our notice; but we were too busily engaged
to pay much attention to {15} their movements. Guanacoes also were seen
feeding near the beach, which was the first intimation we had of the
existence of that animal southward of the Strait of Magalhaens.
When day broke (29th) it was discovered that the ship had drifted
considerably during the night. The anchor was weighed, and with a
favourable tide we reached an anchorage a mile in advance of the Beagle. We
had shoaled rather suddenly to eight fathoms, upon which the anchor was
immediately dropped, and on veering cable the depth was eleven fathoms. We
had anchored on the edge of a bank, which soon afterwards, by the tide
falling, was left dry within one hundred yards of the ship. Finding
ourselves so near a shoal, preparations were made to prevent the ship from
touching it. An anchor was dropped under foot, and others were got ready to
lay out, for the depth alongside had decreased from eleven to seven
fathoms, and was still falling. Fortunately we had brought up to leeward of
the bank, and suffered no inconvenience; the flood made, and as soon as
possible the ship was shifted to another position, about half a mile to the
S.E., in a situation very favourable for our next attempt to pass the
Narrow. This night the tide fell thirty-six feet, and the stream ran six
knots.
The ensuing morning we made another attempt to get through the Narrow, and,
from having anchored so close to its entrance, by which the full benefit of
the strength, as well as the whole duration of the tide was obtained, we
succeeded in clearing it in two hours, although the distance was more than
twenty miles, and the wind directly against us, the sea, as before,
breaking repeatedly over the ship.
After emerging from the Narrow we had to pass through a heavy 'race' before
we 'reached' out of the influence of the stream that runs between the First
and Second Narrow, but the tide lasted long enough to carry us to a quiet
anchorage. In the evening we weighed again, and reached Gregory Bay, where
the Beagle joined us the next morning.
Since entering the Strait, we had not had any communication {16} with the
Beagle on account of the weather, and the strength of the tide; this
opportunity was therefore taken to supply her with water, of which she had
only enough left for two days.
The greater part of this day was spent on shore, examining the country and
making observations. Large smokes[15] were noticed to the westward. The
shore was strewed with traces of men and horses, and other animals. Foxes
and ostriches were seen; and bones of guanacoes were lying about the
ground.
The country in the vicinity of this anchorage seemed open, low, and covered
with good pasturage. It extends five or six miles, with a gradual ascent,
to the base of a range of flat-topped land, whose summit is about fifteen
hundred feet above the level of the sea. Not a tree was seen; a few
bushes[16] alone interrupted the uniformity of the view. The grass appeared
to have been cropped by horses or guanacoes, and was much interspersed with
cranberry plants, bearing a ripe and juicy, though very insipid fruit.
Next day the wind was too strong and adverse to permit us to proceed. In
the early part of the morning an American sealing vessel, returning from
the Madre de Dios Archipelago on her way to the Falkland Islands, anchored
near us. Mr. Cutler, her master, came on board the Adventure, passed the
day and night with us, and gave me much useful information respecting the
nature of the navigation, and anchorages in the Strait. He told me there
was an Englishman in his vessel who was a pilot for the strait, and willing
to join the ship. I gladly accepted the offer of his services.
In the evening an Indian was observed on horseback riding to and fro upon
the beach, but the weather prevented my sending a boat until the next
morning, when Lieutenant Cooke went on shore to communicate with him and
other Indians who appeared, soon after dawn, upon the beach. On landing, he
was received by them without the least distrust. They were eight or ten in
number, consisting of an old man and his wife, three young men, and the
rest children, all mounted on {17} good horses. The woman, who appeared to
be about fifty years of age, was seated astride upon a pile of skins, hung
round with joints of fresh guanaco meat and dried horse-flesh. They were
all wrapped in mantles, made chiefly of the skins of guanacoes, sewed
together with the sinews of the same animal. These mantles were large
enough to cover the whole body. Some were made of skins of the 'zorillo,'
or skunk, an animal like a pole-cat, but ten times more offensive; and
others, of skins of the puma.
The tallest of the Indians, excepting the old man, who did not dismount,
was rather less than six feet in height. All were robust in appearance, and
with respect to the head, length of body, and breadth of shoulders, of
gigantic size; therefore, when on horseback, or seated in a boat, they
appeared to be tall, as well as large men. In proportion to the parts
above-mentioned, their extremities were very small and short, so that when
standing they seemed but of a moderate size, and their want of proportion
was concealed by the mantle, which enveloped the body entirely, the head
and feet being the only parts exposed.
When Mr. Cooke landed, he presented some medals[17] to the oldest man, and
the woman; and suspended them round their necks. A friendly feeling being
established, the natives dismounted, and even permitted our men to ride
their horses, without evincing the least displeasure, at the free advantage
taken of their good-nature. Mr. Cooke rode to the heights, whence he had a
distinct view of the Second Narrow, and Elizabeth Island, whither, he
explained to the Indians who accompanied him, we were going.
Mr. Cooke returned to the ship with three natives, whom he had induced to
go with us to Elizabeth Island; the others were to meet them, and provide
us with guanaco meat, to which arrangement the elders of the family had,
after {18} much persuasion, assented. At first they objected to their
companions embarking with us, unless we left hostages for their safety; but
as this was refused, they did not press the point, and the three young men
embarked. They went on board singing; in high glee.
While the ship was getting under way, I went ashore to a larger number of
Indians who were waiting on the beach. When my boat landed they were
mounted, and collected in one place. I was surprised to hear the woman
accost me in Spanish, of which, however, she knew but a few words. Having
presented medals to each of the party, they dismounted (excepting the
elders), and in a few minutes became quite familiar. By this time Captain
Stokes had landed, with several of his officers, who increased our party to
nearly double the number of theirs: notwithstanding which they evinced
neither fear nor uneasiness. The woman, whose name was Maria, wished to be
very communicative; she told me that the man was her husband, and that she
had five children. One of the young men, whom we afterwards found to be a
son of Maria, who was a principal person of the tribe, was mounted upon a
very fine horse, well groomed, and equipped with a bridle and saddle that
would have done credit to a respectable horseman of Buenos Ayres or Monte
Video. The young man wore heavy brass spurs, like those of the Guachos of
Buenos Ayres. The juvenile and feminine appearance of this youth made us
think he was Maria's daughter, nor was it until a subsequent visit that our
mistake was discovered. The absence of whiskers and beard gives all the
younger men a very effeminate look, and many cannot be distinguished, in
appearance, from the women, but by the mode in which they wrap their
mantles around them, and by their hair, which is turned up and confined by
a fillet of worsted yarn. The women cross their mantle over the breast like
a shawl, and fasten it together with two iron pins or skewers, round which
are twisted strings of beads and other ornaments. They also wear their hair
divided, and gathered into long tresses or tails, which hang one before
each ear; and those who have short hair, wear false tails made of
horse-hair. Under {19} their mantle the women wear a sort of petticoat, and
the men a triangular piece of hide instead of breeches. Both sexes sit
astride, but the women upon a heap of skins and mantles, when riding. The
saddles and stirrups used by the men are similar to those of Buenos Ayres.
The bits, also, are generally of steel; but those who cannot procure steel
bits have a sort of snaffle, of wood, which must, of course, be frequently
renewed. Both sexes wear boots, made of the skins of horses' hind legs, of
which the parts about the hock joints serve for the heels. For spurs, they
use pieces of wood, pointed with iron, projecting backwards two or three
inches on each side of the heel, connected behind by a broad strap of hide,
and fastened under the foot and over the instep by another strap.
The only weapons which we observed with these people were the 'bolas,' or
balls, precisely similar to those used by the Pampas Indians; but they are
fitter for hunting than for offence or defence. Some are furnished with
three balls, but in general there are only two. These balls are made of
small bags or purses of hide, moistened, filled with iron pyrites, or some
other heavy substance, and then dried. They are about the size of a hen's
egg, and attached to the extremities of a thong, three or four yards in
length. To use them, one ball is held in the hand, and the other swung
several times around the head until both are thrown at the object, which
they rarely miss. They wind round it violently, and if it be an animal,
throw it down. The bolas, with three balls, similarly connected together,
are thrown in the same manner.
As more time could not be spared we went on board, reminding the natives,
on leaving them, of their promise to bring us some guanaco meat. Aided by
the tide, the ships worked to windward through the Second Narrow, and
reached an anchorage out of the strength of tide, but in an exposed
situation. The wind having been very strong and against the tide, the ship
had much motion, which made our Patagonian passengers very sick, and
heartily sorry for trusting themselves afloat. One of them, with tears in
his eyes, begged to be landed, but was soon convinced of the difficulty of
compliance, {20} and satisfied with our promise of sending him ashore on
the morrow.
After we anchored, the wind increased to a gale, in which the ship pitched
so violently as to injure our windlass. Its construction was bad
originally, and the violent jerks received in Possession Bay had done it
much damage. While veering cable, the support at one end gave way, and the
axle of the barrel was forced out of the socket, by which some of the pawls
were injured. Fortunately, dangerous consequences were prevented, and a
temporary repair was soon applied.
The Beagle, by her better sailing, had reached a more advanced situation,
close to the N.E. end of Elizabeth Island, but had anchored
disadvantageously in deep water, and in the strength of the tide. Next
morning we made an attempt to pass round Elizabeth Island, but found the
breeze so strong that we were forced to return, and were fortunate enough
to find good anchorage northward of the island, out of the tide.
The Patagonians, during the day, showed much uneasiness at being kept on
board so much longer than they expected; but as they seemed to understand
the cause of their detention, and as their sickness ceased when we reached
smooth water, they gradually recovered their good-humour, and became very
communicative. As well as we could understand their pronunciation, their
names were 'Coigh,' 'Coichi,' and 'Aighen.' The country behind Cape Negro
they called 'Chilpeyo;' the land of Tierra del Fuego, 'Osch[=e]rri;'
Elizabeth Island, 'T[)u]rr[)e]tterr;' the island of Santa Magdalena,
'Shr[=e]e-ket-tup;' and Cape Negro, 'O[=e]rkr[)e]ckur.' The Indians of
Tierra del Fuego, with whom they are not on friendly terms, are designated
by them 'S[)a]p[=a]ll[)i][)o]s.' This name was applied to them in a
contemptuous tone.
Aighen's features were remarkably different from those of his companions.
Instead of a flat nose, his was aquiline and prominent, and his countenance
was full of expression. He proved to be good-tempered, and easily pleased;
and whenever a shade of melancholy began to appear, our assurance of {21}
landing him on the morrow restored his good-humour, which was shown by
singing and laughing.
The dimensions of Coichi's head were as follows:--
From the top of the fore part of the head to the eyes 4 inches.
Do do to the tip of the nose 6
Do do to the mouth 7
Do do to the chin 9
Width of the head across the temples 7-1/2
Breadth of the shoulders 18-1/2
The head was long and flat, at the top; the forehead broad and high, but
covered with hair to within an inch and a half of the eyebrow, which had
scarcely any hair. The eyes were small, the nose was short, the mouth wide,
and the lips thick. Neck short, and shoulders very broad. The arms were
short, and wanting in muscle, as were also the thighs and legs. The body
was long and large, and the breast broad and expanded. His height was
nearly six feet.
The next day we rounded Elizabeth Island, and reached Cape Negro, where we
landed the Indians, after making them several useful presents, and sending
some trifles by Aighen to Maria, who, with her tribe, had lighted large
fires about the country behind Peckett's Harbour, to invite us to land. Our
passengers frequently pointed to them, telling us that they were made by
Maria, who had brought plenty of guanaco meat for us.
Our anxiety to reach Port Famine prevented delay, and, as soon as the boat
returned, we proceeded along the coast towards Freshwater Bay, which we
reached early enough in the afternoon to admit of a short visit to the
shore.
From Cape Negro the country assumed a very different character. Instead of
a low coast and open treeless shore, we saw steep hills, covered with lofty
trees, and thick underwood. The distant mountains of Tierra del Fuego,
covered with snow, were visible to the southward, some at a distance of
sixty or seventy miles.
We had now passed all the difficulties of the entrance, and had reached a
quiet and secure anchorage.
{22}
The following day was calm, and so warm, that we thought if Wallis and
Cordova were correct in describing the weather they met with, Duclos Guyot
was equally entitled to credit; and we began to hope we had anticipated
worse weather than we should experience. But this was an unusually fine
day, and many weeks elapsed, afterwards, without its equal. The temperature
of the air, in the shade on the beach, was 67-1/2deg, on the sand
87-1/2deg; and that of the water 55deg. Other observations were made, as
well as a plan of the bay, of which there is a description in the Sailing
Directions.
Here we first noticed the character of the vegetation in the Strait, as so
different from that of Cape Gregory and other parts of the Patagonian
coast, which is mainly attributable to the change of soil; the northern
part being a very poor clay, whilst here a schistose sub-soil is covered by
a mixture of alluvium, deposited by mountain streams; and decomposed
vegetable matter, which, from the thickness of the forests, is in great
quantity.
Two specimens of beech (_Fagus betuloides_ and _antarctica_), the former an
evergreen,--and the winter's bark (_Wintera aromatica_), are the only trees
of large size that we found here; but the underwood is very thick, and
composed of a great variety of plants, of which _Arbutus rigida_, two or
three species of _Berberis_, and a wild currant (_Ribes antarctica_, Bankes
and Solander MSS.), at this time in flower, and forming long clustering
bunches of young fruit, were the most remarkable. The berberis produces a
berry of acidulous taste, that promised to be useful to us. A species of
wild celery, also, which grows abundantly near the sea-shore, was valuable
as an antiscorbutic. The trees in the immediate vicinity of the shore are
small, but the beach was strewed with trunks of large trees, which seemed
to have been drifted there by gales and high tides. A river falls into the
bay, by a very narrow channel, near its south end; but it is small, and so
blocked up by trees as not to be navigable even for the smallest boat:
indeed, it is merely a mountain torrent, varying in size according to the
state of the weather.
{23}
Tracks of foxes were numerous about the beach, and the footsteps of a large
quadruped, probably a puma, were observed. Some teal and wild ducks were
shot; and several geese were seen, but, being very wary, they escaped.
Upon Point St. Mary we noticed, for the first time, three or four huts or
wigwams made by the Fuegian Indians, which had been deserted. They were not
old, and merely required a slight covering of branches or skins to make
them habitable. These wigwams are thus constructed: long slender branches,
pointed at the end, are stuck into the ground in a circular or oval figure;
their extremities are bent over, so as to form a rounded roof, and secured
with ligatures of rush; leaving two apertures, one towards the sea, and the
other towards the woods. The fire is made in the middle, and half fills the
hut with smoke. There were no Indians in the bay when we arrived, but, on
the following evening, Lieutenant Sholl, in walking towards the south end
of the bay, suddenly found himself close to a party which had just arrived
in two canoes from the southward. Approaching them, he found there were
nine individuals--three men, and the remainder women and children. One of
the women was very old, and so infirm as to require to be lifted out of the
canoe and carried to the fire. They seemed to have no weapons of any
consequence; but, from our subsequent knowledge of their habits, and
disposition, the probability is they had spears, bows, and arrows concealed
close at hand. The only implement found amongst them was a sort of hatchet
or knife, made of a crooked piece of wood, with part of an iron hoop tied
to the end. The men were very slightly clothed, having only the back
protected by a seal's skin; but the females wore large guanaco mantles,
like those of the Patagonian Indians, whom our pilot told us they
occasionally met for the purpose of barter. Some of the party were
devouring seal's flesh, and drinking the oil extracted from its blubber,
which they carried in bladders. The meat they were eating was probably part
of a sea lion (_Phoca jubata_); for Mr. Sholl found amongst them a portion
of the neck of one of those animals, which is {24} remarkable for the long
hair, "like a lion's mane," growing upon it. They appeared to be a most
miserable, squalid race, very inferior, in every respect, to the
Patagonians. They did not evince the least uneasiness at Mr. Sholl's
presence, or at our ships being close to them; neither did they interfere
with him, but remained squatting round their fire while he staid near. This
seeming indifference, and total want of curiosity, gave us no favourable
opinion of their character as intellectual beings; indeed, they appeared to
be very little removed from brutes; but our subsequent knowledge of them
has convinced us that they are not usually deficient in intellect. This
party was perhaps stupified by the unusual size of our ships, for the
vessels which frequent this Strait are seldom one hundred tons in burthen.
We proceeded next morning at an early hour. The Indians were already
paddling across the bay in a northerly direction. Upon coming abreast of
them, a thick smoke was perceived to rise suddenly from their canoes; they
had probably fed the fire, which they always carry in the middle of their
canoe, with green boughs and leaves, for the purpose of attracting our
attention, and inviting us to communicate with them.
It was remarked that the country begins to be covered with trees at Cape
Negro; but they are stunted, compared with those at Freshwater Bay. Near
this place, also, the country assumes a more verdant aspect, becoming also
higher, and more varied in appearance. In the neighbourhood of Rocky Point
some conspicuous portions of land were noticed, which, from the regularity
of their shape, and the quantity as well as size of the trees growing at
the edges, bore the appearance of having been once cleared ground; and our
pilot Robinson (possessing a most inventive imagination) informed us that
they were fields, formerly cleared and cultivated by the Spaniards, and
that ruins of buildings had been lately discovered near them. For some time
his story obtained credit, but it proved to be altogether void of
foundation. These apparently cleared tracts were afterwards found to be
occasioned by unusual poverty of soil, and by being overrun with thick {25}
spongy moss, the vivid green colour of which produces, from a distance, an
appearance of most luxuriant pasture land. Sir John Narborough noticed, and
thus describes them: "The wood shows in many places as if there were
plantations: for there were several clear places in the woods, and grass
growing like fenced fields in England, the woods being so even by the sides
of it."[18]
The wind, after leaving Freshwater Bay, increased, with strong squalls from
the S.W., at times blowing so hard as to lay the ship almost on her
broadside. It was, however, so much in our favour, that we reached the
entrance of Port Famine early, and after some little detention from
baffling winds, which always render the approach to that bay somewhat
difficult, the ships anchored in the harbour.
* * * * *
{26}