sound to hear constantly repeated, "keep a good look-out 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 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 westward; 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 dropped our anchor in forty-seven fathoms, fire flashing from the
windlass as the chain rushed round it. How delightful was that still
night, after having been so long involved in the din of the warring
elements!
January 15th, 1833.--The Beagle anchored in Goeree Roads. Captain Fitz
Roy having resolved to settle the Fuegians, according to their wishes,
in Ponsonby Sound, four boats were equipped to carry them there through
the Beagle Channel. This channel, which was discovered by Captain Fitz
Roy during the last voyage, is a most remarkable feature in the
geography of this, or indeed of any other country: it may be compared
to the valley of Lochness in Scotland, with its chain of lakes and
friths. It is about one hundred and twenty miles long, with an average
breadth, not subject to any very great variation, of about two miles;
and is throughout the greater part so perfectly straight, that the
view, bounded on each side by a line of mountains, gradually becomes
indistinct in the long distance. It crosses the southern part of
Tierra del Fuego in an east and west line, and in the middle is joined
at right angles on the south side by an irregular channel, which has
been called Ponsonby Sound. This is the residence of Jemmy Button's
tribe and family.
19th.--Three whale-boats and the yawl, with a party of twenty-eight,
started under the command of Captain Fitz Roy. In the afternoon we
entered the eastern mouth of the channel, and shortly afterwards found
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