31st December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
The sun having at last shown itself at the proper time, observations were obtained & as the weather did not look quite so bad we put to sea.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Tired and impatient at the delay caused by bad weather, we put to sea again the first day there was a hope of not being driven eastward; and during a fortnight we tried hard to work our way towards Christmas Sound. My purpose was to land York Minster and Fuegia Basket among their own people, near March Harbour, and return eastward through the Beagle Channel, landing Jemmy Button also with his tribe, the Tekeenica. Part of Whale-boat Sound and the western arms of the Beagle Channel were to be surveyed: and by this scheme I proposed to combine both objects.

Syms Covington’s Journal:
Sailed from Wigwam Cove. Saw the Island of Diego Ramirez.

30th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
Remained at anchor.

27th, 28th & 29th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
To our great loss, the weather during these three days has been very bad, with much rain & violent squalls from the SW. — Yesterday the Captain went to reconnoitre the bays formed by the many islands at the back of Hermits. — I accompanied him, but the weather is so bleak & raw as to render boating rather disagreeable. — We ascended some of the hills, which as usual showed us the nakedness of the land.

In most of the coves there were wigwams; some of them had been recently inhabited. The wigwam, or Fuegian house, is in shape like a cock of hay, about 4 feet high & circular; it can only be the work of an hour, being merely formed of a few branches & imperfectly thatched with grass, rushes &c. As shell fish, the chief source of subsistence, are soon exhausted in any one place there is a constant necessity for migrating; & hence it comes that these dwellings are so very miserable. It is however evident that the same spot at intervals, is frequented for a succession of years. — the wigwam is generally built on a hillock of shells & bones, a large mass weighing many tuns. — Wild celery, Scurvy grass, & other plants invariably grow on this heap of manure, so that by the brighter green of the vegetation the site of a wigwam is pointed out even at a great distance.

The sea is here tenanted by many curious birds, amongst which the Steamer is remarkable; this [is] a large sort of goose, which is quite unable to fly but uses its wings to flapper along the water; from thus beating the water it takes its name. Here also are many Penguins, which in their habits are like fish, so much of their time do they spend under water, & when on the surface they show little of their bodies excepting the head, — their wings of these are merely covered with short feathers. So that there are three sorts of birds which use their wings for more purposes than flying; the Steamer as paddles, the penguin as fins, & the Ostrich spreads its plumes like sails to the breeze.

26th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
The weather continues unsettled & most exceedingly unpleasant; on the hills snow falls, & in the vallies continued rain & wind. — The Temperature in day-time is about 45° & at night it falls to 38° or 40°; from the continued cloudy state of the atmosphere, the suns rays seldom have much power. — Considering this is the middle of the summer & that the Latitude is nearly the same as Edinburgh, the climate is singularly uncongenial. Even on the fine days, there is a continual succession of rain or hail storms; so that on shore there is not a dry spot.

Christmas Day 1832

Tierra del Fuego
This being Christmas day, all duty is suspended, the seamen look forward to it as a great gala day; & from this reason we remained at anchor. — Wigwam Cove is in Hermit Island; its situation is pointed out by Katers Peak, which a steep conical mountain 1700 feet high which arises by the side of, & overlooks the bay: — Sulivan Hamond & myself started after breakfast to ascend it: — the sides were very steep so [as] to make the climbing very fatiguing, & parts were thick with the Antarctic Beech. From the summit a good geographical idea might be obtained of the surrounding isles & distant main land. — These islands would appear to be the termination of the chain of the Andes; the mountain tops only being raised above the ocean. — Whilst looking round on this inhospitable region we could scarcely credit that man existed in it. — On our return on board, we were told we had been seen from the ship: this we knew to be impossible, as the Beagle is anchored at the mouth of the harbor & close under a lofty peak, behind which is Katers. As it was certain men had been seen crawling over the rock on this hill, they must have been Fuegians. — From their position, all our parties were in view. — & what must have been their feelings of astonishment. — the whole of wigwam cove resounded, with guns fired in the Caverns at the Wild fowl; we three also screaming to find out echos, Sulivan amusing himself by rolling down the precipes huge stones, & I impetuously hammering with my geological tools the rocks. They must have thought us the powers of darkness; or whatever else, fear has kept them concealed. — Wigwam Cove has frequently been visited: it was named by Mr Weddell: The Chanticleer, with Capt. Forster remained here some months; the remains of the tent where he swung the Pendulum exist yet. — The sky looked ominous at sunset & in the middle of the night the hands were turned up to let go another anchor, for it blew a tremendous gale.


Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Notwithstanding violent squalls, and cold damp weather, we kept our Christmas merrily; certainly, not the less so, in consequence of feeling that we were in a secure position, instead of being exposed to the effects of a high sea and heavy gale.

If the modern chart be compared with that issued by the Admiralty a few years ago, published by Faden in 1818, it will be seen that the particular plan of St. Francis Bay, given in Faden's chart, agrees much better with the west side of Nassau Bay than with any other place; and that the "remarkable island, like a castle," noticed in the plan, is evidently "Packsaddle Island," of the modern chart. The rough sketch of land towards the north and east, as far as Cape Horn, on that plan, I take to be the random outline of land seen at a distance by the person who drew the plan, and the name "Cape Horn," affixed to the southernmost land then in sight; which must have been Cape Spencer. But it is now too late to remedy the mistake, which is indeed of no consequence.

At sun-set, there was a reddish appearance all over the sky—clouds shot over the summits of the mountains in ragged detached masses—and there was a lurid haze around, which showed a coming storm as surely as a fall of the barometer. The gale increased, and at midnight such furious squalls came down from the heights, that the water was swept up, and clouds of foam were driven along the sea. Although we were close to a weather shore, with our top-gallant masts down and yards braced sharp up, we hardly thought ourselves in security with three anchors down and plenty of chain cable out.


Syms Covington’s Journal:
… we passed our Christmas and I may say a merry one considering where we were and in a ship. The Captain indulged the ships company in every thing he possibly could, our ship being housed over, we could dance, sing, joke or in a word DO anything to make one another happy, and on deck, although it blew and rained occasionally.

We found wild fowl on the Cape and ON other small islands in its vicinity, and likewise found a sort of grouse. Here are plenty of celery, black currants and berries, the latter in immense numbers, and good eating.

24th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
In the morning of the 24th Cape Horn was on our weather bow. We now saw this notorious point in its proper form, veiled in a mist & its dim outline surrounded by a storm of wind & water. Great black clouds were rolling across the sky & squalls of rain & hail swept by us with very great violence: so that the Captain determined to run into Wigwam cove. This harbour is a quiet little basin behind Cape Spencer & not far from Cape Horn. And here we are in quite smooth water; & the only thing which reminds us of the gale which is blowing outside, is the heavy puffs or Whyllywaws, which every 5 minutes come over the mountains, as if they would blow us out of the water.


Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
On the morning of the 24th, being off Cape Spencer, with threatening weather, a high sea, the barometer low, and great heavy-looking white clouds rising in the south-west, indicative of a gale from that quarter, I determined to seek for an anchorage, and stood into (the so-called) St. Francis Bay. In passing Cape Spencer we were assailed by such a furious hail-squall, that for many minutes it was quite impossible to look to windward, or even to see what was a-head of us. We could not venture to wear round, or even heave to, for fear of getting so far to leeward as to lose our chance of obtaining an anchorage; however, we stood on at hazard, and the squall passed away soon enough to admit of our anchoring in seventeen-fathoms water, quite close to a steep promontory at the south side of St. Martin Cove.

After being for some time accustomed to the low barren shores and shallow harbours of the Pampa and Patagonian coasts, our position almost under this black precipice was singularly striking. The decided contrast of abrupt, high, and woody mountains, rising from deep water, had been much remarked in Good Success Bay; but here it was so great that I could hardly persuade myself that the ship was in security—sufficiently far from the cliff.


Syms Covington’s Journal:
December 24th, moored ship in Wigwam Cove, from whence we had a beautiful view of the cape which is within ten miles of the Cove. There were frequent squalls, AND heavy puffs of the wind to appearance like a fog coming down from the mountains, called by sailors, williwaws.

23rd December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
With close-reefed sail the Beagle made good weather of it; & much to her credit fell nothing to leeward.

22nd December 1832

[Cape Horn]
Tierra del Fuego
In the morning watch it freshened into a fine Easterly wind, which is about as lucky & rare an event as getting a prize ticket in a lottery. We soon closed in with the Barnevelts; & running past Cape Deceit with its stony peaks, about 3 oclock doubled the old-weather-beaten Cape Horn. The evening was calm & bright & we enjoyed a fine view of the surrounding isles. The height of the hills varies from 7 or 800 to 1700, & together they form a grand irregular chain. Cape Horn however demanded his tribute & by night sent us a gale right in our teeth.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
On the 22d we saw Cape Horn, and being favoured with northerly winds, passed close to the southward of it before three o'clock. The wind then shifted to north-west, and began to blow strong. Squalls came over the heights of Hermite Island, and a very violent one, with thick weather, decided my standing out to sea for the night under close-reefed topsails. The weather continued bad and very cold during that night and next day.

Syms Covington’s Journal:

Weathered Cape Horn the 22nd with a pleasant breeze, AND with studding sails set, a thing but rarely done. WE HAD A very fine view of the Cape and adjacent islands. Hermit Islands or the Cape is a small bare island, its top HAVING the appearance of a saddle.

By our having a gentle breeze, we sailed very close to the Rock and from thence stood away; but this breeze, in the first watch, turned to one of a very different nature viz. that of blowing a heavy gale, which obliged us to take in the studding sails etc., and close reefed our main topsail. It is well known that the weather HERE is very precarious, which obliges every one to be on the alert.

21st December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
The Beagle got under weigh at 4 am, and doubtless to the grief of the Fuegians. The same evening we were with them they departed in a body, but yesterday they returned with a reinforcement of natives who most likely came to beg for "Cochillas". We doubled Cape Good Success, then the wind fell light & it became misty. So calm a sea & atmosphere would have surprised those who think that this is the region where winds & waters never cease fighting.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Sailed from Good Success Bay.

Syms Covington’s Journal:
Left Good Success Bay December 21st.

20th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
I was very anxious to ascend some of the mountains in order to collect the Alpine plants & insects. — The one which I partly ascended yesterday was the nearest, & Capt. FitzRoy thinks it is certainly the one which Mr Banks ascended, although it cost him the lives of two of his men & very nearly that of Dr Solander. — I determined to follow a branch of the watercourse, as by this means all danger of losing yourself even in the case of a snow storm is removed. — The difficulty of climbing was very great: as the dead & living trunks were so close, that in many places it was necessary to push them down to make a path. — I then gained a clearer place & continued following the rivulet. — This at last dwindled away, but having climbed a tree I took the bearing of the summit of the hill with a compass & so steered a straight course. — I had imagined the higher I got, the more easy the ascent would be, the case however was reversed. From the effects of the wind, the trees were not above 8 or 10 feet high, but with thick & very crooked stems; I was obliged often to crawl on my knees. At length I reached what I imagined to be green turf; but was again disappointed by finding a compact mass of little beech trees about 4 or 5 feet high. — These were as thick as Box in the border of a flower garden. — For many yards together my feet never touched the ground.

I hailed with joy the rocks covered with Lichens & soon was at the very summit. — The view was very fine, expecially of Staten Land & the neighbouring hills; Good Success Bay with the little Beagle were close beneath me. In ascending the bare summit, I came close to two Guanaco & in the course of my walk saw several more. — These beautiful animals are truly alpine in their habits, & in their wildness well become the surrounding landscape. — I cannot imagine anything more graceful than their action: they start on a canter & when passing through rough ground they dash at it like a thorough bred hunter. — The noise they make is very peculiar & somewhat resembles the neighing of a colt. — A ridge connected this hill with one several miles distant & much more lofty, even so that snow was lying on it; as the day was not far advanced I determined to walk there & collect on the road. — Some time after I left this hill (Banks Hill, Capt: FitzR) a party of 6 from the ship reached it, but by a more difficult path; but in descending they found an easier. — After 2 hours & a half walking I was on the top of the distant peak, — it was the highest in the immediate neighbourhead & the waters on each side flowed into different seas. — The view was superb, & well was I repaid for the fatigue. — I could see the whole neck of land which forms the East of Strait Le Maire. — From Cape St Diego as far as the eye could reach up the NW coast; & what interested me most, was the whole interior country between the two seas. — The Southern was mountainous & thickly wooded; the Northern appeared to be a flat swamp & at the extreme NW part there was an expanse of water, but this will be hereafter examined. It looked dirty in the SW & I was afraid to stay long to enjoy this view over so wild & so unfrequented a country.

When Sir J. Banks ascended one of these mountains it was the middle of January which corresponds to our August & is certainly as hot as this month, & even with the occurrence of a snow-storm the misfortunes they met with are inexplicable. The snow was lying on the ESE side of the hills, & the wind was keen, — but on the lee side the air was dry & pleasant. Between the stony ridges & the woods there is a band of peat bogs & over this the greater part of my track lay. — but nearly all the difficulty was avoided by following a regular path which the Guanacos frequent; by following this I reached in much shorter time the forest & began the most laborious descent through its entangled thickets. — I collected several alpine flowers, some of which were the most diminutive I ever saw; & altogether most throughily enjoyed the walk.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Soon after day-light this morning, some very large guanacoes were seen near the top of Banks Hill. They walked slowly and heavily, and their tails hung down to their hocks. To me their size seemed double that of the guanacoes about Port Desire. Mr. Darwin and a party set off to ascend the heights, anxious to get a shot at the guanacoes and obtain an extended view, besides making observations. They reached the summit, and saw several large animals, whose long woolly coats and tails added to their real bulk, and gave them an appearance quite distinct from that of the Patagonian animal; but they could not succeed in shooting one.

19th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
I determined to attempt to penetrate some way into the country. — There is no level ground & all the hills are so thickly clothed with wood as to be quite impassable. — The trees are so close together & send off their branches so low down, that I found extreme difficulty in pushing my way even for gun-shot distance. — I followed therefore the course of a mountain torrent; at first from the cascades & dead trees, I hardly managed to crawl along; but shortly the open course became wider, the floods having keeping clear the borders. — For an hour I continued to follow the stream, & was well repaid by the grandeur of the scene. — The gloomy depth of the ravine well accorded with the universal signs of violence. — in every direction were irregular masses of rock & uptorn trees, others decayed & others ready to fall. — To have made the scene perfect, there ought to have been a group of Banditti, — in place of it, a seaman (who accompanied me) & myself, being armed & roughly dressed, were in tolerable unison with the surrounding savage Magnificence. We continued ascending till we came to what I suppose must have been the course of a water-spout, & by its course reached a considerable elevation. — The view was imposing but not very picturesque: the whole wood is composed of the antarctic Beech (the Winters bark & the Birch are comparatively rare). This is tree is an evergreen, but the tint of the foliage is brownish yellow: Hence the whole lanscape has a monotomous sombre appearance; neither is it often enlivened by the rays of the sun. — At this highest point the wood is not quite so thick — but the trees, though not high are of considerable thickness. — Their curved & bent trunks are coated with lichens, as their roots are with moss; in fact the whole bottom is a swamp, where nothing grows except rushes & various sorts of moss. — the number of decaying & fallen trees reminded me of the Tropical forest. — But in this still solitude, death instead of life is the predominant spirit. — The delight which I experienced, whilst thus looking around, was increased by the knowledge that this part of the forest had never before been traversed by man.

Syms Covington’s Journal:
Near the summit of the mountains, there are very thick, low bushes, and patches of moss where you sink ankle deep -- which makes walking very laborious. On the tops of the mountains AT places where the snow has melted, you find rocks of a slaty and crumbling nature. Here, sometimes the wind blows with fierceness, which obliged US to return down to the woods, for without exaggeration we could scarcely breathe. On the mountain heights one finds plenty of guanacos, which are very shy. Their flesh is very good eating but dry. Both on the high and low woods there are great many birds of different species and by the sea, there ARE plenty of geese, ducks, and seals. Here, two of Captain Cook's men died of the cold. WE went up to the same mountains the same day in the month as they.

Here you find the savage in plenty. Picture to yourself a canoe along side of a ship; with two or three men with as many women and a child, perhaps two, all absolutely naked. Sometimes a woman or a man may have a sealskin or a part of one over his shoulders, and the woman, with a bit of skin tied around the waist. All squatted down on their hams, with a handful of fire in the bottom of the canoe with a few small fishes, with their faces and bodies painted or marked with red and white chalk in various ways, with necklaces made of trade party shells worn round the necks and wrists of the women, with their stiff black hair standing on end, and most likely shivering with the cold. THEY HAVE several spears made from the bones of the seal, with a staff from twelve to fifteen feet long well made, the whole cut with sharp stones, two or three fishing lines made from the gut of the seal with a knot to the end for the fish to swallow, and small buckets made from the rush (or plaited), one of which contains a fire stone and a sort of dry moss to kindle a fire when wanted. One or two stand up occasionally, making signs and continually using the word, "Yammarschooner," which is supposed to be " give me," as they hold their hands out at the same time.

These poor wretches are equally miserable ashore, as they have only a wigwam or small hut made with the branches of trees about four feet high rounded upon top and a hole just large enough to creep in, with a fire inside where they sit down and broil their fish, seals and limpets. This miserable hut forms but a poor barrier against the inclemency of the weather, but as they are wandering tribes and used to no comfort, those temporary huts, serve them equally as well as our houses do us. Those Indians like all others are often at war with each other; their defensive weapons are the spear, the bow and arrow, club, and stones. A tribe called the Bowans use the bow and arrow more than the others.

Buttons or a bit of looking glass or any thing that shines pleases them plenty; Red and yellow cloth or flannel likewise.

18th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego (Good Success Bay)
The Captain sent a boat with a large party of officers to communicate with the Fuegians. As soon as the boat came within hail, one, of the four men who advanced to receive us, began to shout most vehemently, & at the same time pointed out a good landing place. — The women & children had all disappeared. — When we landed the party looked rather alarmed, but continued talking & making gestures with great rapidity. — It was without exception the most curious & interesting spectacle I ever beheld. — I would not have believed how entire the difference between savage & civilized man is. — It is greater than between a wild & domesticated animal, in as much as in man there is greater power of improvement. — The chief spokesman was old & appeared to be head of the family; the three others were young powerful men & about 6 feet high. — From their dress &c &c they resembled the representations of Devils on the Stage, for instance in Der Frieschutz. — The old man what had a white feather cap; from under which, black long hair hung round his face. — The skin is dirty copper colour. Reaching from ear to ear & including the upper lip, there was a broard red coloured band of paint. — & parallel to & above this, there was a white one; so that the eyebrows & eyelids were even thus coloured; the only garment was a large guanaco skin, with the hair outside. — This was merely thrown over their shoulders, one arm & leg being bare; for any exercise they must be absolutely naked. — Their very attitudes were abject, & the expression distrustful, surprised & startled: — Having given them some red cloth, which they immediately placed round their necks, we became good friends. — This was shown by the old man patting our breasts & making something like the same noise which people do when feeding chickens. — I walked with the old man & this demonstration was repeated between us several times: at last he gave me three hard slaps on the breast & back at the same time, & making most curious noises. — He then bared his bosom for me to return the compliment, which being done, he seemed highly pleased: — Their language does not deserve to be called articulate: Capt. Cook says it is like a man clearing his throat; to which may be added another very hoarse man trying to shout & a third encouraging a horse with that peculiar noise which is made in one side of the mouth. — Imagine these sounds & a few gutterals mingled with them, & there will be as near an approximation to their language as any European may expect to obtain. — Their chief anxiety was obtain knives; this they showed by pretending to have blubber in their mouths, & cutting instead of tearing it from the body, — they called them in a continued plaintive tone Cochilla, — probably a corruption from a Spanish word. — They are excellent mimics, if you cough or yawn or make any odd motion they immediately imitate you. — Some of the officers began to squint & make monkey like faces; — but one of the young men, whose face was painted black with white band over his eyes was most successful in making still more hideous grimaces. — When a song was struck up, I thought they would have fallen down with astonishment; & with equal delight they viewed our dancing and immediately began themselves to waltz with one of the officers. — They knew what guns were & much dreaded them, & nothing would tempt them to take one in their hands. — Jemmy Button came in the boat with us; it was interesting to watch their conduct to him. — They immediately perceived the difference & held much conversation between themselves on the subject. — The old man then began a long harangue to Jemmy; who said it was inviting him to stay with them: — but the language is rather different & Jemmy could not talk to them. — If their dress & appearance is miserable, their manner of living is still more so. — Their food chiefly consists in limpets & muscles, together with seals & a few birds; they must also catch occasionally a Guanaco. They seem to have no property excepting bows & arrows & spears: their present residence is under a few bushes by a ledge of rock: it is no ways sufficient to keep out rain or wind. — & now in the middle of summer it daily rains & as yet each day there has been some sleet. — The almost impenetrable wood reaches down to high water mark, — so that the habitable land is literally reduced to the large stones on the beach. — & here at low water, whether it may be night or day, these wretched looking beings pick up a livelihood. — I believe if the world was searched, no lower grade of man could be found. — The Southsea Islanders are civilized compared to them, & the Esquimaux, in subterranean huts may enjoy some of the comforts of life.

After dinner the Captain paid the Fuegians another visit. — They received us with less distrust & brought with them their timid children. — They noticed York Minster (who accompanied us) in the same manner as Jemmy, & told him he ought to shave, & yet he has not 20 hairs in his face, whilst we all wear our untrimmed beards. — They examined the color of his skin; & having done so, they looked at ours. — An arm being bared, they expressed the liveliest surprise & admiration. — Their whole conduct was such an odd mixture of astonishment & imitation, that nothing could be more laughable & interesting. — The tallest man was pleased with being examined & compared with a tall sea-man, in doing this he tried his best to get on rather higher ground & to stand on tip-toes: He opened his mouth to show his teeth & turned his face en profil; for the rest of his days doubtless he will be the beau ideal of his tribe. — Two or three of the officers, who are both fairer & shorter than the others (although possessed of large beards) were, we think, taken for Ladies. — I wish, they would follow our supposed example & produce their "squaws". — In the evening we parted very good friends; which I think was fortunate, for the dancing & "sky-larking" had occassionally bordered on a trial of strength.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
18th. Mr. Darwin, Mr. Hamond (ship’s Mate) and others, went with me to the natives who had so vociferously greeted our arrival; and deeply indeed was I interested by witnessing the effect caused in their minds by this first meeting with man in such a totally savage state.
There were five or six stout men, half-clothed in guanaco-skins, almost like the Patagonians in aspect and stature, being near six feet high, and confident in demeanour. They scarcely bore resemblance to the Fuegians, except in colour and class of features. I can never forget Mr. Hamond's earnest expression, "What a pity such fine fellows should be left in such a barbarous state!" It told me that a desire to benefit these ignorant, though by no means contemptible human beings, was a natural emotion, and not the effect of individual caprice or erroneous enthusiasm; and that his feelings were exactly in unison with those I had experienced on former occasions, which had led to my undertaking the heavy charge of those Fuegians whom I brought to England.
.
Disagreeable, indeed painful, as is even the mental contemplation of a savage, and unwilling as we may be to consider ourselves even remotely descended from human beings in such a state, the reflection that Cæsar found the Britons painted and clothed in skins, like these Fuegians, cannot fail to augment an interest excited by their childish ignorance of matters familiar to civilized man, and by their healthy, independent state of existence. One of these men was just six feet high, and stout in proportion; the others were rather shorter: their legs were straight and well formed, not cramped and misshapen, like those of the natives who go about in canoes; and their bodies were rounded and smooth. They expressed satisfaction or good-will by rubbing or patting their own, and then our bodies; and were highly pleased by the antics of a man belonging to the boat's crew, who danced well and was a good mimic. One of the Fuegians was so like York Minster, that he might well have passed for his brother. He asked eagerly for "cuchillo." About his eyes were circles of white paint, and his upper lip was daubed with red ochre and oil. Another man was rubbed over with black. They were (apparently) very good-humoured, talked and played with the younger ones of our party, danced, stood up back to back with our tallest men to compare heights, and began to try their strength in wrestling—but this I stopped. It was amusing and interesting to see their meeting with York and Jemmy, who would not acknowledge them as countrymen, but laughed at and mocked them. It was evident that both of our Fuegians understood much of the language in which the others talked; but they would not try to interpret, alleging that they did not know enough. York betrayed this by bursting into an immoderate fit of laughter at something the oldest man told him, which he could not resist telling us was, that the old man said he was dirty, and ought to pull out his beard. Now, if their language differed much from that of York Minster, or was indeed other than a dialect of the same original, it is not probable that York could have understood the old man's meaning so readily when he spoke quietly, without signs.

Richard Matthews (Missionary) was with us, but did not appear to be at all discouraged by a close inspection of these natives. He remarked to me, that "they were no worse than he had supposed them to be."

17th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego (Good Success Bay)
The Ship rolled so much during the night from the exposed anchorage, that there was no comfort to be obtained. — At daylight which is about 3 oclock we got under weigh & with a fair breeze stood down the coast. At Port St Policarpo, the features of the country are changed. — high hills clothed in brownish woods take the place of the horizontal formations. — A little after noon we doubled C. St. Diego & entered the famous Straits Le Maire. — We had a strong wind with the tide; but even thus favoured it was easy to perceive how great a sea would rise were the two powers opposed to each other. — The motion from such a sea is very disagreeable; it is called "pot-boiling", & as water boiling breaks irregularly over the ships sides. — We kept close to the Fuegian shore; the outline of the rugged inhospitable Staten Land was visible amidst the clouds. — In the afternoon we anchored in the bay of Good Success, here we intend staying some days. — In doubling the Northern entrance, a party of Fuegians were watching us, they were perched on a wild peak overhanging the sea & surrounded by wood. — As we passed by they all sprang up & waving their cloaks of skins sent forth a loud sonorous shout, — this they continued for a long time. — These people followed the ship up the harbor & just before dark, we again heard their cry & soon saw their fire at the entrance of the Wigwam which they built for the night. — After dinner the Captain went on shore to look for a watering place; the little I then saw showed how different this country is from the corresponding zone in the Northern Hemisphere. — To me it is delightful being at anchor in so wild a country as Tierra del F.; the very name of the harbor we are now in, recalls the idea of a voyage of discovery; more especially as it is memorable from being the first place Capt. Cook anchored in on this coast; & from the accidents which happened to Mr Banks & Dr Solander. — The harbor of Good Success is a fine piece of water & surrounded on all sides by low mountains of slate. — These are of the usual rounded or saddle-backed shape, such as occur in the less wild parts of N: Wales. — They differ remarkably from the latter in being clothed by a very thick wood of evergreens almost to the summit. The last time Cap. FitzRoy was here it was in winter; he says the landscape was of the same brownish green tint & but little more snow on the hills. — The Barometer had been very low & this evening it suddenly rose 3/10 of an inch, & now at night it is blowing a gale of wind & rain & heavy squalls sweep down upon us from the mountains.

Those who know the comfortable feeling of hearing the rain & wind beating against the windows whilst seated round a fire, will understand our feelings: it would have been a very bad night out at sea, & we as well as others may call this Good Success Bay.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
At noon, very high breakers were reported by the mast-head man, off Cape San Diego; at that time the flood-tide was setting strongly against a northerly wind and high swell; but when the tide was slack, at one, the breakers disappeared; and when we passed close to the cape, at two, the water was comparatively smooth.

There is a ledge extending from Cape San Diego, over which the flood-tide, coming from the southward, sometimes breaks with such violence, that a small vessel might be swamped by the 'bore' which it occasions.

As we sailed into Good Success Bay, a Fuegian yell echoed among the woody heights, and shout after shout succeeded from a party of natives, posted on a projecting woody eminence, at the north head of the bay, who were seen waving skins, and beckoning to us with extreme eagerness. Finding that we did not notice them, they lighted a fire, which instantly sent up a volume of thick white smoke. I have often been astonished at the rapidity with which the Fuegians produce this effect (meant by them as a signal) in their wet climate, where I have been, at times, more than two hours attempting to kindle a fire.

Scarcely was our ship secured, when the wind shifted to south-west, and blew strongly, bringing much rain with it; and we had indeed reason to rejoice at having attained so secure an anchorage. During the night, heavy squalls (williwaws) disturbed our rest very often, but did no injury, the water being quite smooth.

Syms Covington’s Journal:
Moored ship December 17th in deep water AT Good Success Bay, Tierra Del Fuego. The island, or Islands, and Staten Land form the Strait le Miare. HERE IT IS daylight until 10 o'clock at night, REMAINING twilight UNTIL daybreak at 2.30 o'clock. These Islands are completely forested mountains, their tops capt with snow which remains the whole year round.

[Syms Covington (1816?-1861), ‘Fiddler and boy to the poop cabin’on Beagle's voyage, he became Darwin's personal servant from 22 May 1833 until 25 February 1839]

16th December 1832

Tierra del Fuego
We made the coast of Tierra del Fuego a little to the South of Cape St. Sebastian & then altering our course ran along, a few miles from the shore. The Beagle had never visited this part before; so that it was new to every body. Our ignorance whether any natives lived here, was soon cleared up by the usual signal of a smoke, & shortly by the aid of glasses we could see a group & some scattered Indians evidently watching the ship with interest. They must have lighted the fires immediately upon observing the vessel, but whether for the purpose of communicating the news or attracting our attention, we do not know. The breeze was fresh & we ran down about 50 miles of coast & anchored for the night. The country is not high, but formed of horizontal strata of some modern rock, which in most places forms abrupt cliffs facing the sea. It is also intersected by many sloping valleys, these are covered with turf & scattered over with thickets & trees, so as to present a cheerful appearance. The sky was gloomy & the atmosphere not clear, otherwise the views would in some places have been pretty. At a great distance to the South was a chain of lofty mountains, the summits of which glittered with snow. We are at anchor to the South of St. Pauls head.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
We closed the shore about Cape Sunday, ran along it past Cape Peñas, and anchored off Santa Inez.

A group of Indians was collected near Cape Peñas, who watched our motions attentively. They were too far off for us to make out more than that they were tall men, on foot, nearly naked, and accompanied by several large dogs. To those who had never seen man in his savage state — one of the most painfully interesting sights to his civilized brother — even this distant glimpse of the aborigines was deeply engaging; but York Minster and Jemmy Button asked me to fire at them, saying that they were "Oens-men—very bad men."

Our Fuegian companions seemed to be much elated at the certainty of being so near their own country; and the boy was never tired of telling us how excellent his land was — how glad his friends would be to see him — and how well they would treat us in return for our kindness to him.

We remained but a few hours at anchor under Cape Santa Inez, for so heavy a swell set in, directly towards the shore, caused probably by a northerly gale at a distance, that our situation was dangerous as well as disagreeable. Our only chance of saving the anchor and chain was by weighing immediately; yet if we did so, there would be a risk of drifting ashore: however, we did weigh, and drifted some distance, rolling our nettings in; but a breeze sprung up, freshened rapidly, and soon carried us out of danger. This happened at three in the morning, so my hopes of observations and angles were frustrated, and I had no choice but to run for the strait of Le Maire.

15th December 1832

[Landfall south of the Straits of Megellan]
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Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
Very foggy. Every thing conspires to make our passage long. This evening the low land South of the Sts of Magellan was just visible from the deck.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
On the 15th, we saw the land off Tierra del Fuego, near Cape San Sebastian.

14th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
Light variable wind, generally against us.

13th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
In the evening the wind veered round & became fair: we are however some leagues further North than we were two days ago — so much for those unlucky South Westers.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Icebergs have been seen in latitude 40° S., and near the longitude of 50° W.; perhaps they are sometimes carried nearer the coast, in which case they would ground, and melt away. I suspect that some of the rocks, so often, yet so fruitlessly, sought for—and instead of which many persons have supposed dead whales, wrecks, or large trees, were seen—may have been icebergs, against and upon which sea-weed, drift-wood, or other substances, may have lodged temporarily, causing a rock-like appearance. In this way, perhaps, arose the report of a rock said to have been seen by Lieutenant Burdwood; of the Aigle and Ariel rocks — and even of those islets sought for ineffectually by Weddell, a few degrees eastward of the Falkland Islands.

In the first volume some notice was taken of the supposed Ariel Rocks, and I will avail myself of this opportunity to say that at various times the Beagle passed over and near their asserted position; and that she likewise searched for the reported Aigle shoal or rock, without ever finding the slightest indication of either.

12th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
It continued to blow fresh & in the middle of the day suddenly freshened into the heaviest squall I have ever seen. Luckily it gave us good notice, so that every thing was furled & the ship put before the wind; it is always interesting to watch the progress of a squall; the black cloud with its rising arch which gives passage to the wind; then the line of white breakers, which steadily approaches till the ship heels over & the squall is heard whistling through the rigging. The climate during the few last days has undergone a complete change. The Temp. varies from 45° to 50°, & the air has the bracing feel of an English winter day: But the most curious thing is to see the hammocks piped down at 1/2 after seven & the sun some way above the horizon. It is a spectacle, we have not beheld for the last 15 months.


Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
We passed through a space of sea, many miles in extent, where the water was of a very much lighter colour than usual; not of a light-green or muddy hue, such as one sees near land, but of a milky white tint. Being in soundings, one naturally attributed such a change of colour to some peculiarity in the ground; but I have since thought differently, and am now inclined to believe that the light-coloured water came from a distance, in one of those great, though slow-moving currents, which sweep past the Falkland Islands, and thence northwards: but to what cause its unusual whiteness is to be attributed, I know not. The dissolution of a huge iceberg, or of many icebergs, might alter the colour, and certainly would change the temperature of a considerable body of water; but in this case, a thermometer immersed in the sea did not indicate a degree lower than that of the previous or following day. During the three days, our soundings varied only from fifty to sixty fathoms. The lead certainly brought up fine grey sand while the water was light-coloured, and dark sand at other times; but I can hardly think that so decided a change—different from any I noticed elsewhere—could have been caused in fifty fathoms water by so small an alteration in the quality of the bottom.

11th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
The Barometer had given good warning of a change of weather: it is the anniversary of our first attempt to get out of the English channel, & as on that day we were met by a heavy breeze from the SW. With me, the association was perfect though not very satisfactory, between the two days: my stomach plainly declared it was of terrestrial origin & did not like the sea.
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Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Our next object was to visit Tierra del Fuego, examine some portions of that country—yet unexplored—and restore the Fuegians to their native places; but in our passage, strong southerly winds, severe squalls, and cold weather, though it was near midsummer in that hemisphere, caused delay and discomfort, as they must always in a small and deeply-laden vessel, where little can be done except in fine weather.

10th December 1832


Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
A strong breeze; At noon we were a little to the South of Port Desire.

Note: Port Desire is modern Puerto Deseado on the map.

9th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
From the high irregular swell, there must have been bad weather to the South, so that we are lucky in escaping it.

7th & 8th December 1832

Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
Fine, light weather.

5th & 6th December 1832


Bay of San Blas to Tierra del Fuego
During these two delightful days we have been gliding onwards; but at a very slow pace.
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I have been employed in examining some small Crustacea; most of which are not only of new genera, but very extraordinary ones.

4th December 1832

Montevideo to the Bay of San Blas
We ran down alongside the Schooners; & all the necessary business between them & the Beagle was carried on with the greatest activity. The morning passed away most merrily in hearing & relating everything which has happened since we parted. The coast, however, on which the Schooners have been employed seems to be even more uninteresting than that of Bahia Blanca.

The instructions for the next three months are as follows: Mr Wickham, after cauking La Lievrè at R. Negro, runs up B. Blanca; returns immediately & joins Mr Stokes, who will be employed in this neighbourhood. They then in company sail for Port Desire; & from that point, these little vessels will survey the coast up to Rio Negro. The Beagle will meet them there in March; which month being very boisterous, our whole fleet intend lying snug in the river. All the Officers dined together in the Gun-room; soon after which the Beagle made sail. We are now with a rattling breeze & a bright moon scudding for Nassau Bay, behind Cape Horn.

Syms Covington’s Journal:
We anchored off the Bay of San Blas, December 3rd. Sailed the next morning, and also parted with the two small schooners that WERE engaged at Bahía Blanca to survey about the coast of Patagonia until our return at the same place.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
... they came out and anchored close to us, in order to receive stores and various supplies which we had brought for them from Buenos Ayres and Monte Video. I was a little uneasy when I saw that the pilot of the Liebre, Mr. Roberts, was one of the largest of men, and that his little vessel looked, by comparison, no bigger than a coffin; but Mr. Wickham allayed my doubts by assuring me that his moveable weight answered admirably in trimming the craft; and that, when she got a-ground, Mr. Roberts stepped overboard, and heaved her afloat. "Certainly," said Mr. Wickham, "he did harm on one day, by going up to look-out, and breaking the mast."

In the afternoon of this day (4th) we weighed anchor and parted company from the Paz and Liebre. They returned to San Blas, and the Beagle steered southward. Secure and capacious as is the port just mentioned, it is one of the most difficult and dangerous to enter on this coast. The best, indeed only approach to it, is called by those sealers and sea-elephant fishers who have hitherto frequented it,—'Hell-gate.'

At about four the weather was very hot, the sky cloudless, and varying flaws of wind drove quantities of gossamer, and numbers of insects off from the land. The horizon was strangely distorted by refraction, and I anticipated some violent change. Suddenly myriads of white butterflies surrounded the ship, in such multitudes, that the men exclaimed, "it is snowing butterflies." They were driven before a gust from the north-west, which soon increased to a double-reefed topsail breeze, and were as numerous as flakes of snow in the thickest shower. The space they occupied could not have been less than two hundred yards in height, a mile in width, and several miles in length.

3rd December 1832

Montevideo to the Bay of San Blas
We anchored at night not far from the entrance of St Blas. Within a few miles the two Schooners were at anchor. Mr Wickham came on board & reports all well in the vessels. They had a fine passage from Bahia Blanca; but during the month they have been surveying these coasts, there has been much dirty weather; & a little wind soon raises a great sea. The report of the Bay of San Blas is so bad, that I suppose we shall not enter it.

Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Soon after daylight we saw the very low islands, just to the northward of San Blas. I wished to have made Point Rubia, but was set twenty miles northward, during the night, by the flood tide. We stood directly towards the shore, but when eight miles from it found a wide breadth of discoloured water, and the depth shoaled suddenly from ten to three fathoms in a few casts of the lead. Hauling off, we steered southward, with the ebb tide. There was no ripple on the banks, but the water was quite yellow, and at the time we altered our course, in consequence of such shallow water, the nearest land was, at least, eight miles distant.

While tracing the outer edge of this bank we descried our cock-boats coming out to meet us, and soon afterwards Mr. Wickham came on board. He gave us gratifying news with little drawback; but had he been half-roasted his own appearance could hardly have been more changed. Notwithstanding the protection of a huge beard, every part of his face was so scorched and blistered by the sun that he could hardly speak, much less join in the irresistible laugh at his own expense. His companions were similarly sun-burned, though not to such a degree. They had been much occupied in sounding extensive banks and harbours, under a hot sun, and while a fresh wind kept them constantly wet with spray. But this inconvenience was trifling; one of more importance was excessive sea-sickness, in consequence of the short and violent movements of such small craft under sail among the tide-races and eddies so numerous on that coast.

In other respects all had prospered so well, that I determined to give Mr. Wickham fresh orders, enlarging considerably his share of surveying operations. He was desired to continue exploring the coast, even as far as Port Desire, until the Beagle's return from her visit to Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands.
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As the weather promised well, an anchor was dropped where we were, outside the banks, but the schooners sought shelter in the harbour of San Blas.

2nd December 1832

Montevideo to the Bay of San Blas
A cloudy day with a strong breeze.

1st December 1832

Montevideo to the Bay of San Blas
In the evening the weather looked threatening; & during the first watch there was a strong breeze, it died away in a baffling calm; which the sailors call the "Doldrums".