Montevideo to the Bay of San Blas
Beautiful days, calm sea, & a fine breeze; what can the heart of man desire more?
Beautiful days, calm sea, & a fine breeze; what can the heart of man desire more?
28th November 1832
La Plata
A beautiful day; but fair wind of yesterday is now foul. We sail direct for the bay St. Blas, where we appointed to meet the Schooners by the 20th of this month. After meeting them we push directly onwards to Terra del Fuego, so that we may not loose any more of these precious long days. I thank our good fortune that the Mount is at last out of sight; & I sincerely trust we may not see its outline for several months to come.
A beautiful day; but fair wind of yesterday is now foul. We sail direct for the bay St. Blas, where we appointed to meet the Schooners by the 20th of this month. After meeting them we push directly onwards to Terra del Fuego, so that we may not loose any more of these precious long days. I thank our good fortune that the Mount is at last out of sight; & I sincerely trust we may not see its outline for several months to come.
27th November 1832
Montevideo The morning was dirty, but the afternoon was fair & we ran up the river about 30 miles in order to pump in fresh water. Anchored off the cliffs, called Santa Maria.
Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
Our arrangements and observations being satisfactorily completed, a sufficient quantity of provision on board to last eight months, at full allowance, and an extra supply of iron and coals for the forge, in case of any serious accident, the Beagle sailed from Monte Video; and, after filling water near Cape Jesu Maria,† hastened to look after her little assistants, left near Bahia Blanco.
In this trip we benefitted by the assistance of Mr. Robert N. Hamond, an early and much esteemed friend of mine, who was lent to the Beagle from H.M.S. Druid, of which he was then a mate.
† Above Monte Video, on the north shore.
26th November 1832
Montevideo The ship got under weigh at noon, but we anchored at night without leaving M: Video. The occasion of this delay caused a painful scene on board. During the morning the heat on shore was excessive, & far more intolerable than that of the Tropics. I fully felt the truth of what Mr Daniell has ascertained to be the fact; namely that the difference between the heat of the suns rays & temperature of the atmosphere increases as the latitude becomes higher & in a greater ratio than the Temp. decreases. Hence it happens that the thermometer would actually rise higher when exposed to the sun in London than under the Equator; also it proves how completely all the effects of climate depend on mean temperature. The day had been beautiful, but the barometer foretold a change, so that in a calm we anchored & struck our top gallant masts. It was not in vain, a little after 10 o’clock the squall struck us & it blew heavily all night.
25th November 1832
Montevideo
Rode with Mr Parry to Las Pietras; a pretty village so called from some rocks of a singular shape. One calls a village pretty in this country, if it possesses a dozen fig trees & is situated a hundred feet above the general level.
Rode with Mr Parry to Las Pietras; a pretty village so called from some rocks of a singular shape. One calls a village pretty in this country, if it possesses a dozen fig trees & is situated a hundred feet above the general level.
23rd November 1832
MontevideoAt night there was a grand ball given in order to celebrate the reestablishment of the President. It was a much gayer scene than I should have thought this place could have produced. The desire which the inhabitants have on such occasions of appearing splendidly dressed is excessive: & to gratify it the ladies will spare no sacrifices. The music was in very slow time & the dancing, although most formal, possessed much gracefulness. The ball was given in the Theatre; nothing surprised me so much as the arrangements of the house; every part not actually occupied by the dancers was entirely open to the lowest classes of Society, so that all the passages to the boxes, back parts of the pitt, was filled by any people who liked to look on. And nobody ever seemed even to imagine the possibility of disorderly conduct on their parts. How different are the habits of Englishmen, on such Jubilee nights!
22nd November 1832
Montevideo Rode with Mr Hamond to the Rio St Lucia, the distance is about 12 miles & the path lies over an undulating plain of turf. On our return we were obliged to go some miles round to avoid one of the great beds of thistles. These are quite impassible, as they are armed with long prickles, & grow close together to the height of six feet. Riding is the only source of enjoyment in this country.
21st November 1832
MontevideoAll day long provisions & stores are hoisting in; never, without excepting Plymouth, have I seen the ship, even the quarter deck crowded with all sorts of things. I am glad of it, for I am impatient to be again at sea. I suspect however before our return there will oftener be occassion for patience than for the contrary extreme.
20th November 1832
Montevideo Went out collecting on the Mount. In the course of my walk I came quite close to two of the great lizards of this country. From the nose to end of tail the length must have been at least 3 feet.
18th November 1832
Montevideo
After divine service on board I took a quiet ride over the open plains which border the river.
After divine service on board I took a quiet ride over the open plains which border the river.
17th November 1832
MontevideoBoisterous weather; glad should I be if the day for taking an everlasting farewell of the Rio Plata was near at hand.
Captain Fitzroy’s Journal:
It is not prudent for any vessel drawing more than ten feet water to remain under sail in this part of the river, while it is dark, unless a good pilot is on board; and even the best practical experience is not always a sure guide, so uncertain and fluctuating are the currents and depths of water. There are a few simple precautions, useful in such circumstances, of which I may be excused for reminding young sailors. A ground-log ought to be hove frequently, and compared with a common log; there should be a leadsman in each chains, one, at least, of whom should sound constantly: the deep-sea lead ought to be used now and then, even in shallow water, as a check upon the hand-lead: from the vessel's draught of water to two fathoms more than that depth, the hand-line should be marked to feet, by alternate marks of dark-coloured hair and small line: strong lanterns should be suspended under the chain-wales, near the water, but close to the ship's side; while a careful person ought to superintend the leadsman, and occasionally take a line into his own hand, so that by 'plumbing' the bottom himself he may ascertain how far reliance is to be placed upon the leadsman's opinion.
It is not prudent for any vessel drawing more than ten feet water to remain under sail in this part of the river, while it is dark, unless a good pilot is on board; and even the best practical experience is not always a sure guide, so uncertain and fluctuating are the currents and depths of water. There are a few simple precautions, useful in such circumstances, of which I may be excused for reminding young sailors. A ground-log ought to be hove frequently, and compared with a common log; there should be a leadsman in each chains, one, at least, of whom should sound constantly: the deep-sea lead ought to be used now and then, even in shallow water, as a check upon the hand-lead: from the vessel's draught of water to two fathoms more than that depth, the hand-line should be marked to feet, by alternate marks of dark-coloured hair and small line: strong lanterns should be suspended under the chain-wales, near the water, but close to the ship's side; while a careful person ought to superintend the leadsman, and occasionally take a line into his own hand, so that by 'plumbing' the bottom himself he may ascertain how far reliance is to be placed upon the leadsman's opinion.
In the Plata, as well as in many other pilot-waters, to feel the ground thus is often more useful than knowing the precise depth of water, or even the colour, or nature, of the bottom.
16th November 1832
Montevideo The dilatory method of doing business in this place again detained me all morning; in the evening enjoyed with Hamond a delightful gallop over the grassy plains. We called on our way back on a Spanish family. Here I first saw the well known & universal custom of the young ladies giving to any gentlemen present a rose; the Signoritas make their little present with much grace & elegance. The Signora at the same time, tells you with due formality, to consider the house as your own.
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