“We have just returned from our first cruise to the southward, after the absence of nearly six months; and, as a knowledge of our proceedings may not be wholly uninteresting, I will briefly relate the particulars of the voyage.
“On the 19th Dec. the ships entered the Straits of Magellan, having anchored at two places only on the east coast of Patagonia, viz. Port St. Elena and near Cape Fairweather, at neither of which were any traces of natives observed. In the latter end of December several rather severe gales of wind were experienced, by which our progress was somewhat retarded, and we did not reach Port Famine until the 6th Jan. the Beagle having been there completed with provisions, &c. proceeded to the western extremity of the Straits, and our decked boat, dignified with the name of the Hope tender, was hoisted out, and equipped for service with all expedition. During the three months we remained at Port Famine, a considerable extent of coast was explored by means of the Hope, and she proved to be admirably adapted for the service. Many deep sounds and inlets on the Fuegian side (some of which were formerly imagined to be channels) were examined, and the straits as far as Cape Forward may, with a few exceptions, be said to be completed. The supposed channel of St. Sebastian still remains a problem; but I believe it will be solved early next season. There is reason to suppose no channel exists in that direction, as low land has been distinctly seen, stretching across the opening, from the summit of a mountain near Port Famine.
“The Beagle rejoined us in the beginning of March, having fixed the positions of Cape Pillar, Cape Victory, the Evangelists, &c. and performed other important services; and, early in April, both vessels left Port Famine, to return here for supplies.
“We have not experienced the bad weather we anticipated; on the contrary, we found it as fine as what might have been expected in the same parallel of north latitude. The Beagle, however, was not so fortunate, having met with a great deal of rainy and squally weather.
“At the Bay of St. Gregory, between the first and second Narrows, we communicated with a tribe of Patagonians, consisting of upwards of 100 people, and found them a quiet and inoffensive race, anxious apparently to cultivate our friendship. I wish it was in our power to confirm the accounts given by former navigators, of the gigantic stature of these people; the tallest we met with did not exceed six feet two inches, and the majority were certainly considerably under six feet. They are, however, remarkable in having a very broad and full chest, and their frame is unquestionably exceedingly large; but their limbs are not in the same proportion, being somewhat smaller than the average of Europeans. They were well provided with horses, equipped in the manner of Buenos Ayres, and several spoke tolerably good Spanish; from which it may be inferred that they communicate occasionally with the Rio Negro and other civilised
