Part 1
# A diary of the wreck of His Majesty's ship Challenger, on the western coast of South America, in May, 1835 : $b with an account of the subsequent encampment of the officers and crew, during a period of seven weeks, on the south coast of Chili ### By Anonymous
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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
[Illustration: ENCAMPMENT AT MOLGUILLA, CHILI.
_On stone by W. Walton_
A. _Wreck of H. M. Ship Challenger_ B. _Tent for the Chilenos from Arauco_ C. _Tent put up for Cheuquante’s Indians_ D. _Ship’s Company Tent_ E. _Tent for Capt^n. & Officers_
_Printed by C Hullmandel_ ]
A
DIARY
OF
THE WRECK OF HIS MAJESTY’S SHIP
CHALLENGER,
ON THE
WESTERN COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA,
IN MAY, 1835.
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF
THE SUBSEQUENT ENCAMPMENT OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW,
DURING A PERIOD OF SEVEN WEEKS,
ON THE
SOUTH COAST OF CHILI.
LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, REES, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMAN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1836.
LONDON: Printed by A. Spottiswoode, New-Street-Square.
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.
Encampment at Molquilla _to face the Title_.
Molquilla Beach _to face page_ 6
Plan of Molquilla Camp 30
View of the Leubu Camp 98
A DIARY
OF
THE WRECK OF HIS MAJESTY’S SHIP
CHALLENGER.
On the first day of April, 1835, His Majesty’s ship Challenger sailed from Rio Janeiro for the Pacific, with orders to touch at the port of Concepçion in our way to Valparaiso, at which place we hoped either to find the commodore commanding on the western coasts of South America, or directions for our further proceedings. Valparaiso and Concepçion are the two principal seaports of the republic of Chili; the former being the most important, as receiving the great bulk of manufactures, and other numerous and various exports from Europe.
The object of the Challenger’s calling at Concepçion, situated about 300 miles south of Valparaiso, and laying in the route of the latter port, was for the purpose of procuring a supply of wood and water, for which Concepçion offers peculiar facilities.
The first part of our voyage was a series of calms, with light variable winds; and our progress to the southward was slow, until we reached the latitude of 31° south. We then began to experience fresh westerly and southerly winds, which, with little variation, continued until we had arrived in the vicinity of Cape Horn. Nothing had occurred worthy of notice, except that numerous flying-fish were seen as far south as the latitude of 40°. Off the Cape, in latitude 60°, after a short interval of calm, a number of what we only know by the name of black fish attracted our attention by the peculiarity of their movements, and the closeness of their approach to the ship; and we experienced a severe gale, which began in the south, and gradually veered to S.S.W. and S.W., accompanied by an unusually high sea, with constant hail squalls.
_May 4._--The wind blew violently from S. and S.S.W., with a heavy sea and hard squalls of hail and snow. It was of consequence to draw the ship to the westward, and to this end we carried our close-reefed main-topsails and reefed foresail; the wind being about two points abaft the beam; the ship behaving remarkably well, but lurching deeply; and on one occasion she made so heavy a plunge, that a long lee sea came in over all, staving in the lee quarter gallery, moving the sheet-anchor, floating our spars in the lee channels, and actually wetting the legs of several persons who were securing their holdfast under the weather bulwarks. We looked on this as a hint to batten down our main-deck hatchways; to take the canvass off her; and, as night was closing in, the main-topsail and foresail were furled, and the ship eventually hove-to, under the fore and main-staysails; the latter having been, in our first attempt to set it, blown to leeward by the carrying away of our staysail stay. In this breeze a heavy sea struck the bows and cutwater, and with a most singular result, for it carried away the crown of our figure-head from the forehead upwards; and the ominous remark of the person who reported the circumstance to the officer of the watch was, “Sir, she has lost her brains.” The weather continued stormy, with heavy squalls of hail, with little intermission, till the 6th and 7th of May; when we experienced a severe gale off the entrance of the Straits of Magellan, and under the double-reefed courses, which was as much sail as the masts and yards would bear; and, in a long high sea, the good qualities of the ship called forth the undivided praise of all on board.
_May 17._--In latitude 41°, and longitude 80° 43′ W., the weather appeared to have undergone a change for the better. The barometer, which had been for several weeks very low, now rose to the height usually shown on the coasts of Peru, and the northern parts of the coast of Chili; and many were the mutual congratulations exchanged on board, on our having at length got into fine moderate weather, securing, as we conceived the ultimate object in view, that of arriving at the port of Concepçion, then only two days’ sail in distance from us. Good observations were obtained on this day, the results of which were found to agree closely with our estimation as shown by the dead reckoning. The topgallant masts were sent aloft, together with the studding-sail booms, and a variety of gear, which, during our stormy weather, had been sent on deck to relieve the masts and ship; and all the necessary sail was made in the direction of our destined port. The wind S.W.; the course steered N.N.E.
_May 18._--The weather became thick, with a fresh wind. The 19th produced little change, except that we were enabled to get a good set of sights of the sun for our chronometers, by which, with our latitude by dead reckoning, we worked out our longitude, the correctness of which we had no reason whatever to doubt. At noon Concepçion bore from us N. 52°, 41° E., 146 miles. At 5 P.M. the ship was hove-to, the chain cables bent, and the usual preparation made on approaching an anchorage. The deep-sea lead was tried in upwards of 200 fathoms, but without striking soundings. Sail was again made in the ship, treble-reefed topsails, courses, and fore-topmast staysail.
At 8 P.M., after a careful examination of the ship’s place on the charts, directions were given to haul the ship to the wind on the larboard tack. This was done at about 10 minutes after 8 o’clock, and it allowed her to lay along shore, N. half E., the wind being about W.N.W., reducing her rate of going to about four knots; at which pace it was proposed to allow her to continue, until daylight permitted us to bear up, and again make sail for our destination, Talcuhuana Bay, the anchorage of Concepçion. The weather at this time was still hazy, the wind moderate, the water smooth, and stars appearing occasionally overhead, with an expected moon at midnight, promising us a quiet fine night: but the Almighty had ordered it otherwise, and a most awful and perilous shipwreck awaited us.
At about 9 45′ P.M., the look-out men having been visited but a few minutes before, breakers were seen at the same moment by them and the officer of the watch, who also remarked a new and peculiar motion in the movement of the ship. The helm was instantly put down, and the watch hurried to their stations to tack the ship; the captain, calling for the hands to be turned up as he flew upon deck, and as the ship had answered the helm though rising to a very high sea, and was coming round, hauled the after-yards. Orders were given to stand by the anchors; but almost immediately afterwards the order “to keep fast the anchors,” and haul the head-yards. In accomplishing this latter operation a high surf struck the bows; the ship, lifting to the heavy swell, got sternway, and struck with a dreadful crash, her keel taking the rocks about midships: another sea followed, which threw her on her starboard beam-ends, the surf at the same time breaking over and into the ship with a force sufficient to wash the men from the decks. Most miraculously, however, no serious accident now occurred, nor was any greater injury sustained than by the men at the helm, who were thrown over the wheel, and severely bruised. We were now at the mercy of the heaviest surf it is possible to conceive; the ship labouring in a most fearful manner, falling over on either broadside, and righting herself as the weight and force of the sea affected her; and the warning orders were reiterated to hold on, and keep out of the way of the masts, which were every moment expected to fall. The masts, however, stood, though many of the loftier back-stays, stay, and braces, came down, but, fortunately, without injury to any one.
[Illustration: MOLGUILLA BEACH, _shewing the Wreck of_ H.M.S. Challenger. _on the West Coast of South America in_ Latitude 37° 49′ S. Longitude 73° 34′ W. _Wrecked on May 19th 1835 at 9.45 P.M._ _Rise of Tide about 2 feet but much depends on the state of the Weather and Wind at Sea._
Reference to Plan
1. _Ship standing in on a wind, on larboard tack head N.N.E. (true)._ 2. _Ship stayed head S.S.W. when the first breaker struck her._ 3. _Position when she first struck head S.S.E._ 4. _Supposed situation when the mizen mast was cut away, the Ship having been thrown over a sunken ledge of rocks into 6 feet water sandy bottom the surf breaking over larboard side with great violence._ 5. _Ship at daylight on the 20th when the Jollyboat left with the lead line._ 6. _Situation when abandoned on the 7th June, buried 9 feet in the sand. The flat staff on the Leubu Head bore from Tucapel Point N b E (true) about 15 miles._]
A few minutes had been sufficient to place us in this most frightful and truly awful situation; a situation requiring the greatest degree of firmness, as well as promptitude of action. A thick dense fog, which hung on the water, gave us no warning of the silent and terrible rollers; the first of which, on being discovered, launched us amongst the breakers, which were now roaring with fury around us, drenching to the skin every individual on the deck as they broke with violence into the ship. The brilliancy of the surf and spray, added to the sad and gloomy character of the night, made our frightful situation the more apparent; and, for a considerable interval of time, so heavily did the ship continue to strike, that it appeared impossible for any human power to prevent her from going to pieces, or to conceal from ourselves the appalling prospect of a watery grave for every soul on board.
By the important decision of keeping fast the anchors, and cutting away the mizzen-mast, the ship appeared to be relieved abaft, and to be thrown over rocks into what we fancied to be a shoal; whereas; if she had been at all checked by an anchor, all must have perished on the spot where she struck. A heavy surf continued to roll in on us, the spray breaking high over us on the decks: the hand-leads, however, satisfied us that we were on sand, through which the weight of the sea was forcing the ship; and, as she providentially took up a position with her bow to the surf, hope began to dawn amongst us of the ship’s holding together, and hence a chance for the safety of our lives, when daylight should assist us in discovering the means of attempting it. Another danger had also excited our apprehensions, from an appearance of dark water astern of us, inside the surf, apparently rendering it indispensable to drop our anchors to hold the ship on the sand, to avoid foundering in deep water: for we had become aware of the impossibility of keeping her afloat, as she had been seriously bilged about midships, the tanks and chain cables rising to the lower deck as the ship worked in the sand in which she was now embedded. The leads, however, continuing to assure us that she still bedded with tolerable firmness, the anchors were kept fast; the prudence and good fortune of which step daylight fully disclosed to us. On her first striking amongst the breakers, the rudder was carried away, the gun-room beams and cabin deck forced up, and a vast body of water coming in astern flooded the gun-room and lower deck: many of the timbers on the starboard side were heard to break with a fearful crash.
The excellent conduct and good discipline of all on board, in this extremity of danger, merited the highest praise. Although every heart must have felt the hopelessness of our situation, there was evinced that steady attention to the orders which were given, free from confusion or the slightest disobedience. How frequently did we afterwards remark on the fatal result that must inevitably have followed any rash attempt which, under the influence of terror, might have been made, to quit the wreck, and, I trust, with feelings of humble thankfulness to the providential mercy which had thus far preserved and directed us.
The main-deck ports had been caulked in for our voyage round Cape Horn, and had fortunately not been started. The main-deck hatchways were battened down; but it was necessary to scuttle the lower deck, from the quantity of water taken in over all. From the drawing of the ship through the sand, the hand-pumps constantly going, enabled us to keep her sufficiently free to allow us to get up a considerable quantity of dry biscuit, which was put into some of our empty water-casks: some ball-cartridges were also got up, and placed in the dryest situation on the main-deck. Yet, at this time, so slender was the hope of saving ourselves, or any thing belonging to us, that the ship’s accounts, with a private packet or two, were secured in a cask, to be thrown overboard, with the chance of its reaching the shore, and telling the fate of the poor Challenger.
Towards midnight, some officers and men thought they perceived land astern; and, on the starboard quarter, many were the eyes which eagerly sought out a gleam for their deliverance. We now attempted, by means of blue lights and rockets thrown in the direction, to ascertain the existence of land, but without success. The moon having at length risen, we, at about 2 30′ A.M., after anxiously watching the dispersion of some heavy clouds, got sufficient moonlight to make certain the sight of land. Those who witnessed that moment will long remember the joy and emotion which it gave rise to; for the horrors of the preceding four hours had been surcharged with the torturing apprehension of lingering death. Dark and desponding must be that mind which, at such a crisis, could not derive some solace in the hope of succour from that omnipotent Being, who governs the storm, and alone has the power to save.
The weather continued dark and gloomy, with occasional drizzling rain, but little wind, though squally-looking clouds were passing rapidly over our heads--a high irregular surf breaking on all sides around us with a noise and roar not to be forgotten. The dangerous nature of the surf made it evident that no common boat could pass through it in safety; and the ship having become, in a measure, less laboursome, the jolly-boat and gig were prepared as life-boats by lashing to them small boats’ breakers and spars, to be ready for use on the return of daylight.
_May 20._--At daylight the shore presented a long, low, flat sandy beach, with a tremendous surf rolling in on it, extending to the southward a distance interminable to the eye; in the W.N.W. direction an elevated promontory of land extended out to the westward, with a reef of scattered rocks, distant from us between two and three miles. To land the crew was the first object to which our attention was directed. The only mode to effect this appeared to be by succeeding in establishing a means of communication by a rope, or hawser, whence to raft the crew from the ship to the beach, the nearest distance to which was about two cable-lengths. With this view the jolly-boat was lowered over the stern into the surf under the charge of Mr. A. Booth, mate, and a volunteer crew of seven men; and, after a long struggle, they succeeded in reaching the beach with the end of the deep sea lead-line; but, owing to the strong set of the current along shore to the southward, the spot on which they landed was at least half a mile distant from that part of the beach immediately astern and nearest the ship. The jolly-boat was no sooner washed upon the beach, than the crew, thoroughly drenched, began the labour of endeavouring to tauten the line in the direction astern of the ship; but, after many fruitless attempts to do so, it was evident to us on board that a second boat, with more assistance, was absolutely necessary to effect this object. The bite of the line was much checked by the current and masses of shifting sand, caused by the immense back-set off the beach. It was now the gig was launched over the stern by means of the spanker-boom, rigged as a derick, and secured to the stump of the mizzen-mast, with a topping lift to the mainmasthead, and hung ready to drop at a favourable moment into the surf: she was the captain’s gig, and considered to possess qualities likely to ensure equal success with the boat that had already reached the shore, being carefully fitted in a similar manner.
Into the gig went Mr. Gordon, midshipman, a most zealous volunteer, who had anxiously sought the dangerous attempt of going in the first boat: with him were six volunteer seamen. One of the six, serving his time on board for having been a smuggler, and possessed of great activity and strength, was placed in the charge and management of the steer-oar, the nature of the surf rendering a rudder useless. On leaving the stern of the ship, cheered by all on board, they passed over a roller or two in security, and the superior management of the steer-oar appeared to promise certain success. But, alas! another and another terrific roller followed, the gig broached-to, was instantly capsised, and whirled over and over. This heartrending sight again damped the hopes of all; and what added to the cruel and distressing situation of those in the ship, was the impossibility of rendering the least assistance to our poor shipmates, now struggling with death in the dangerous surf. Most anxiously were our glasses directed to the spot, when occasionally, as they drifted to the southward, their heads were at moments visible.
By this melancholy accident perished Mr. Gordon, a most excellent young man, possessed of every quality to fit him for the highest station in his profession. He was much esteemed by his captain, not only for his efficiency, but for his many estimable qualities. He was greatly beloved by his brother shipmates, and much regretted by all. John Edwards, an excellent seaman, was also lost by this sad event. Their bodies were never found, and were supposed to have either been carried out to sea by the back-set, or buried in the sand. The others of the crew of the gig were taken out of the water by the crew of the jolly-boat, nearly exhausted, and more than three quarters of a mile to the southward.
At about 6 A.M. this morning (20th), a ship was discovered through the haze about three or four miles outside the breakers, standing in for the land. Seeing the danger of her situation, one of the after main-deck ports was opened, two guns fired as a signal to her, and an ensign hoisted to the main-topmast crosstrees, with the union downwards: she tacked, and stood off, hoisting Swedish colours. The rollers broke outside us, to a distance of at least a mile and a quarter, and it was impossible for her to render us any assistance: little doubt existed amongst us, that we were the hapless beacon of her danger: another hour’s dark might have placed her alongside us.
A three and a half inch hawser had, after much labour, been dragged to the beach: we had now constructed two rafts, by lashing on empty casks strong cross spars, yards, and mess tables; and about 11 A.M. it was determined to try the first by sending a lieutenant and seven men, a kedge-anchor, a stout hawser, and a hawling line, which reached the shore with difficulty, far to the southward, and was thrown so high on the beach, and so shaken, that she could not again be launched this day. About 2 P.M. the second raft was hoisted over, and, with the first lieutenant, assistant surgeon, captain’s clerk, several of the junior midshipmen, who were secured to the raft by life lines, and thirteen seamen, making a total in number of nineteen persons, were successful in landing in safety. The weight and draft of this raft, from its load (having, in addition to the passengers, several articles of provisions and arms), made the operation of getting a footing on the beach, from the back set of the surf; a critical one; and it was on this occasion that a small body of Indians, on horses, many of whom had been first seen approaching from the hills soon after daylight, dashed into the water, and with their lazos assisted the landing of those on it. One of the most active of the party was an Indian woman.