Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, attended by servants, set out from the ship on the 16th, in the morning, with the design of going into the country as far as they could that day, and returning in the evening. Having entered a wood, they ascended the hill through a pathless wilderness till the afternoon. After they had reached what they had taken for a plain, they were greatly disappointed in finding it a swamp, covered with birch, the bushes interwoven, and so inflexible they could not be divided; however, as they were not above three feet high, they stept over them; but they were up to the ancles in the boggy ground. The morning had been very fine, but the weather now became cold and disagreeable; the blasts of wind were very piercing, and a shower of snow fell. They nevertheless pursued their route, in expectation of finding a better road. Before they had got over this swamp, an accident happened that greatly disconcerted them; Mr. Buchan, one of the draughtsmen Mr. Banks had brought out, fell into a fit. It was absolutely necessary to stop and kindle a fire, and such as were most fatigued remained to assist him; but Messrs. Banks, Solander, Green and Monkhouse, proceeded and attained the spot they had in view. Here they found a great variety of plants, that gratified their curiosity, and repaid them for their toil.
Upon returning to the rest of the company, amidst the snow which fell in greater abundance, and being pinched with the cold that was now become more intense, they found Mr. Buchan much recovered. They had previously sent Mr. Monkhouse and Mr. Green back to Mr. Buchan, and those who remained with him, in order to bring them to a hill, which was conjectured to lie in a better track for returning to the wood, and was accordingly fixed on as a place of rendezvous. They resolved from this hill to pass through the swamp, which this way did not appear to be more than half a mile in extent, into the covert of the wood, in which they proposed building a hut and kindling a fire, to defend them from the severity of the weather. The whole party accordingly met at the place appointed about eight in the evening, whilst it was still day-light, and proceeded towards the next valley. Dr. Solander having often passed mountains in cold countries, was sensible that extreme cold, when joined with fatigue, occasions a drowsiness, that is not easily resisted; he accordingly intreated his friends to keep in motion, however disagreeable it might be to them; his words were, “Whoever sits down, will sleep; and whoever sleeps, will wake no more.” Every one seemed accordingly armed with resolution; but on a sudden the cold became so very intense, as to threaten the most direful effects. It was very remarkable, that Dr. Solander himself, who had so forcibly admonished and alarmed his party, should be the first who insisted upon being suffered to repose. In spite of the most earned intreaties of his friends, he lay down amidst the snow, and it was with great difficulty they kept the Doctor awake. One of the black servants became also weary and faint, and was upon the point of following the Doctor’s example. Mr. Buchan was therefore detached with a party to make a fire at the first commodious spot they could meet with. Mr. Banks, with four more, remained with the Doctor and Richmond the black, who, with the utmost difficulty, were induced to come on; but when they had traversed the greatest part of the swamp, they expressed their inability of going any farther. When the black was informed, that if he remained there he would soon be frozen to death; he replied, that he was so exhausted with fatigue, that death would be a relief to him. Doctor Solander said he was not unwilling to go, but that he must first take some sleep, notwithstanding what he had before declared to the company. Thus resolved, they both sat down, supported by bushes, and in a short time fell fast asleep. Intelligence now came from the advanced party, that a fire was kindled about a quarter of a mile farther on the way. Mr. Banks then waked the Doctor, who had almost lost the use of his limbs already, though it was but a few minutes since he sat down; he nevertheless consented to go on. Every measure taken to relieve the black proved ineffectual, he remained motionless, and they were obliged to leave him to the care of the other black servant and a sailor, who appeared to have been the least hurt by the cold, and they were to be relieved, as soon as two others were sufficiently warmed to supply their places. The Doctor was with much difficulty got to the fire. Those who were sent to relieve the companions of Richmond, returned in about half an hour, without being able to find them. What rendered the mortification still greater was, that a bottle of rum, the whole stock of the party, could not be found, and was judged to have been left to one of the three who were missing. There was a fall of snow, which incessantly continued for near two hours, and there remained no hopes of seeing the three absentees again, at least, alive. About 12 o’clock, however, a great shouting was heard at a distance, which gave inexpressible satisfaction to every one present. Mr. Banks and four others went forth and met the sailor, with just strength enough to walk; he was immediately sent to the fire, and they proceeded to seek for the two others. They found Richmond upon his legs, but incapable of moving them; the other black was lying senseless upon the ground. All endeavours to bring them to the fire were fruitless, nor was it possible to kindle one upon the spot, on account of the snow that had fallen, and was still falling, so that there was no alternative, and they were compelled to leave the two unfortunate negroes to their fate, making them, however, a bed of boughs of trees, and covering them very thick with the same.
As all hands had been employed in endeavouring to move the two blacks to the fire, and had therefore been exposed to the cold for near an hour and a half, some of them began to be afflicted in the same manner as those they went to relieve. Briscoe, another of Mr. Banks’s servants, in particular, began to lose his sensibility. They at length reached the fire, and passed the night in a very disagreeable manner. The party that set out from the ship consisted of twelve, of whom two were already judged to be dead: it was doubtful whether a third would be able to return on board; and Mr. Buchan, a fourth, seemed threatened again with his fits. The ship was at the distance of a long day’s journey, through an unfrequented wood, in which they might probably be bewildered till night; and being equipped only for a journey of a few hours, they had not provisions left sufficient to afford the company a single meal.
On the 17th in the morning, at day-break, nothing presented itself to view all around but snow, the trees being equally covered with it as the ground; and the blasts of wind were so violent and frequent, that their journey was rendered impracticable, and there was much reason to dread perishing with cold and famine. However, about six in the morning they were flattered with a dawn of hope of being delivered, by discovering the sun through the clouds, which gradually diminished. Previous to their setting out, messengers were dispatched to the unhappy negroes, who returned with the melancholy news of their death.
Though the sky had flattered their hopes, the snow still continued falling very fast, which prevented them beginning their journey so soon as was proposed; but a breeze springing up about 8 o’clock, added to the influence of the sun, began to clear the air; and the snow falling in large flakes from the trees, announced a thaw. The force of hunger prevailed over every other consideration, and induced them, after having equally divided the small remains of their provisions, to set forward on their journey about 10 in the morning.
In about three hours, to their great astonishment and satisfaction, they found themselves upon the shore, much nearer to the ship than their most sanguine expectations could have flattered them. When they took a retrospect of their former route from the sea, they found, that instead of ascending the hill in a direct line, they had made a circle almost round the country. The congratulations every one on board expressed at their return, can better be imagined than expressed.
On the 20th Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander went again on shore, and landed in the bottom of the bay, when they collected many shells and plants hitherto unknown. They returned on board to dinner, and afterwards went to visit an Indian town about two miles up the country. The access was difficult on account of the mud. When they approached the town, two of the Indians came out to meet them: they began to shout in the same unmeaning manner as they had before done on board the ship. After this had continued for some time, they conducted Mr. Banks and the Doctor to the town. It was seated on a small hill, over-shaded with wood, and consisted of about a dozen huts; constructed without art or regularity. They were composed of a few poles inclining towards each other, in the shape of a sugar loaf, which were covered on the weather-side with grass and boughs; and on the other side a space was left open, which served at once for a fire-place and a door. The huts that had been seen in St. Vincent’s Bay were of the same kind. A little grass served for beds and chairs, and their utensils consisted of a basket for the hand, a satchel to hang upon the back, and a bladder for water; out of which they drank through a hole near the top. This town was inhabited by a small tribe, consisting of about 50 men, women and children. Their bows and arrows were constructed with neatness and ingenuity: they were made of wood highly polished; and the point, which was either glass or flint, was fitted with much skill. Mr. Banks observed glass and flint amongst them unwrought, with cloth, canvass, rings and buttons, &c. it was therefore judged, that they travelled at times to the north, as no ship had touched at this part of Terra del Fuego for some years.