A Diary of the Wreck of His Majesty's Ship Challenger, on the Western Coast of South America, in May, 1835

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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. By Michael Seymour and Henry William Rouse. Published in London in 1836

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Excerpts:
...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.

...June 6. — Sad complaints began to be made of the mice, and bitter denunciations against them; but their numbers overpowered every effort on our part to get rid of them. It was now not uncommon, in the morning, on putting on what had been a jacket, or other whole garment, at night, to discover the disappearance of a large portion of it,— the effects of the mice during the interval. To the canvass they were most destructive, eating large holes in all parts of our tents. Our force having been now much divided, we were most anxious to make a final march of all to our new camp. Our usual precautions were exercised in examining the arms and mustering watches.

...Tuesday, June 9. — Squally weather, with showers of rain; the wind n. w. A few Indians made their appearance at the camp, bringing, tied to their saddles, some nets of potatoes and apples for barter: also Rafael Lobo, with a present to the captain of some avellanos ; and to establish a claim of some reward, for having given us his protection and assistance against the hostile Indians at Molquillo, as he then had assumed the command of the armed Indians, and had sent spies out to the southward. The seine, which had been carefully preserved, and brought to the Leubu, was this day tried in the river, but with no great success. At night, we afterwards found the attempts were more productive of luck. The few fish we caught were highly acceptable. The crew's employment for this day was draining the ground round their tents; a party bringing stones from the beach at the entrance of the river, to lay as a footpath through the camp, — the rain having rendered it almost impossible to walk, from the swampy state of the ground; and in cutting down trees to form a barricade round the encampment.