No one who has not been similarly situated can at all conceive the thrill which went through me when these letters first met my eye; even had anything happened to the schooner, friends were upon the coast, and I knew that Captain Wickham, who had passed a great portion of his life in adventures of this kind, would leave nothing undone which was in his power to ensure our safety.  We now hurried across the beach, and on gaining the highest part of it saw the little schooner riding safely at anchor.  A gun being fired all became life and expectation on board the vessel; and whilst the boat pulled ashore we searched for our letters.  These had however not yet been deposited at the spot indicated, and I therefore conjectured that we should find them on board.

On reaching the vessel we learnt that the mate was gone to the Beagle, now lying in Port George the Fourth but expected to sail this very day.  It appeared that at 7 o’clock on the morning of the 8th the report of four carronades was heard on board the schooner; this was conjectured by all to denote the presence of the Beagle on the coast, but the echo ran from cliff to cliff with so many reverberations that none could tell from what direction the sound had originally proceeded.  The silence of the night was not again disturbed; and those on board the schooner felt no small solicitude to know if their conjectures were correct, and if so in what direction the Beagle lay.

ARRIVAL OF THE BEAGLE.

The next morning the mystery was cleared up.  Before noon a yawl was seen to round the headland and to stand across the bay in the direction of the mouth of Prince Regent’s River.  As soon as the schooner was recognised the yawl altered her course, and Captain Wickham was soon on board the Lynher, making anxious enquiries for us and ascertaining what steps could be taken to assist us and promote our views.

From that time up to the present date the Beagle had lain in Port George the Fourth to take in wood, water, etc., and to await the return of Mr. Stokes, who was absent exploring the coast between Collier’s Bay and Port George the Fourth.

As there was no time to lose I at once started in a boat for the Beagle, and it was late in the evening when we drew near it.  I could see anxious groups looking eagerly at the little boat as it drew near, and when at length we were recognised the hearty cheers that greeted us as we came up alongside plainly showed that the pleasure of meeting was not confined to ourselves.

RESULTS OF HER SURVEY.

As Mr. Stokes was hourly expected to return, and I was very anxious to know if he had discovered the mouth of the Glenelg, I remained on board the Beagle and, as all had much to hear and much to communicate, the evening wore rapidly away.  The next day Mr. Stokes arrived, having seen nothing of the mouth of the river; this however in my apprehension arose from the greater portion of the time they were absent having