2-996-025 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

H.M.S. "Termagant" convoying the gun-boats "Grappler" and "Forward" through the Straits of Magellan: passing English Narrows - from a sketch by C. Royle, R.N., 1860. 'The voyage down to the eastern entrance of the Straits of Magellan (under canvas) was necessarily slow and tedious...On reaching the Straits, however, steam was got up by the Termagant [25-gun screw-frigate], and the small vessels were towed by her through the entire length of the Straits of Magellan, Smyth, Sarmiento, Wide, and Messier Channels, out into the Pacific Ocean. In consequence of the intricate navigation in the above channels, it became necessary to anchor every night...to cut firewood for the steamers, whose stock of fuel was nearly exhausted by so much steaming. Most of the anchorages were very remarkable for their picturesque beauty and the scenery in their neighbourhood, also for the abundance of firewood to be found close to the water's edge...At one of the prettiest of these places, English Narrow...as well as in other parts of the Straits, canoes crowded with Fuegians came off to the ship to barter skins for ships' biscuit, tobacco, &c. A party of officers visited some of these savages at their encampment and were civilly received'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860.