Oyster Pond craft once more upon the scene, and had closed so near as to
admit of a conversation between the two masters. It would seem that
Daggett was exceedingly averse to passing through the Straits of le Maire.
An uncle of his had been wrecked there, and had reported the passage as
the most dangerous one he had ever encountered. It has its difficulties,
no doubt, in certain states of the wind and tide, but Roswell had received
good accounts of the place from Stimson, who had been through several
times. The wind was rather scant to go through, and the weather threatened
to be thick. As Daggett urged his reasons for keeping off and passing
outside of Staten Land, a circuit of considerable extent, besides bringing
a vessel far to leeward with the prevalent winds of that region, which
usually blow from northwest round to southwest, Roswell was reflecting on
the opportunity the circumstances afforded of giving his consort the slip.
After discussing the matter for some time, he desired Daggett to lead on,
and he would follow. This was done, though neither schooner was kept off
until Roswell got a good view of Cape St. Diego, on Tierra del Fuego,
thereby enabling him to judge of the positions of the principal
land-marks. Without committing himself by any promise, therefore, he told
Daggett to lead on, and for some time he followed, the course being one
that did not take him much out of the way. The weather was misty, and at
times the wind blew in squalls. The last increased as the schooners drew
nearer to Staten Land. Daggett, being about half a mile ahead, felt the
full power of one particular squall that came out of the ravines with
greater force than common, and he kept away to increase his distance from
the land. At the same time, the mist shut in the vessels from each other.
It was also past sunset, and a dark and dreary night was approaching. This
latter fact had been one of Daggett's arguments for going outside.
Profiting by all these circumstances, Roswell tacked, and stood over
towards Tierra del Fuego. He knew from the smoothness of the water that an
ebb-tide was running; and trusted to its force to carry him through the
Straits. He saw no more of the Sea Lion of the Vineyard. She continued
shut in by the mist until night closed around both vessels. When he got
about mid-channel, Roswell tacked again. By this time the current had
sucked him fairly into the passage, and no sooner did he go about than his
movement to