ey was, as usual, wild
and adventurous, and its principal result was an acquaintance with the
English chaplains and congregations at several of the chief South
American ports, from whom he received a promise of 100_l._, per annum for
the support of a mission to Patagonia.

With this beginning he returned home, and while residing at Brighton, his
earnestness so stirred people's minds that a Society was formed with an
income of 500_l._, and Mr. Robert Hunt, giving up the mastership of an
endowed school, offered himself to the Church Missionary Society. A
clergyman could not immediately be found, and it was determined that
these two should go first and prepare the way. In 1844, then, they
landed in Oazy Harbour in Magelhaen's Straits, and set up three tents,
one for stores, one for cooking, and one for sleeping. One Fuegian hut
was near, where the people were inoffensive, and presently there arrived
a Chilian deserter named Mariano, who said that he had run away from the
fort at Port Famine with another man named Cruz, who had remained among
the Patagonians. He reported that Wissale had lost much of his
authority, and that San Leon was now chief of the tribe; also that there
was a Padre Domingo at Port Famine, who was teaching the Patagonians to
become "Catolicos."

To learn the truth as soon as possible, the Captain and Mr. Hunt locked
up two of their huts, leaving the other for Mariano, and set off in
search of the Patagonians; and a severe journey it was, as they had to
carry the heavy clothing required to keep up warmth at night, besides
their food, gun, powder, and shot. The fatigue was too much for Hunt,
who was at one time obliged to lie down exhausted while the Captain went
in search of water; and after four days they were obliged to return to
their huts, where shortly after Wissale arrived, but with a very scanty
following, only ten or twelve horses, and himself and family very hungry;
but though ready to eat whatever Captain Gardiner would give him, his
whole manner was changed by his disasters. He was surly and quarrelsome,
and evidently under the influence of the deserter Cruz, who was resolved
to set him against the new-comers, and so worked upon him that he once
threatened the Captain with his dirk. Moreover, a Chilian vessel
arrived, bringing Padre Mariano himself, a Spanish South American, with a
real zeal for conversion, though he was very courteous to the Englishmen.
An English vessel arrived abou