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This morning a Chilean soldier found his way to the station from Port Famine (San Felipe). He had been on the way fifteen or sixteen days, having seen six tents of the Patagonians on the fourth day of his journey; with them be stayed a week and then left them and his comrade, who remained with the Patagonians. Three days from the station he had fallen in with some of the Lake Indians who had ill-treated and robbed him. These Indians were coming towards us, he said, and would certainly use us no better than they had done him.

From this soldier, who told us he was a deserter from Port Famine (as was also his companion) we received a great deal of information about the Patagonians, the Lake Indians and the state of Port Famine. This settlement, it appeared, had effected a very considerable change among the Patagonians; some of their Chiefs, especially Centurion, being inclined to favour the Spaniards there, Wesail being less inclined towards them, if not actually hostile. Maria was dead, Isaac sent in chains to Chile, perhaps for having leaned to the Patagonians more than to the Spaniards, he having learnt the language of the former and intermarried with them. There was a priest, Father Domingo, at Port Famine who was attempting to make the Patagonians Roman Catholics. There had been a distribution of clothes etc. to Centurion's tribe, which, in their opinion made them Christians. The settlement at Port Famine had been begun with friendly professions towards the natives but when it was fortified and they had received soldiers, they treated the aborigines roughly, which had tended to incense some of them.

Our apprehended danger from the Lake Indians who began to gather round us and the desire to see the Patagonians, induced us to fasten up two of the houses which contained the valuables and set out on the tramp to seek them. The Chilean wished to escape to Rio de la Plata but being told that it was three thousand miles from the station, gave up that intention in despair. Captain Gardiner informed him of our intention to set out, this evening telling him also that we were very loath to leave him alone among the Indians, as we feared they would kill him, as well as pillage the houses: he therefore had his choice of going with us or being left in the kitchen with the necessary provisions. He felt quite afraid for his life as some of these Indians were the parties that had robbed him, but being fatigued by his journey, he said he could not commence another immediately and we felt it necessary that we should set out this evening to get on our way as far as possible before we were missed.

Accordingly we packed up some biscuit and one bottle of brandy, a change of clothes and a few other necessaries and, after a good supper we set out at about eleven o'clock p.m., leaving the Chilean in the house used as the kitchen; instructing him that if he found it necessary to leave before our return, which return was uncertain, he should bury the key under the front of the door; and commending him and ourselves to the merciful care of Almighty God, and then sneaking away one at a time and taking a circuitous route to avoid falling in with any of these Indians. Our path was first along the sandy shore and then we struck off towards the western end of Gregory range of mountains, walking sometimes over the ground recently burnt, at others through tall rank grass, or stumbling over clumps of thick dry grass.

For a considerable distance along this path we were followed by a large bright meteor, which advanced with an undulating motion against the wind and many feet from the ground, its colour alternating between bright yellow and pale red. It was much larger than a star and when we first saw it we took it for a fire at a distance, several of which were burning in different directions; but, as it advanced, I fancied it must be some light attached to a dog and buoyed up by some contrivance to show the Indians the track we had passed over, or to enable then to pursue and overtake us. We sat down and watched its advance for some minutes till it got very near and then, after we had walked on a bit it disappeared, and again rekindled and was finally extinguished. I thought afterwards that it arose from exhalations we had disengaged from the grass etc. as we passed along.

At this time day was dawning. A little further on we came suddenly upon what we believed to be two Indian tents, we therefore walked out of our way to avoid them and passing on about a mile further, perhaps ten or twelve miles in all, no little walk in such a country, we lay down at about 4½ a.m.