Patagonia Bookshelf

To Brighton. Found that the Committee had been most active in taking measures for our relief and assistance. Sir Thos. Bloomfield and Sir Edward Parry had prevailed upon the Admiralty to order a Government steamer to run to Cape Gregory and afford us every assistance in their power. [They] were preparing to send us out provisions and had engaged a young gentleman as my assistant, who was coming out forthwith. This Mr Gonzalvez was a native of Cuba and a Roman Catholic, but he and his family had become Protestants and connected themselves with the Methodists; as I understand, he was highly esteemed by the Committee. I had not the pleasure of seeing him.

The Committee were of course, much disappointed at our being obliged to leave Patagonia. Captain Gardiner's and my Journal had been read at previous Meetings and we were cordially congratulated upon our having been so mercifully preserved in many dangerous and trying circumstances. Captain Gardiner was called upon to make a statement of his views for future operations, and I was called upon for my opinion and to say if I should be willing to attempt to carry them out.

Many parts of Captain Gardiner's plan were quite new to me; he had talked of many plans while on the first part of our voyage, but they changed and varied almost daily; but it was manifest to all that many important probabilities were unprovided for and some things, anticipated by Captain Gardiner as advantages, were equally likely to prove the reverse; for instance, we were to cross the Cordilleras from Chile just before the winter set in, so that when in the country of the Pehuenches, the people to whom we were to go, no person could follow to molest us for six months, during which time we might obtain a friendly influence over the Indians, But as we could take neither tents, baggage nor provisions with us, it was obvious that if the natives did not receive us kindly and provide us with everything during all this time, the circumstance of our not being able to communicate with any outpost would be certain death to us who would have to go viz. Mr Gonzalvez and myself. In fact I had lost confidence in Captain Gardiner's judgement, which was completely at the command of his zeal; but I told the Committee that I was ready to go anywhere, if only I could be sure that I was not tempting God but only following the leadings of His Providence and therefore obeying his Call.

The feeling of the Committee was expressed by a principal member to this effect - they must as a public body, having their constituents' money in charge, act with prudence and their measures must be directed to accomplish the exact designs of the Association but, as Captain Gardiner had previously told them upon the strength of his own observations, made three years since, that Gape Gregory was the only point open to Missionaries and now recommended them to try another part of the same continent and that, without any information so recent as that he had previously communicated, it appeared that such an attempt would have too much the appearance of a speculation and as the Committee could not spare any part of their reputation for wisdom, he thought this attempt should not be made till more recent information was found to corroborate Captain Gardiner's views of the probabilities of success.

Dr Williams, Rector of Woodchester, had proposed that I and Mr Gonzalvez should make another attempt at Cape Gregory but the Doctor had not seen our Journals and although it is not very improbable that another attempt made under somewhat different circumstances, might prove more happy, it would now be premature. The Committee adjourned till tomorrow, after passing a resolution not to disorganise the Association but put out the funds at interest till more decisive measure[s] could be taken.