Below is a summary of what happened when the 153 Welsh settlers aboard the Mimosa arrived in Patagonia for the first time on 28th July 1865.

William Jenkins (19) climbs to the crows nest of the Mimosa and is the first to see Argentina

It takes most of the day before they get to anchor in New Bay

The next day a landing party sets off and Hugh Hughes (40) wades ashore to be the first to set foot on land. He falls to his knees and kisses the ground

It is the middle of winter and although Patagonia is usually dry, it is raining, windy and very cold.

There are 16 huts and a large store-house waiting for them, prepared by the advance party

After sheltering in the open huts and the caves for a couple of days most of the women and children return to the relative comfort of the Mimosa

The men dismantle the berths from the ship to re-roof the huts

One of the children that died on the voyage is buried and another dies on the first day after arrival

The well is found to be contaminated with sea-water so the settlers have to fetch fresh water from 3 miles away

They start to explore inland, hunting and fishing to survive. 

Eventually they make contact with the indigenous Tehuelche who help them to hunt and gather

The settlers travel 30 miles south to the Chubut valley where they will settle