1765.

April.

At fix o'clock, the wind being ftill fresh and fqually at S. S. E. we weighed and steered W. by N. along the south fhore. At eleven, we were abreast of Cape Pillar, which by Tuesday 9.

compass is about fourteen leagues W. N. from Cape Up

2

I

right. Cape Pillar may be known by a large gap upon the top, and when it bears W.S. W. an island appears off it which has an appearance fomewhat like a hay-ftack, and about which lie feveral rocks. The Streight to the eastward of the Cape is between seven and eight leagues over; the land on each fide is of a moderate height, but it is loweft on the north fhore, the fouth fhore being much the boldest, though both are craggy and broken. Westminster Island is nearer to the north than the south shore; and, by the compass, lies N. E. from Cape Pillar. The land on the north shore, near the weft end of the Streight, makes in many islands and rocks, upon which the sea breaks in a tremendous manner. The land about Cape Victory is diftant from Cape Pillar about ten or eleven leagues, in the direction of N. W. by N. From the Cape weftward, the coaft trends S. S. W. W. to Cape Defeada, a low point, off which lie innumerable rocks and breakers. About four leagues W. S. W. from Cape Defeada lie fome dangerous rocks, called by Sir John Narborough the Judges, upon which a mountainous furf always breaks with inconceivable fury. Four small islands, called the Islands of Direction, are distant from Cape Pillar about eight leagues, in the direction of N. W. by W., When we were off this Cape it was ftark calm; but I never faw such a swell as rolled in here, nor fuch a furge as broke on each shore. I expected every moment that the wind would fpring up from its ufual quarter, and that the best which could happen to us would be to be driven many leagues up the Streight again. Contrary however to all expectation, a fine

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1765. April.

Tuesday 9.

fine steady gale sprung up at S. E. to which I spread all the fail that it was poffible for the fhip to bear, and ran off from this frightful and defolate coaft at the rate of nine miles an hour; fo that by eight o'clock in the evening we had left it twenty leagues behind us. And now to make the ship as stiff as poffible, I knocked down our after bulk-head, and got two of the boats under the half-deck, I also placed my twelve oared cutter under the boom; fo that we had nothing upon the fkids but the jolly boat; and the alteration which this made in the veffel is inconceivable: for the weight of the boats upon the fkids made her crank, and in a great fea they were alfo in danger of being loft.

It is probable, that whoever shall read this account of the difficulties and dangers which attended our passage through the Streight of Magellan, will conclude, that it ought never to be attempted again; but that all ships which shall hereafter fail a western course from Europe into the fouth Seas ought to go round Cape Horn. I, however, who have been twice round Cape Horn, am of a different opinion. I think that at a proper season of the year, not only a fingle vessel, but a large fquadron might pass the Streight in less than three weeks; and I think, to take the proper season, they fhould be at the eastern entrance fome time in the month of December. One great advantage of this paffage, is the facility with which fish is almost every where to be procured, with wild celery, fcurvy-grafs, berries, and many other vegetables in great abundance; for to this I impute the healthinefs of my fhip's company, not a fingle man being affected with the fcurvy in the flighteft degree, nor upon the fick lift for any other diforder, notwithstanding the hardship and labour which they endured in the paffage, which cost us feven weeks and two days, as we entered

1765.

April..

the Streight on Sunday the 17th of February, and quitted it on Tuesday the 9th of April. Wood and water are also to be procured almost at every anchoring-place beyond Fresh Tuesday 9. Water Bay. Our fufferings I impute wholly to our paffing the Streight just as the fun approached the equinox, when, in this high latitude, the worst weather was to be expected; and indeed the weather we had was dreadful beyond all description.

CHA P.

1765. April.

Friday 26.

CHAP. VII.

The Run from the Western Entrance of the Streight of
Magellan, to the Islands of Disappointment.

H

AVING cleared the Streight, we pursued our course

to the westward, as appears by the track in the chart, till Friday, April the 26th, when we discovered the island of Mafafuero, bearing W. N. W. W. diftant about fixteen leagues; but as to the northward it was hazey, the island of Don Juan Fernandes was not in fight. During this run, the variation had gradually decreased from 22° to 9° 36′ E.

We bore away for Mafafuero, and at fun-fet, being within about feven leagues of it, we brought to, and afterwards Saturday 27. kept the wind all night. At day-break the next day, we bore away again for the island, at the same time sending an officer, with a boat from each ship, to found the eastern fide of it. About noon, the middle of the island bore W. diftant about three miles, and as I faw the boats run along the shore, without being able to land any where for the surf, I bore down to the north part of the island, off which a reef runs for the distance of about two miles, and lay by for them. This island is very high, and the greater part of it is covered with wood; but towards the north end, where I lay, fome spots feemed to have been cleared, upon which great numbers of goats were feeding, and they had a green and pleasant appearance. When the boats returned, the

officer informed me that he had found a bank, on the east fide of the ifland nearest to the fouth point, at a confiderable distance from the fhore, where we might anchor, and oppofite

6

pofite to which there was a fine fall of fresh water; but near the north point, he faid, he could find no anchorage. The boats brought off a great quantity of very fine fish, which they had caught with hook and line near the fhore; and as foon as we had taken them on board, which was late in the afternoon, we made fail, and worked to windward in the night.

1765.

April.

Saturday 27..

At feven o'clock in the morning, we anchored with the Sunday 28. fmall bower, on the bank which the boats had discovered, in twenty-four fathom, with black fandy ground. The extream points bore from S. to N. W. and the fall of water bore S. S. W. diftant about a mile from the fhip's ftation. This part of the island lies north and fouth, and is about four miles long: the foundings are very regular, from twenty to fifteen fathom, within two cables' length of the shore. Soon after we were come to an anchor, I fent out the boats to en-deavour to get fome wood and water, but as I observed the fhore to be rocky, and a furf to break with great violenceupon it, I ordered all the men to put on cork jackets, which had been fent with us to be made use of upon fuch occafions. By the help of thefe jackets, which not only affifted the men in swimming, but prevented their being bruised against the rocks, we got off a confiderable quantity of water and wood, which, without fuch affiftance, we could not have done : there was, however, another fpecies of danger here, against which cork jackets afforded no defence, for the fea abounded with fharks of an enormous fize, which, when they faw a man in the water, would dart into the very furf to feize him: our people, however, happily escaped them, though. they were many times very near: one of them, which was upwards of twenty feet long, came clofe to one of the boats that was watering, and having seized a large seal, instantly devoured it at one mouthful; and I myfelf faw another:

of