1765. We steered S. S. W. with little wind, along the February. fhore from Point Shutup towards Cape Forward; and Tuef. 26. Wedn. 27. about three o'clock in the afternoon we passed by the French fhip, which we faw in a little cove, about two leagues to the fouthward of Point Shutup. She had hauled her stern close into the woods, and we could fee large piles of the wood which she had cut down, lying on each fide of her; so that I made no doubt of her having been sent out to procure that necessary for their new fettlement, though I could not conceive why they should have come so far into the Streight for that purpose. After my return to England, I learnt that this veffel was the Eagle, commanded by M. Bougainville, and that her business in the Streight was, as I conjectured, to cut wood, for the French fettlement in Falkland's Islands. From Cape Shutup to Cape Forward the course by the compass is S. W. by S. and the diftance is feven leagues. At eight o'clock in the evening, Cape Forward bore N. W. W. and was diftant about a mile, and we brought to for the night. This part of the Streight is about eight miles over, and off the Cape we had forty fathom within half a cable's length of the shore. About four o'clock in the morning we made fail; and at eight, having had light airs almost quite round the compass, Cape Forward bore N. E. by E. diftant about four miles; and Cape Holland W. Ń. W. W. diftant about five leagues. At ten we had fresh gales at W. N. W. and at intervals fudden fqualls, fo violent as to oblige us to clew all up every time they came on. We kept however working to windward, and looking out for an anchoring-place, endeavouring at the fame time to reach a bay about two leagues to the weftward of Cape Forward. At five o'clock I fent a boat with an officer into this bay to found, who finding it fit for our purpose, we entered it, and about fix o'clock anchored in nine fathom: Cape Forward bore E. S. diftant five miles; a small island which lies in the middle of the bay, and is about a mile diftant from the fhore, W. by S. diftant about half a mile; and a rivulet of fresh water N. W. by W. diftant three quarters of a mile. At fix o'clock the next morning, we weighed and continued our courfe through the Streight: from Cape Cape Holland to Cape Gallant, which are diftant about 1765. February. eight leagues, the coaft lies W. S. by the compass: Cape Gallant is very high and steep, and between this and Cape Holland lies a reach about three leagues over, called English Reach. Above five miles fouth of Cape Gallant lies a large ifland, called Charles's Ifland, which it is neceffary to keep to the northward of: we failed along the North shore of it, at about two miles distance, and fometimes much lefs. A little to the eastward of Cape Holland is a fair fandy bay, called Wood's Bay, in which there is good anchoring. The mountains on each fide the Streight are, I think, higher, and of a more defolate appearance, than any other in the world; except perhaps the Cordeliers, both being rude, craggy and steep, and covered with fnow from the top to the bottom. From Cape Gallant to Paffage Point, which are diftant about three leagues, the coaft lies W. by N. by the compass. Paffage Point is the east point of Elizabeth's bay, and is low land, with a rock lying off it. Between this and Cape Gallant there are several islands, some of them are very fmall: but the eastermoft, which is Charles's Ifland, that has been just mentioned, is two leagues long; the next is called Monmouth's Ifland, and the weftermoft, Rupert's Ifland: Rupert's Inland lies S. by E. of Point Paffage. These iflands make the Streight narrow; between Point Paffage and Rupert's Inland it is not more than two miles over, and it is neceffary to go to the northward of them all, keeping the North fhore on board: we failed within two cables length of it, and had no ground within forty fathom. At fix in the evening the wind shifted to the weftward, upon which we stood in for Elizabeth's Bay, and anchored in ten fathom with very good ground; the best anchoring however is in thirteen fathom, for there was but three or four fathom about a cable's length within us. In this Bay there is a good rivulet of fresh water We found the flood here fet very strong to the eastward; and according to our calculation, it flows at the full and change of the moon about twelve o'clock. We found the variation two points easterly. 1765. February. At two o'clock in the afternoon of Thurfday the 28th, the wind being between the N. W. and W. Thurf, 28 with fresh gales and fqualls, we made the signal to weigh, and just as we had got the ship over the anchor, a violent guft brought it home; the ship immediately drove into a fhoal water, within two cables length of the fhore, upon which we let go the fmall bower in four fathom, and had but three fathom under our ftern: the ftream anchor was carried out with all poffible expedition, and by applying a purchase to the capftern, the ship was drawn towards it: we then heaved up both the bower anchors, flipt the stream cable, and with the gibb and stay-fails ran out into ten fathom, and anchored with the best bower exactly in the fituation from which we had been driven. March. At five o'clock the next morning, the wind being Friday 1. northerly, and the weather moderate, we weighed again, and at feven paffed Muscle Bay, which lies on the southern fhore, about a league to the weftward of Elizabeth's Bay. At eight, we were a-breast of Bachelor's River, which is on the north fhore, about two leagues W. by N. from Elizabeth's Bay. At nine, we paffed St. Jerom's Sound, the entrance of which is about a league from Bachelor's River : when St. Jerom's Sound was open, it bore N. W. We then steered W. S. W. by the compafs for Cape Quod, which is three leagues distant from the southermoft point of the Sound. Between Elizabeth's Bay, and Cape Quod, is a reach about four miles over, called Crooked Reach. At the entrance of Jerom's Sound, on the north fide, we faw three or four fires, and, foon afterwards, perceived two or three canoes paddling after us. At noon, Cape Quod bore W. S. W. W. diftant four or five miles, and foon after, having light airs and calms, we drove to the eastward with the flood tide; in the mean time the canoes came up, and after having paddled about us fome time, one of them had the refolution to come on board. The canoe was of bark, very ill made, and the people on board, which were four men, two women, and a boy, were the poorest wretches I had ever seen. They were all naked, except a stinking feal skin that was thrown loosely over their fhoulders; they were armed, however, with bows and arrows, which they readily gave me in return for a few beads, 1765. March. At five o'clock, in the morning of the 2d, we weigh- Saturd. 2. ed and towed with the tide, but at ten, having no wind, and finding that we drove again to the eastward, we anchored, with the ftream anchor in fifteen fathom, upon a bank which lies about half a mile from the north fhore: after veering about two-thirds of a cable, we had five and forty fathom along-fide, and still deeper water at a little distance. The fouth point of Saint Jerom's Sound bore N. N. E. diftant two miles, and Cape Quod W. S. W. diftant about eight miles. From the fouth point of Saint Jerom's Sound, to Cape Quod, is three leagues, in the direction of S. W. by W. The tides in this reach are exceedingly ftrong, though very irregular: We found them fet to the eastward from nine o'clock in the morning till five o'clock the next morning, and the other four hours, from five to nine, they fet to the weftward. At twelve o'clock at March. Sunday 3. 1765 night, it began to blow very hard at W. N. W. and at two in the morning, the fhip drove off the bank: we immediately hove the anchor up, and found both the flukes broken off: till three o'clock we had no ground, and then we drove into fixteen fathom, at the entrance of Saint Jerom's Sound; as it ftill blew a ftorm, we immediately let go the best bower, and veered to half a cable. The anchor brought the fhip up at fo critical a moment, that we had but five fathom, and even that depth was among breakers. We let go the small bower under foot, and at five, finding the tide set to the weftward, and the weather more moderate, we got up both the anchors, and kept working to windward. At ten, we found the tide fetting again ftrongly to the eastward, and therefore fent the boat back to feek for an anchoring place, which the found in a bay on the north fhore, about four miles to the eastward of Cape Quod, and a little way within fome fmall iflands: we endeavoured to get into this bay, but the tide rushed out of it with fuch violence, that we found it impoffible, and at noon bore away for York Road, at the entrance of Bachelor's River, where we anchored about an hour afterwards. At fix o'clock the next morning, we weighed, and worked with the tide, which fet the fame as the day before, but we could not gain an anchoring-place, fo that at noon we bore away for York Road again. I took this opportunity to go up Bachelor's River in my jolly boat, as high as I could, which was about four miles in fome places I found it very wide and deep, and the water was good, but near the mouth it is fo fhallow at low water, that even a fmall boat cannot get into it. At fix o'clock on the 5th, we weighed again, and at eight it being stark calm, we fent the boats a-head to tow; at eleven,however, the tide set so strong from the weftward, that we could not gain the bay on the north fhore, which the boat had found for us on the 4th, and which was an excellent harbour, fit to receive five or fix fail; we were therefore obliged to anchor upon a bank, in forty-five fathom, with the ftream anchor, Cape Quod bearing W. S. W. diftant five or fix miles, the fouth point of the island that lies to the east |