rocks which encompass it, deprived great part of it, even on this day, of the meridian sun. The outer harbour is not quite free from this inconvenience, but far more so than the other; it is also rather more commodious, and equally safe. It lies in the direction of north, a mile and a half distant from the east end of Burnt Island. I likewise found a good anchoringplace a little to the west of this harbour, before a stream of water that comes out of a lake or large reservoir, which is continually supplied by a cascade falling into it.

Leaving this place, we proceeded along the shore to the westward, and found other harbours, which I had not time to look into. In all of them is fresh water, and wood for fuel; but except these little tufts of bushes, the whole country is a barren rock, doomed by nature to everlasting sterility. The low islands, and even some of the higher, which lie scattered up and down the sound, are indeed mostly covered with shrubs and herbage, the soil a black rotten turf, evidently composed, by length of time, of decayed vegetables. I had an opportunity to verify what we had observed at sea; that the sea-coast is composed of a number of large and small islands, and that the numerous inlets are formed by the junction of several channels,—at least so it is here. On one of these low islands we found several huts which had lately been inhabited; and near them was a good deal of celery, with which we loaded our boat, and returned on board at seven o'clock in the evening. In this expedition we met with little game; one duck, three or four shags, and about that number of rails or sea-pies, being all we got. The other boat returned on board some hours before; having found two harbours on the west side of the other channel, the one large and the other small, but both of them safe and commodious; though, by the sketch Mr. Pickersgill had taken of them, the access to both appeared rather intricate. I was now told of a melancholy accident which had befallen one of our marines. He had not been seen since eleven or twelve o'clock the preceding night. It was supposed that he had fallen overboard out of the head, where he had been last seen, and was drowned.

Having fine pleasant weather on the 23d, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill in the cutter to explore the east side of the sound, and went myself in the pinnace to the west side, with an intent to go round the island, under which we were at anchor (and which I shall distinguish by the name of Shag Island), in order to view the passage leading to the harbours Mr. Pickersgill had discovered the day before, on which I made the following observations. In coming from sea, leave all the rocks and islands, lying off and within York Minster, on your larboard side; and the black rock, which lies off the south end of Shag Island, on your starboard; and when abreast of the south end of that island, haul over for the west shore, taking care to avoid the beds of weeds you will see before you, as they always grow on rocks; some of which I have found twelve fathoms under water, but it is always best to keep clear of them. The entrance to the large harbour, or Port Clerke, is just to the north of some low rocks lying off a point on Shag Island. This harbour lies in W. by S., a mile and a half, and hath in it from twelve to twenty-four fathoms depth, wood, and fresh water. About a mile without, or to the southward of Port Clerke, is, or seemed to be, another which I did not examine. It is formed by a large island, which covers it from the south and east winds. Without this island, that is, between it and York Minster, the sea seemed strewed with islets, rocks, and breakers. In proceeding round the south end of Shag Island, we observed the shags to breed in vast numbers in the cliffs of the rocks. Some of the old ones we shot, but could not come at the young ones, which are by far the best eating. On the east side of the island we saw some geese; and having with difficulty landed, we killed three, which at this time was a valuable acquisition.

About seven in the evening we got on board, where Mr. Pickersgill had arrived but just before. He informed me that the land opposite to our station was an island, which he had been round; that, on another, more to the north, he found many terns' eggs, and that without the great island, between it and the east head, lay a cove in which were many geese; one only of which he got, besides some young goslins. This information of Mr. Pickersgill induced me to make up two shooting parties next day; Mr. Pickersgill and his associates going in the cutter, and myself and the botanists in the pinnace. Mr. Pickersgill went by the N.E. side of the large island above mentioned, which obtained the name of Goose Island; and I went by the S.W. side. As soon as we got under the island, we found plenty of shags

in the cliffs, but, without staying to spend our time and shot upon these, we proceeded on, and presently found sport enough; for in the south of the island were abundance of geese. It happened to be the moulting season, and most of them were on shore for that purpose, and could not fly. There being a great surf, we found great difficulty in landing, and very bad climbing over the rocks when we were landed; so that hundreds of the geese escaped us, some into the sea, and others up into the island. We, however, by one means or other, got sixty-two; with which we returned on board, all heartily tired; but the acquisition we had made overbalanced every other consideration, and we sat down with a good appetite to supper, on part of what the preceding day had produced. Mr. Pickersgill and his associates had got on board some time before us, with fourteen geese; so that I was able to make distribution to the whole crew, which was the more acceptable, on account of the approaching festival; for, had not Providence thus singularly provided for us, our Christmas cheer must have been salt beef and pork.

I now learnt that a number of the natives, in nine canoes, had been alongside the ship, and some on board. Little address was required to persuade them to either; for they seemed to be well enough acquainted with Europeans, and had amongst them some of their knives. The next morning, the 25th, they made us another visit. I found them to be of the same nation I had formerly seen in Success Bay; and the same which M. de Bougainville distinguishes by the name of Pecheras, a word which these had on every occasion in their mouths. They are a little, ugly, half-starved, beardless race: I saw not a tall person amongst them. They were almost naked; their clothing was a seal-skin; some had two or three sewed together, so as to make a cloak which reached to the knees; but the most of them had only one skin, hardly large enough to cover their shoulders, and all their lower parts were quite naked. The women, I was told, cover their nakedness with a flap of a sealskin, but in other respects are clothed like the men. They, as well as the children, remained in the canoes. I saw two young children at the breast entirely naked; thus they are inured from their infancy to cold and hardships. They had with them bows and arrows, and darts, or rather harpoons, made of bone, and fitted to a staff. I suppose they were intended to kill seals and fish; they may also kill whales with them, as the Esquimaux do. I know not if they resemble them in their love of train-oil; but they, and everything they had, smelt most intolerably of it. I ordered them some biscuit, but did not observe them so fond of it as I had been told. They were much better pleased when I gave them some medals, knives, &c. The women and children, as before observed, remained in the canoes. These were made of bark; and in each was a fire, over which the poor creatures huddled themselves. I cannot suppose that they carry a fire in their canoes for this purpose only; but rather that it may be always ready to remove ashore wherever they land; for let their method of obtaining fire be what it may, they cannot be always sure of finding dry fuel that will kindle from a spark. They likewise carry in their canoes large seal hides, which I judged were to shelter them when at sea, and to serve as covering to their huts on shore; and occasionally to be used for sails. They all retired before dinner, and did not wait to partake of our Christmas cheer. Indeed I believe no one invited them, and for good reasons; for their dirty persons, and the stench they carried about them, were enough to spoil the appetite of any European; and that would have been a real disappointment, as we had not experienced such fare for some time. Roast and boiled geese, goose-pie, &c. was a treat little known to us; and we had yet some Madeira wine left, which was the only article of our provision that was mended by keeping. So that our friends in England did not, perhaps, celebrate Christmas more cheerfully than we did.

On the 26th, little wind, next to a calm, and fair weather, except in the morning, when we had some showers of rain. In the evening, when it was cold, the natives made us another visit; and it being distressing to see them stand trembling and naked on the deck, I could do no less than to give them some baize and old canvas to cover themselves. Having already completed our water, on the 27th I ordered the wood, tent, and observatory to be got on board; and, as this was work for the day, a party of us went in two boats to shoot geese, the weather being fine and pleasant. We proceeded round by the south side of Goose Island, and picked up in all thirty-one. On the east side of the island, to the north

of the east point, is good anchorage, in seventeen fathoms water, where it is entirely landlocked. This is a good place for ships to lie in that are bound to the west. On the north side of this isle I observed three fine coves, in which were both wood and water; but it being near night, I had no time to sound them; though I doubt not there is anchorage. The way to come at them is by the west end of the island.

When I returned on board, I found everything got off the shore, and the launch in; so that we now only waited for a wind to put to sea. The festival, which we celebrated at this place, occasioned my giving it the name of Christmas Sound. The entrance, which is three leagues wide, is situated in the latitude of 55° 27′ S., longitude 70° 16′ W.; and in the direction of N. 37° W. from St. Ildefonso Isles, distant ten leagues. These isles are the best land-mark for finding the sound. York Minster, which is the only remarkable land about it, will hardly be known by a stranger from any description that can be given of it, because it alters its appearance according to the different situations it is viewed from. Besides the black rock, which lies off the end of Shag Island, there is another about midway between this and the east shore. A copious description of this sound is unnecessary, as few would be benefited by it. The sketch which accompanies this journal will be a sufficient guide for such ships as chance may bring hither. Anchorage, tufts of wood, and fresh water, will be found in all the coves and harbours. I would advise no one to anchor very near the shore for the sake of having a moderate depth of water; because there I generally found a rocky bottom.

The refreshments to be got here are precarious, as they consist chiefly of wild-fowl, and may probably never be found in such plenty as to supply the crew of a ship; and fish, so far as we can judge, are scarce. Indeed the plenty of wild-fowl made us pay less attention to fishing. Here are however plenty of muscles, not very large, but well tasted; and very good celery is to be met with on several of the low islets, and where the natives have their habitations. The wild-fowl are geese, ducks, sea-pies, shags, and that kind of gull so often mentioned in this journal under the name of Port Egmont hen. Here is a kind of duck,

called by our people race-horses, on account of the great swiftness with which they run on the water; for they cannot fly, the wings being too short to support the body in the air. This bird is at the Falkland Islands, as appears by Pernety's journal. The geese too are there, and seem to be very well described under the name of bustards. They are much smaller than our English tame geese, but eat as well as any I ever tasted. They have short black bills and yellow feet. The gander is all white; the female is spotted black and white, or grey with a large white spot on each wing. Besides the bird above mentioned, here are several other aquatic, and some land ones; but of the latter not many.

From the knowledge which the inhabitants seem to have of Europeans, we may suppose that they do not live here continually, but retire to the north during the winter. I have often wondered that these people do not clothe themselves better, since nature has certainly provided materials. They might line their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic birds; they might make their cloaks larger, and employ the same skins for other parts of clothing; for I cannot suppose they are scarce with them. They were ready enough to part with those they had to our people; which they hardly would have done, had they not known where to have got more. In short, of all the nations I have seen, the Pecheras are the most wretched. They are doomed to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the world, without having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such conveniences as may render life in some measure more comfortable.

Barren as this country is, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and gave sufficient employment to Mr. Forster and his party. The tree which produceth the Winter's bark is found here in the woods, as is the holly-leaved berberry, and some other sorts which I know not, but I believe are common in the Straits of Magalhaens. We found plenty of a berry which we called the cranberry, because they are nearly of the same colour, size, and shape. It grows on a bushy plant, has a bitterish taste, rather insipid; but may be eaten either raw or in tarts, and is used as food by the natives.

CHAPTER III.-RANGE FROM CHRISTMAS SOUND, ROUND CAPE HORN, THROUGH STRAIT LE MAIRE, AND ROUND STATEN LAND; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF A HARBOUR IN THAT ISLAND, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE COASTS.

AT four o'clock in the morning on the 28th we began to unmoor; and at eight weighed and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N.W. which afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon the east point of the sound (Point Nativity) bore N. 142 W. distant one and a half leagues, and St. Ildefonso Isles S.E. S., distant seven leagues. The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S.; but the weather being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct.

We continued to steer S.E. by E. and E.S.E., with a fresh breeze at W.N.W., till four o'clock P.M., when we hauled to the South, in order to have a nearer view of St. Ildefonso Isles. At this time we were abreast of an inlet, which lies E.S.E. about seven leagues from the sound; but it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction. At the west point of the inlet are two high peaked hills; and below them to the E. two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction of N.E. and S.W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to the west of this; indeed, the coast appeared indented and broken as usual. o'clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight of Ildefonso Isles. of islands and rocks above water, situated above six leagues from the latitude of 55° 53" S., longitude 69° 41′′ W.

At half-past five They are a group main, and in the

We now resumed our course to the east; and, at sunset, the most advanced land bore S.E. by E. E.; and a point, which I judged to be the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80° E., six leagues distant. In some charts, this point is called false Cape Horn, as being the southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55° 39′ S. From the inlet above men

* See Pernety's Journal, p. 244 and P. 213.

tioned to this false cape, the direction of the coast is nearly E., half a point S., distant fourteen or fifteen leagues. At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making short boards under the topsails, and, at three next morning, made sail and steered S.E. by S. with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather somewhat hazy. At this time, the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended from N. by E. to N. E.; and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E. by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is known at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the W.N.W. shows a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will always distinguish the one from the other. At half-past seven, we passed this famous cape, and entered the Southern Atlantic Ocean. It is the very same point of land I took for the cape when I passed it in 1769, which at that time I was doubtful of. It is the most southern extremity on a group of islands of unequal extent, lying before Nassau Bay, known by the name of Hermite Islands, and is situated in the latitude of 55° 58′, and in the longitude of 68° 13′ west, according to the observations made of it in 1769. But the observations which we had in Christmas Sound, and reduced to the cape by the watch, and others which we had afterwards, and reduced back to it by the same means, place it in 67° 19′. It is most probable that a mean between the two, viz. 67° 46′, will be nearest the truth. On the N.W. side of the cape are two peaked rocks like sugarloaves. They lie N.W. by N. and S.E. by S., by compass, of each other. Some other straggling low rocks lie west of the cape, and one south of it; but they are all near the shore. From Christmas Sound to Cape Horn, the course is E.S.E. E., distant thirty-one leagues. In the direction of E.N.E., three leagues from Cape Horn, is a rocky point, which I called Mistaken Cape, and is the southern point of the easternmost of Hermite Isles. Between these two capes there seemed to be a passage directly into Nassau Bay; some small isles were seen in the passage; and the coast, on the west side, had the appearance of forming good bays or harbours. In some charts, Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island. This was neither confirmed nor can it be contradicted by us ; for several breakers appeared in the coast, both to the east and west of it; and the hazy weather rendered every object indistinct. The summits of some of the hills were rocky, but the sides and valleys seemed covered with a green turf, and wooded in tufts.

From Cape Horn we steered E. by N. & N. which direction carried us without the rocks that lie off Mistaken Cape. These rocks are white with the dung of fowls; and vast numbers were seen about them. After passing them, we steered N.E. E. and N.E. for Strait Le Maire, with a view of looking into Success Bay, to see if there were any traces of the Adventure having been there. At eight o'clock in the evening, drawing near the strait, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind. At this time the Sugarloaf on Terra del Fuego bore N. 33° W.; the point of Success Bay, just open of the cape of the same name, bearing N. 20° E.; and Staten Land, extending from N. 53° E. to 67° E. Soon after, the wind died away, and we had light airs and calms by turns till near noon the next day; during which time we were driven by the current over to Staten Land.

The calm being succeeded by a light breeze at N.N.W. we stood over for Success Bay, assisted by the currents, which set to the north. Before this, we had hoisted our colours, and fired two guns; and soon after, saw a smoke rise out of the woods, above the south point of the bay; which I judged was made by the natives, as it was at the place where they resided when I was here in 1769. As soon as we got off the bay, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill to see if any traces remained of the Adventure having been there lately; and in the mean time we stood on and off with the ship. At two o'clock, the current turned and set to the south; and Mr. Pickersgill informed me when he returned, that it was falling water on shore; which was contrary to what I had observed when I was here before; for I thought then that the flood came from the north. Mr. Pickersgill saw not the least signs of any ship having been there lately. I had inscribed our ship's name on a card, which he nailed to a tree at the place where the Endeavour watered. This was done with a view of giving Captain Furneaux some information, in case he should be behind us and put in here. On Mr. Pickersgill's landing, he was courteously received by several of the natives, who were clothed in guanicoe and seal-skins, and had on their arms bracelets, made of silver wire, and wrought not unlike the hilt of a sword, being no doubt the manufacture of some