Europeans. They were the same kind of people we had seen in Christmas Sound; and, like them, repeated the word Pechera on every occasion. One man spoke much to Mr. Pickersgill, pointing first to the ship and then to the bay, as if he wanted her to come in. Mr. Pickersgill said the bay was full of whales and seals; and we had observed the same in the strait, especially on the Terra del Fuego side, where the whales, in particular, are exceedingly numerous.

As soon as the boat was hoisted in, which was not till near six o'clock, we made sail to the east, with a fine breeze at north. For since we had explored the south coast of Terra del Fuego, I resolved to do the same by Staten Land; which I believed to have been as little known as the former. At nine o'clock the wind freshening, and veering to N.W. we tacked, and stood to S. W. in order to spend the night, which proved none of the best, being stormy and hazy, with rain. Next morning, at three o'clock, we bore up for the east end of Staten Land, which, at half-past four, bore S. 60° E. the west end S. 2° E. and the land of Terra del Fuego S. 40° W. Soon after I had taken these bearings, the land was again obscured in a thick haze, and we were obliged to make way, as it were, in the dark; for it was but now and then we got a sight of the coast. As we advanced to the east, we perceived several islands, of unequal extent, lying off the land. There seemed to be a clear passage between the easternmost and the one next to it, to the west. I would gladly have gone through this passage, and anchored under one of the islands, to have waited for better weather; for on sounding we found only twenty-nine fathoms water; but when I considered that this was running to leeward in the dark, I chose to keep without the islands, and accordingly hauled off to the north. At eight o'clock we were abreast of the most eastern isle, distant from it about two miles, and had the same depth of water as before. I now shortened sail to the three topsails, to wait for clear weather; for the fog was so thick that we could see no other land than this island. After waiting an hour, and the weather not clearing up, we bore, and hauled round the east end of the island, for the sake of smooth water and anchorage, if it should be necessary. In hauling round, we found a strong race of a current, like unto broken water; but we had no less than nineteen fathoms. We also saw on the island abundance of seals and birds. This was a temptation too great for people in our situation to withstand, to whom fresh provisions of any kind were acceptable; and determined me to anchor, in order that we might taste of what we now only saw at a distance. At length, after making a few boards, fishing, as it were, for the best ground, we anchored in twentyone fathoms water, a stony bottom, about a mile from the island, which extended from N. 18° E. to N. 55° W.; and soon after, the weather clearing up, we saw Cape St. John, or the east end of Staten Land, bearing S. 75° E., distant four leagues. We were sheltered from the south wind by Staten Land, and from the north wind by the island; the other isles lay to the west, and secured us from that wind; but beside being open to the N.E. and E., we also lay exposed to the N.N.W. winds. This might have been avoided by anchoring more to the west; but I made choice of my situation for two reasons: first, to be near the island we intended to land upon; and secondly, to be able to get to sea with any wind.

After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party of men; some to kill seals, others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what came in our way. To find of the former, it mattered not where we landed, for the whole shore was covered with them; and, by the noise they made, one would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On landing, we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand generally known by the name of sea-bears,—at least, we gave them that name. They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to come near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many; birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on board, our boats well laden with one thing or other. Next day, being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh at, whom chance or design might

bring hither, I sent Mr. Gilbert over to Staten Land in the cutter to look for one. Appearances promised success in a place opposite the ship. I sent also two other boats for the lions &c. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after I went myself, and observed the sun's meridian altitude at the N.E. end of the island, which gave the latitude 54° 40′ 5′′ south. After shooting a few geese, some other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, &c. The old lions and bears

were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to make oil of; for, except their harslets, which were tolerable, the flesh was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs were very palatable, and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses was not much amiss; but that of the old males was abominable. In the afternoon, I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of those which yet remained dead on shore, for we had already more carcasses on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect birds. About ten o'clock Mr. Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St. John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N.E. end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these islands, is half a mile broad. The course in is S. W. by S., turning gradually to W. by S. and W. The harbour lies nearly in this last direction; is almost two miles in length; in some places near a mile broad; and hath in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for fuel; and in it are several streams of fresh water. On the islands were sea-lions, &c., and such an innumerable quantity of gulls as to darken the air when disturbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their dung. This they seemed to void in a way of defence, and it stunk worse than asafoetida, or, as it is commonly called, devil's dung. Our people also saw several geese, ducks, and race-horses, which is also a kind of duck. The day on which this port was discovered, occasioned my calling it New Year's Harbour. It would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape Horn, if its situation would permit them, to put to sea with an easterly and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is of little consequence, since these winds are never known to be of long duration. The southerly and westerly are the prevailing winds; so that a ship can never be detained long in this port.

As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d for want of wind, I sent a party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before. Towards noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved to wait till the next morning, when, at four

o'clock, we weighed with a fresh gale at N.W. by W., and stood for Cape St. John, which, at half-past six, bore N. by E., distant four or five miles. This cape, being the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary. It may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of considerable height, situated in the latitude of 54° 46' south, longitude 64° 7 west, with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it. To the westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed to divide the land; that is, to communicate with the sea to the south; and between this inlet and the cape is a bay, but I cannot say of what depth. In sailing round the cape we met with a very strong current from the south it made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it.

After getting round the cape I hauled up along the south coast; and as soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in such heavy squalls as obliged us to double reef our topsails. It afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At this time Cape St. John bore N. 20° east, distant three and a half leagues; Cape St. Bartholomew, or the S.W. point of Staten Land, S. 80° west; two high detached rocks N. 80° west; and the place where the land seemed to be divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15° west, three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54° 56′. In this situation we sounded, but had no bottom, with a line of one hundred and twenty fathoms. The calm was of very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N W., but it was too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to the N.N.E. At four o'clock the wind veered at once to S. by E., and blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and rain subsided, and the wind, returning back to the west, blew a gentle gale. All this time the current set us to the north; so that at eight o'clock, Cape St. John bore W.N.W., distant about seven leagues. I now gave over plying, and steered S.E. with a resolution to leave the land; judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general purposes of navigation and geography.

CHAPTER IV.

OBSERVATIONS, GEOGRAPHICAL AND NAUTICAL, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE ISLANDS NEAR STATEN LAND, AND THE ANIMALS FOUND IN THEM. THE annexed chart will very accurately show the direction, extent, and position of the coast along which I have sailed, either in this or my former voyage; and no more is to be expected from it *. The latitudes have been determined by the sun's meridian altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the one we sailed from Christmas Sound; which was of no consequence, as its latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67° 46′ for the longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian the longitudes of all the other parts are deduced by the watch; by which the extent of the whole must be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable that the longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the Straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made it. In order to illustrate this, and to show the situations of the neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the annexed chart of more general use, I have extended it down to 47° of latitude. But I am only answerable for the inaccuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In laying down the rest, I had recourse to the following authorities.

The longitude of Cape Virgin Mary, which is the most essential point, as it determines the length of the Straits of Magalhaens, is deduced from Lord Anson, who made 2° 3' difference of longitude between it and the Strait Le Maire. Now, as the latter lies in 65° 22′, Cape Virgin Mary must lie in 67° 52′, which is the longitude I have assigned to it, and which I have reason to think cannot be far from the truth. The Strait of Magalhaens,

*This chart, being now entirely superseded by the recent surveys of Captains King and Fitzroy, is omitted in this edition.-ED.

and the east coast of Patagonia, are laid down from the observations made by the late English and French navigators.

The position of the west coast of America, from Cape Victory northward, I have taken from the discoveries of Sarmiento, a Spanish navigator, communicated to me by Mr. Stuart, F.R.S. Falkland Islands are copied from a sketch taken from Captain M'Bride, who circumnavigated them some years ago in his Majesty's ship Jason; and their distance from the main is agreeable to the run of the Dolphin, under the command of Commodore Byron, from Cape Virgin Mary to Port Egmont, and from Port Egmont to Port Desire; both of which runs were made in a few days; consequently no material errors could happen.

The S. W. coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to inlets, islands, &c., may be compared to the coast of Norway; for I doubt, if there be an extent of three leagues where there is not an inlet or harbour which will receive and shelter the largest shipping. The worst is, that till these inlets are better known, one has, as it were, to fish for anchorage. There are several lurking rocks on the coast; but happily none of them lie far from land, the approach to which may be known by sounding, supposing the weather so obscure that you cannot see it. For to judge of the whole by the parts we have sounded, it is more than probable that there are soundings all along the coast, and for several leagues out to sea. Upon the whole, this is by no means the dangerous coast it has been represented.

Staten Land lies nearly E. by N. and W. by S., and is ten leagues long in that direction; and nowhere above three or four leagues broad. The coast is rocky, much indented, and seemed to form several bays or inlets. It shows a surface of craggy hills which spire up to a vast height, especially near the west end. Except the craggy summits of the hills, the greatest part was covered with trees and shrubs, or some sort of herbage, and there was little or no snow on it. The currents between Cape Deseada and Cape Horn set from west to east, that is, in the same direction as the coast; but they are by no means considerable. To the east of the cape their strength is much increased, and their direction is N.E. towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire, and along the south coast of Staten Land, and set like a torrent round Cape St. John; where they take a N.W. direction, and continue to run very strong both within and without New Year's Isles. While we lay at anchor within this island, I observed that the current was strongest during the flood; and that on the ebb, its strength was so much impaired, that the ship would sometimes ride head to wind when it was at west and W.N.W. This is only to be understood of the place where the ship lay at anchor; for at the very time we had a strong current setting to the westward, Mr. Gilbert found one of equal strength near the coast of Staten Land, setting to the eastward; though probably this was an eddy current or tide.

If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by the shore at this place, on the days of the new and full moon, about four o'clock. The perpendicular rise and fall is very inconsiderable, not exceeding four feet at most. In Christmas Sound it is high water at half-past two o'clock on the days of the full and change, and Mr. Wales observed it to rise and fall, on a perpendicular, three feet six inches; but this was during the neap-tides: consequently the spring-tides must rise higher. To give such an account of the tides and currents on these coasts as navigators might depend on, would require a multitude of observations, and in different places, the making of which would be a work of time. I confess myself unprovided with materials for such a task, and believe, that the less I say on this subject the fewer mistakes I shall make. But I think I have been able to observe, that in Strait Le Maire, the southerly tide or current, be it flood or ebb, begins to act, on the days of new and full moon, about four o'clock, which remark may be of use to ships who pass the strait. Were I bound round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood of water, or anything that might make it necessary to put into port, I would not come near the land at all. For by keeping out at sea, you avoid the currents, which, I am satisfied, lose their force at ten or twelve leagues from land; and at a greater distance there is none.

During the time we were upon the coast, we had more calms than storms, and the winds so variable, that I question if a passage might not have been made from east to west in as short a time as from west to east; nor did we experience any cold weather. The mercury

in the thermometer at noon was never below 46°; and while we lay in Christmas Sound, it was generally above temperate. At this place, the variation was 23° 30′ east ; a few leagues to the S.W. of Strait Le Maire, it was 24°; and at anchor, within New Year's Isles, it was 24° 20' east. These isles are, in general, so unlike Staten Land, especially the one on which we landed, that it deserves a particular description. It shows a surface of equal height, and elevated about th ty or forty feet above the sea, from which it is defended by a rocky coast. The inner part of the isle is covered with a sort of sword-grass, very green, and of a great length. It grows on little hillocks, of two or three feet in diameter, and as many or more in height, in large tufts, which seemed to be composed of the roots of the plant matted together. Among these hillocks are a vast number of paths made by sea-bears and penguins, by which they retire into the centre of the isle. It is, nevertheless, exceedingly bad travelling; for these paths are so dirty that one is sometimes up to the knees in mire. Besides this plant, there are a few other grasses, a kind of heath, and some celery. The whole surface is moist and wet, and on the coast are several small streams of water. The sword-grass, as I call it, seems to be the same that grows in Falkland Isles, described by Bougainville as a kind of gladiolus, or rather a species of gramen*, and named by Pernety, corn-flags.

The animals found on this little spot are sea-lions, sea-bears, a variety of oceanic and some land-birds. The sea-lion is pretty well described by Pernety; though those we saw here have not such fore-feet or fins as that he has given a plate of, but such fins as that which he calls the sea-wolf. Nor did we see any of the size he speaks of; the largest not being more than twelve or fourteen feet in length, and perhaps eight or ten in circumference. They are not of that kind described, under the same name, by Lord Anson; but for aught I know, these would more properly deserve that appellation; the long hair with which the back of the head, the neck, and shoulders are covered, giving them greatly the air and appearance of a lion. The other part of the body is covered with a short hair, little longer than that of a cow or a horse, and the whole is a dark brown. The female is

not half so big as the male, and is covered with a short hair of an ash, or light dun colour. They live, as it were, in herds on the rocks, and near the sea-shore. As this was the time for engendering as well as bringing forth their young, we have seen a male with twenty or thirty females about him, and always very attentive to keep them all to himself, and beating off every other male who attempted to come into his flock. Others again had a less number; some See English translation of Bougainville, p. 51.