C H A P . III.
A particular Account of the Places in which we anchored
during our Paffage through the Streight, and o f the
Shoals and Rocks that lie near them.
HA V IN G cleared the Streight, we fleered a weftern
courfe. But before I continue the narrative o f our
voyage, I fhall give a more particular account o f the feveral
places where we anchored, plans of which are depoiited in
the Admiralty Office for the ufe o f future navigators, with
the flaoals and rocks that lie near them, the latitude, longitude,
tides, and variation o f the compafs.
I. CAPE V IR G IN M A R Y . The bay under this Cape is
a good harbour, when the wind is wefterly. There is a fhoal
lying off" the Cape, but that may eafily be known by the
rock weed that grows upon i t : the Cape is a fteep white
•cliff, not unlike the South Foreland. Its latitude, by obfer-
vation, is 52° 34' S. and its longitude, by account, 68° 22' W.
The variation of the needle, by the medium of five azimuths
and one amplitude, was 24° 30' E. In this place we faw no
appearance either of wood or water. We anchored in 10 fathom,
with coarfe fandy ground, about a mile from the
fhore, Cape Virgin Mary bearing N. by W. 4 W. diftant about
two miles, and Dungenefs Point S. S. W. diftant four miles.
We anchored here on the 17th of December, and failed the
next day. There is good landing, on a fine fandy beach, all
along the fhore.
II. POSSESSION BAY. In failing into this bay, it is rie-
ceffary to give the point a good birth, becaufe there is a reef
that
that runs right off it about a fhort mile. The foundings are
very irregular all over the bay, but the ground is every
where a fine foft mud and clay, fo that the cables can come
to no damage. The Point lies in latitude 52° 23' S., longitude,
by account, 68° 57' W .: the variation is two points eafterly.
In the bay the tide rifes and falls between four and five fathom,
and runs at the rate o f about a mile an hour; in the
mid-channel without the bay, it runs nearly three miles an
hour. In this place we faw no appearance either of wood,
or water- The landing appeared to be good, but we did not
go on fhore- We anchored here on the 19th of December,
and failed again on the 22d.
III. PO R T FAMINE. At this place, the Spaniards, in
the year 1781, built a town, which they calledPhillippeville,
and left in it a colony, confifting o f 40a perfons. When our
celebrated navigator, Cavendifh, arrived here in 1587, he
found one o f thefe unhappy wretches, the only one that remained,
upon the beach: they had all perifhed for want o f
fubfiftence, except twenty-four; twenty-three of thefe fet out
for the river Plata, and were never afterwards heard of.
This man, whofe name was Hernando, was brought to
England by Cavendifh, who called the place where he had
taken him up, Port Famine. It is a very fine bay, in which,
there is room and conveniency for many fhips to moor in.
great fafety. We moored in>nine fathom, having brought
Cape St. Anne N. E. by E. and Sedger River S. 4 W. which
perhaps is the beft fituation, though the whole bay is good
ground. Inthisplacethereisverygoodwoodingand watering-,
we caught many fine fmall fifhwith a hook and line off the
fhip’s fide, and hauled the feine with great fuccefs, in a fine
fandy bay, a little to the fouthward o f Sedger River: we alfo
fhot-a great number o f birds, of. various kinds, particularly
geefe, ducks, teal, fnipes, plover, and race-horfes, and we
7 found!