- .1775- -ter known, one has, as it were, to fifh for anchorage. There
J l Z l L are feveral lurking rocks on the coaft; but happily none of
them lie far from land, the approach to which may be
knownby founding, fuppofing the weather fo obfcure that
you cannot fee it. For to judge of the whole by the parts
we have founded, it is more than probable that there are
foundings all along the coaft, and for feveral leagues out to
fea. Upon the whole, this is, by no means, the dangerous
coaft it has been reprefented.
Staten Land lies near E. by N. and W, by S., and is ten
leagues long in that direction; and, no where, above three
or four leagues broad. The coaft is rocky, much indented,
and feemed to form feveral bays or inlets. It fhews a fur-
face of craggy hills which fpire up to a vaft height, efpe-
cially near the weft end. Except the craggy fummits of the
hills, rhe greateft part was covered with trees and fhrubs, or
fome fort of herbage, and there was little or no fnow on it.
The currents between Cape Defeada and Cape Horn, fet from
Weft to Eaft, that is in the fame direction as the coaft ; but
they are by no means confiderable. To the Eaft of the Cape
their ftrength is much increafed, and their direction is N. E.
towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire and
along the fouth coaft of Staten Land, and fet like a torrent
round Cape St. John; where they take a N. W. direction,
and continue to run very ftrong both within and without
New Year’s Ifles. While we lay at anchor within this ifland,
1 obferved that the current was ftrongeft during the flood ;
and that, on the ebb, its ftrength was fo much impaired, that
the flujp would fometimes ride head to the wind when it was
at Weft and W. N. W. This is only to be underftood of the
place where the £hip lay at anchor; for at the very time we
had
had a ftrong current fetting to the weftward, Mr. Gilbert
found one of equal ftrength near the coaft of Staten Land '---«—
fetting to the eaftward ; though probably this was an eddy
current or tide.
If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by
the fliore at this place, on the days of the new and full
moon, about four o’clock. The perpendicular rife and fall
is very inconfiderable, not exceeding four feet at moft. In
Chriftmas Sound it is high-water at half paft two o’clock on
the days of the full and change, and Mr. Wales obferved it
to rife and fall, on a perpendicular, three feet fix inches;
but this was during the neap tides, confequently the fpring
tides muft rife higher. To give fuch an account of the tides
and currents on thefe coafts as navigators might depend on,
would require a multitude of obfervations, and in different
places, the making of which would be a work of time. I
confefs myfelf unprovided with materials for fuch a tafk;
and believe that the lefs 1 fay on this fubjedt, the fewer mif-
takes I fhall make. But I think I have been able to obferve,
that in Strait Le Maire, the foutherly tide or current, be it
flood or ebb, begins to adt on the days of new and full moon
about four o’clock, which remark may be of ufe to {hips
who pafs the Strait.
Were I bound round Cape Horn to the Weft, and not in
want of wood or water, or any other thing that might make
it neceflary to put into port, I would not come near the land
at all. For by keeping out at fea you avoid the currents,
which, I am fatisfied, lofe their force at ten or twelve leagues
from land ; and at a greater diftance there is none.
During the time we were upon the coaft, we had more
calms than ftorms, and the winds fo variable that I queftion
Vox.. II. D d if