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with tlie exception of occasional gusts down the ravines and
sounds, we had the wind light at W .S .W .; but the rapid
travelling of the scud over-head showed that the usual weather
prevailed. We weighed early next morning (SOth), and by
noon had reached so far to the westward that the easternmost
of the round islands in Cape Tamar Bight bore north about
two miles. By nightfall we were off Cape Cortado; but the
weather seeming settled and the wind drawing to tlie southward,
I resolved to keep under weigh, and try to get out to sea
that night. Circumstances favoured u s ; the weather was fine,
the moon remained unclouded, and the wind held at S.S.W.
An hour after midnight Cape Pillar bore W.S.W., distant
about two miles, and thence we shaped our course for the
Evangelists, which we passed at the distance of a mile.
“ The Evangelists, as they are called by the eai-ly Spanish
voyagers, or as they were afterwards named (1670) by Sir
John Narborough, the Isles of Direction,* are a group of four
rocky islets, and some detached rocks and breakers, occupying
altogether a space of three miles; they are exceedingly rugged
and barren, and suited only to afford a resting-place for seals
and oceanic birds. From the heavy sea prevalent there, and the
raging surf that generally breaks around, landing on them
can be rarely practicable; yet sealers effect it. The mate of a
sealing vessel told me that he had landed on the largest in a
whale-boat, and killed several thousand seals. The Evangelists
are of sufficient height to be seen in clear weather from a ship’s
deck, at the distance of six or seven leagues, but the superior
elevation of the coast on both sides will usually render it
visible, before these islands can be observed.
“ Immediately on rounding the Evangelists a cape was distinguished,
appearing to terminate the northern coast line,
which we made out to be ‘ Cape Isabel’ of the Spanish charts.
It is a steep, rocky promontory of great height, having at its
base some detached columnar masses of rock, and at its summit
a peak, and a serrated ridge ; off it is a steep-sided island,
* Because they formed a capital leading mark for the Strait of Mawhich
proved to be that (Beagle Island) of which Lieut. Skyring
and I took the bearing last year, when we were on the
summit of Cape Victory.
“ Northward of Cape Victory the land forms a deep bight,
of which Cape Santa Lucia is the north-eastern headland. The
coast in the interval is exceedingly rugged and mountainous.
Cape Santa Lucia may be distinguished by a portion of flat
table-land, about one-third of the altitude of the mountain
from which it proceeds, and terminating at its outer face with
a perpendicular precipice.
“ The coast between Capes Isabel and Santa Lucia is dangerous
to approach nearer than ten miles, for there are within
that distance many sunken rocks, on which the sea only occasionally
breaks. Some of these breakers were seen to seaward
of us, as we proceeded along the coast, at the distance of five
or six miles. When off Santa Lucia, whales were very numerous
around us.
“ The general aspect of this portion of the coast is similar to
that of the most dreai-y parts of the Magalhaenic regions: bare,
rugged, rocky, and mountainous, intersected by inlets, and
bordered by islets, rocks, and breakers.
“ The information we possessed respecting the prevalent
winds on this coast was very scanty; yet, since all we could
procure represented them as prevailing from the northward and
north-westwai-d, I considered it advisable to take advantage of
the present southerly wind to proceed to the northern part of
the coast assigned for our survey, instead of stopping to explore
the bight between Cape Isabel and Cape Santa Lucia.
“ From the bearings at sunset,* we ran along the land with
bright moonlight, sounding every hour; and at daylight were
about ten miles from the Island of Madre de Dios.
“We closed the land and proceeded to the northward, keeping
at a distance of about three miles off shore, sounding
* Beagle Island N . 71°. E., Cape Isabel N. 32°. E ., a remarkable m ountain
in the bight between Cape Santa Lucia and Cape Isabel N. 11°. AV.
Cape Santa Lucia N. 33°. AV.; distance off shore three leagues; and
soundings fifty fathoms, sandy bottom.
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