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that a crust of ice, about the thickness of a dollar, had been
formed in all parts of the harbour. The water at our anchorage
being fresh at half-tide, was, no doubt, in favour of this rapid
congelation. Lieutenant Skyring having completed the examination
of the harbour, we left it and steered between St. Xavier
Island and the mainland, through a fine bold channel, nearly
four miles wide, with a depth of more than thirty fathoms.
The land on both sides is closely wooded, and rises into high
mountains. About dusk we stood into Port Xavier, a little
bight, with a sandy beach, on the eastern side of the island ;
and, at a distance of two cables’ length from the beach, anchored
for the night in seventeen fathoms.
“ (26th). This sandy beach extended about half a mile between
the points of the bay, and, at fifty yards from the water,
was bounded by thick woodland, which rose with a rapid ascent
to the height of a thousand feet. The trees were like those in
the neighbourhood of Port Otway, and were stout and well-
grown. A tree, large enough for a frigate’s topmast, might be
selected close to the shore. The Winter’s-hark tree attains here a
greater size than I had before seen. One, which was felled by our
wood-cutters, measured eighty-seven feet in length, and was
three feet five inches in circumference. All the trees were in full
foliage and verdure, though the season corresponded to the latter
part of November in our northern latitudes. At the south
end of the sandy beach was a stream of fresh water, several
yards in width, and various waterfalls descended from the mountains.
The shore to the southward was composed of fragments
of granite, lying at the base of a lead-coloured clay cliff, at
least three hundred feet in height. In this cliff the mountain-
torrents had formed deep chasms, and strewed the beach
with its débris, and with uprooted timber. The only living
creatures seen were steamer-ducks, king-fishers, and turkey-
buzzards.
“ While on shore, I received a melancholy message, announcing
the death of Serjeant Lindsey, of the Royal Marines.
During the last few days he had suffered from inflammation
of the bowels, which brought his existence to a close.
May 1828.
“ The following day (27th) a grave was dug, and we discharged
the last sad duties to our departed shipmate. A wooden
cross w'as erected at the head of his grave, on which was an
inscription to his memory: we also named the south point of
the bay after him. About noon we left Port Xavier, and coasted
the island, at the mean distance of a mile, examining it for
anchorages, until, after a run of eight miles, we reached its
south point. For the first four or five miles of that distance,
the coast of the island consisted of a high steep cliff', having at
its base a narrow beach, composed of various-sized masses of
rock. In the interior there were heights, rising twelve or fourteen
hundred feet, wooded nearly to the summits, with many
streams of water descending from them ; but for the remainder
of the distance the coast was low, and the wood stunted and
scanty. All along the shore rolled a heavy surf, that would
have rendered any attempt to land exceedingly hazardous;
there was no place lit for anchorage, except a small bight, near
the extreme south point, into which we stood, and with some
difficulty succeeded in anchoring at a cable’s length from the
shore. The bay proved to be that called by the Spanish missionary
voyagers ‘ Ygnacio Bay.’ Over the south point,—a narrow
tongue of land, about five hundred yards across, with
rocks and breakers stretching off shore, to the distance of two
miles,—we took bearings and angles to various fixed points in
the northern part of the gulf. The latitude, Chronometrie differences
of longitude, and magnetic variation, were determined
on shore at this southern point.
“ Our observations being completed, we left this anchorage;
and as it is little likely to be visited again, it will be enough to
say that it is exceedingly dangerous. Nothing would have
induced me to enter it, but the duty of examining the coast for
anchorage, and the danger of remaining under sail close to an
unexplored shore.
“ Under an impression that the island of St. Xavier* was the
Xavier s Island is certainly the Montrose Island of B yron’s N a rra tive.
The Wager was lost, as will be seen, moi-e to the southward, on the
Guaianeco islands.
vol. I. XT