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it moderated 1 left the Beagle, and set out in a / " t h Mi3
AVilson (mate), taking a fortnight’s provisions; I
to be again on board in less than ten days, by which time our
new boat would be finished, and Mr. Stokes, as well as Mi.
Murray, would have laid down his last w«k. My ^
to o-o eastward towards Indian Sound and Nassau Bay, but the
w e k e r soon stopped our progress, and obliged us to put into
a small cove on the west side of Point Nativity, where we
hoped to get shelter from the increasing wind, though not
from the rain, which poured down
proved to be much exposed, hut we staid there till daylight
on the following morning, when we pulled out, and round the
point to the eastward, gladly enough, for we had hem m a bad
berth during the night, exposed to wind and ram, hesMes
swell AVe ran along the land, with a moderate westerly wind,
stopped for a time near Cape Bolle, the point of land next to
AVeddeU’s ‘ Hope Island;’ and in the evening went into some
openings among the adjacent islands.
“ I7th. At daylight we set out again, and ran along-shore
with a fresh west wind, crossed the mouth of a bay which
seemed likely to afford shelter, but did not then delay to look
at it closely! Soon after noon we passed AVeddell’s ‘Leading
Hill,’ which is a very singular double-peaked height, con-
«picuous from a long distance, and remarkable m every point
of view. Between it and Black Point (a projecting craggy
rock) lies a bay or sound, which appears to extend some dista.nce
northward. This part of the coast is bad for vessels to close
with, being much broken, and having several rocky islets scattered
near i t ; but two miles off shore there is no danger.
Having found a secure cove near Leading Hill, we landed,
and the men set up our tent, while Mr. Wilson and I ascended
the heights to look round. The wind soon freshened to a
gale, and made us rejoice at having reached a sheltered place.
“ 18th. The whole of this day was lost by us, for it blew a
strong gale with continual rain. Collecting limpets and muscles—
cutting wood—and drying our clothes on one side by the
fire, while the other got wet, were our only occupations.
19th. Still a strong wind, but less rain. Between the squalls
I obtained a few sights of the sun, for time, and at noon a
tolerably good set for latitude. Being then better weather,
and likely to improve, we crossed in the boat to Leading Hill,
and from its summit took the necessary angles. It was very
cold and windy, hut we effected all that was then required.
“ SOth. Decamped very early and ran across Duff Bay,
towards Henderson Island, with a moderately fresh breeze off
the land; and as my object was to obtain a good view and a
round of angles from the summit of a height on that island, I
passed AA/eddell’s Morton Isle, Blunder Cove, &c. without
slopping, and reached the north end of Henderson Island soon
enough to get sights for time. Prom that spot we went a short
distance to a cove, where the boat might remain during my
absence on the hill, observed thfe latitude, and then ascended.
Before we were half-way up, a squall came on from S.AV. and
increased rapidly, but having ascended so far, I was not disposed
to turn back, so we pushed on and reached the summit;
yet, when there, I could not use a theodolite, on account of
the wind. Towards the east I could see a long distance, to the
farthest of the Hermite Islands; but towards the west the view
was obscured by haze; so leaving the instruments, I hastened
down to the boat and found her safe, though she had been in
great danger. By this time the wind had moderated, and before
dark we measured the distance between the morning and noon
stations : that from the latter to the summit of the hill I had
measured, when at the top, by a micrometer. We then passed
round the north end of the island, and in the dark searched the
east side for a resting-place, which after some time was found.
“ 21st. A fine clear day enabled me to make the necessary
observations, and I then went up the height and succeeded in
obtaining a distinct view of the Diego Ramirez Islands. As
this hill is distant from them between fifty and sixty miles, I
felt sure of getting a good cross bearing from the south end of
the Hermite Islands, distant from them, as I then thought,
only about forty, and thus fixing their position.
“ New ATear Sound appears to be a large body of water ex-
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