452 EXAMINE STRAIT SQUALLS.
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May 1830.
from the best guanaco country. I was not sure which was the
height Mr. Banks ascended; but the broad road mentioned
by Cook is still a good mark for the bay, if the inbend of the
land does not show it sufficiently. The weather here was colder
than we had yet found it, the wind being so much in the south
quarter; there were very sharp frosts at night, and snow lay
deep, even close to the sea water-mark.
“ May SOth. I was in hopes of finding a harbour between
Cape San Diego and Cape San Vicente, or a little farther along
the coast, where we might be able to fix the position of Cape San
Diego and the adjacent land; for I did not like sending a boat
along this coast, the tides being so very strong, and the shore so
rocky, without any inlets, where she could be secured at night.
(During Mr. Murray’s last trip, he was extremely fortunate in
having a fine interval; as the coast he passed would have
been impracticable for a boat in blowing weather. Had these
last strong southerly gales begun before he came back, his
situation would have been extremely critical.) ’We therefore
stood into the strait, the wind being variable and light with
us, though blowing strongly over the tops of the hills, and
striking the water nearest them in strong squalls. At half a
mile from the land there was little wind; hut from that distance
to the shore was torn up by williwaws. This strange
appearance must have been caused by the cold air rushing
from the snow-covered hills and displacing the warmer air near
the surface of the water.
“ With the ebb tide and what flaws of wind we could catcli
we stood to the southward, to get some angles and bearings,
and see more of the shore between Cape Good Success and the
bay. In the afternoon we had a steady wind from N.N.AV.;
and having done what was necessary, to the southward, returned,
and anchored after dark near the middle of the bay.
“ May 31st. At daylight this morning, we weighed and
made sail with a fresh northerly breeze. I trusted to the weather
improving, as the glasses were rising; but, indeed, our
time was becoming too short to allow of a choice of days. We
worked to the northward with the flood-tide, taking the required
June. DANGEROUS TIDE-RACE— SAN VICENTE. 453
angles and bearings, and at noon were close to Cape San
Diego, where the flood-tide opposed the north wind very
strongly, and in addition to a heavy swell from the northward,
made such an irregular high sea, as nearly caused the loss of
our new boat, and would have damaged many a vessel. The
weather became worse; and as the swell continued high from
the northward, I was obliged to stand to sea, and carry a press
of sail to keep off the land, which by that time was too much
obscured by haze and clouds to admit of our running back.
“ June 1st. Bad weather, with rain nearly all day. At
about twelve miles to the northward of Cape San Vicente, by
estimation, we stood off and on until in the latter part of the
day we got a breeze from south, to which sail was made to
close the land about Cape San Vicente.
“ At noon, on the 2d, we were well in-shore, and stood
along the land, looking for a harbour. Seeing a promising
place, we anchored off it, in twenty-two fathoms water ; and,
as the night proved to be fine, remained quiet in smooth
water, with the wind off the land, and a regular tide setting
past the ship.
“ At daylight next morning, I went to look at the opening,
which, from the masthead, seemed like a spacious harbour;
but I found it to be so shallow an inlet, that at its entrance,
just within the heads, there was no more than one fathom of
water. Nevertheless this cove must be the place which the Spaniards
dignified with the name of Port San Policarpo.
“ AVe weighed and sailed along-shore, but the wind being-
scant, and the tide against us, it was late before we could get
into San Vicente Bay, where we anchored in a line between
that cape and Cape San Diego, but nearest to the former. In
a cove at the head of this bay, Mr. Banks landed when Cook
was here. During the night we were tossed about by a very
heavy swell, opposing a strong tide; the wind being moderate,
not enough to steady the vessel.
“ Finding this morning (June 4th), that the swell was too
high to allow a boat to be lowered in safety, I gave up my
intention of examining the cove, and hastened hack to the Bay
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