4774. ROUND THE WORLD. 163 



CHAP. II. 



TRANSACTIONS IN CHRISTMAS SOUND, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF 

 THE COUNTRY AND ITS INHABITANTS. 



1 he morning of the 21st was calm and pleasant. 

 After breakfast, I set out with two boats to look for 

 a more secure station. We no sooner got round, or 

 above the point, under which the ship lay, than we 

 found a cove in which was anchorage in thirty, twen- 

 ty, and fifteen fathoms, the bottom stones and sand. 

 At the head of the cove was a stony beach, a valley 

 covered with wood, and a stream of fresh water ; 

 so that there was every thing we could expect to find 

 in such a place, or rather more ; for we shot three 

 geese out of four that we saw, and caught some 

 young ones, which we afterwards let go. 



After discovering and sounding this cove, I sent 

 lieutenant Clerke, who commanded the other boat, 

 on board, with orders to remove the ship into this 

 place, while I proceeded farther up the inlet. I pre- 

 sently saw that the land we were under, which dis- 

 joined the two arms, as mentioned before, was an 

 island, at the north end of which the two channels 

 united. After this I hastened on board, and found 

 every thing in readiness to weigh; which was ac- 

 cordingly done, and all the boats sent a-head to tow 

 the ship round the point. But, at that moment, a 

 light breeze came in from the sea too scant to fill our 

 sails ; so that we were obliged to drop the anchor 

 again, for fear of falling upon the point, and to 

 carry out a kedge to windward. That being done, 

 we hove up the anchor, warped up to, and weighed 

 the kedge, and proceeding round the point under our 

 stay-sails, there anchored with the best bower, in 

 twenty fathoms ; and moored with the other bower, 

 which lay to the north, in thirteen fathoms. In this 



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