98 CALL AT EAST FALKLAND ISLAND. 



trosses, petrels^ and shearwaters, which I have 

 exnmined, the midig'ested horny mandibles of cuttle- 

 fish, which would thus appear to constitute their 

 principal food 5 and, as all the petrel family are 

 to a certain extent nocturnal, it seems probable that 

 the small cuttlefish on which they feed approach 

 the surface only at nig'ht. 



Jidy 8th. — Yesterday at noon we passed close 

 to Beauchene Island, a dreary, bushless place, half 

 covered with snow. Yast numbers of pintados 

 were about, also some albatrosses, the first that 

 liad made their appearance for several weeks back. 

 In hopes of reaching- an anchorag'e before dark we 

 stood in for Bull lioad, East Falkland Island, but 

 after running" fourteen miles, and sig'hting- Sea-lion 

 Islands, this was found impracticable. The ship 

 was kept away to the eastward, and, after wearing- 

 several times during* the nig-ht to avoid closing- the 

 land, a course was shaped to take us to the settle- 

 ment. Passing* inside of the Seal Rocks we rounded 

 Cape Pembroke, on which is a tall beacon, and 

 anchored at dark inside the entrance to Port 

 William. 



Juli/ dth. — The thermometer fell to 18° during- 

 the nig'ht, and the water froze on the decks during* 

 the holystoning-. A cold dreary aspect was pre- 

 sented when the sun rose upon the snow-clad 

 country around, but the sig-ht of a herd of cattle 

 on shore conjured up visions of fresh beef and made 

 ample amends. We beat up Port WiUiam, and, 



