98 CALL AT EAST FALKLAND ISLAND. 



trosses^ petrels^ and shearwaters^ which I have 

 examined^ the undig'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 the}^ feed approach 

 the surface only at nig'ht. 



July StJi. — Yesterday at noon we passed close 

 to Beauchene Island, a dreary, bushless place, half 

 covered with snow. Vast numbers of pintados 

 were about, also some albatrosses, the first that 

 had made their appearance for several weeks back. 

 In hopes of reachino- an anchorag-e before dark we 

 stood in for Bull Road, East Falkland Island, but 

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

 Islands, this Avas found impracticable. The ship 

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

 several times during' the night 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. 



July 9th. — 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 Wilham, and, 



