Position of Cape Garry. 245 



well inside Creswell Bay, and, being clear, I suc- 

 ceeded in getting good sights and bearings, but, 

 unfortunately, the horizon was rather hazy. Cape 

 Garry appeared to me to be placed too far to the 

 southward and eastward. It was originally laid 

 down by Parry, in 1819, nearly in its true position, 

 although he only took a bearing from some dis- 

 tance. Its removal further south appears to have 

 been due to Sir John Ross, and is certainly erro- 

 neous. I was in great hopes of landing, and had 

 everything ready to fix its position, but a reef ap- 

 pearing to run off the point and the water shoaling, 

 warned the captain of hidden dangers, and he there- 

 fore, much to my disappointment, though perhaps 

 very wisely, tacked and stood to the northward. 

 However, it would have been foolish to have acted 

 otherwise, and to risk a full ship close to what was 

 considered a reef. We got soundings about six 

 miles from Cape Garry in 30 fathoms, hard bottom, 

 no particle of any description adhering to the arming 

 of the lead. A boat was sent away to sound in the 

 direction of the cape, obtaining 25 fathoms, gra- 

 dually shoaling to four within three or four miles of 

 the land, which projects out from the cape about 

 two or three miles, forming a long, low spit. The 

 bottom appeared to be sandy, a minute portion being 

 brought on board that had been drawn up with the 

 lead. I examined it through a magnifying glass, 

 and found that it was evidently formed from sand- 



