218 DESOLATION — SARMIENTO. Feb. 



northwards, I traced the northern shore of this sound, mile 

 by mile, leaving all islands to the southward until we entered 

 Whale-boat Sound, and I recognized Cape Desolation in the 

 distance, as well as a number of minor points which had 

 become famiUar to me during the search after our lost boat in 

 the former voyage (1830). 



Feb. 2. Having done what was necessary and attainable for 

 the purposes of the survey, we traversed Whale-boat Sound, 

 and stopped for a time at an old bivouac, used by me twice 

 before, on an islet near the east extremity of the largest Stew- 

 art Island. While the boat's crew were occupied in preparing 

 our meal, I went to Stewart Island, and from a small eminence 

 saw Mount Sarmiento quite distinctly. We next steered east- 

 ward, along the north side of the Londonderry Islands, and 

 passed the night in a narrow passage. On the 3d we got to the 

 open sea at the south side of Darwin Sound, and entered the 

 south-west arm of the Beagle Channel rather too late, for it 

 had become so dark we could distinguish no place fit to receive 

 us ; however, after much scrutiny and anxious sounding, to 

 ascertain if our boats could approach without danger of being 

 stove, we were guided by the sound of a cascade to a shel- 

 tered cove, where the beach was smooth. Excepting for the 

 novelty and excitement of exploring unknown places, however 

 uninteresting they may be, there was little in this trip worthy 

 of general notice, considering how much has already been said 

 of these unprofitable regions. Even to a professed naturalist, 

 there was scarcely anything to repay the time and trouble, as it 

 was impossible to delay long enough in any one place to give 

 time for more than a most cursory examination. 



I need hardly say that the survey of such places as were 

 visited in this hasty manner is little more than an eye-sketch, 

 corrected by frequent bearings, occasional latitudes by sun, 

 moon, or stars, and meridian distances, measured by two chro- 

 nometers, which were always kept in a large box and treated 

 very carefully. To have attempted more, to have hoped for 

 such an accurate dehneation of these shores, at present almost 

 useless to civilized man, as is absolutely necessary where ship- 



