60 GABRIEL CHANNEL. Feb. 1827. 
The rock, of course, decomposes equally on both sides ; but 
on that exposed to the south wind, it breaks off in flakes 
parallel to the direction of the strata, and therefore does not 
make the course of the beach more irregular; while on the other 
side it moulders away transversely to the direction of the dip, 
leaving holes, in which water lodges, and hastens decomposition 
by entering deeply into the interstices. Water, air, and frost 
decompose the rock, and form a soil, which, if not too much 
exposed to the wind, is soon occupied by vegetation. 
The rugged faces of the cliffs, on the southern shore, caused. 
by the rock decomposing across the grain, collect sand and 
mud; and hence it happens that anchorages are frequently 
found on one side, whilst, on the other, the anchor will not 
hold, from the steepness of the ground; there being nothing 
upon the smooth declivity to retain mud and sand before it 
gets to the bottom; which, in most cases known to me, lies far 
beyond the reach of the anchor. 
After a tedious and difficult passage through the Gabriel 
Channel, we anchored in a snug harbour within the entrance 
of Magdalen Channel, on the west side, under a peaked hill 
called by Sarmiento ‘ E] Vernal,—in our plan, the ‘ Sugar- 
loaf. The entrance is about a quarter of a mile wide; but 
after a few hundred yards the harbour opens, extending in for 
nearly a mile. Itis of easy depth; seven fathoms in the 
entrance, and four, five, and six fathoms within; so that it is 
