April 1828. SEAL—VERY BAD WEATHER. 161 
for any thing but firewood; of those we felled there was scarcely 
one that was not more or less rotten at the heart, a defect 
probably caused by the extreme humidity of the climate. 
‘During our stay, the master, accompanied by our boat- 
swain’s mate,(f') an experienced sealer, went to take seal on the 
rocks, and returned in a few hours with some of the inferior 
sort, called ‘hair seal,’ which were numerous; but the surf was 
in most places too heavy to allow them to land without much 
risk. The fry of the young seals we thought extremely good, 
not exceeded even by the finest lamb’s fry. 
“* On the morning of the 5th we worked to the westward, to 
clear the land on each side of the inlet; and at sunset, Cape 
Tres Puntas bore N.b. W.3W., distant two leagues. The 
northerly breeze, which we had worked with since leaving Port 
Henry, increased rapidly toa hard gale, and by 8 P.M. we were 
reduced to the close-reefed main-topsail and recfed foresail. 
The gale continued with unabated violence during the 6th, 7th, 
and 8th, from the north, N.W., and S.W., with a confused 
mountainous sea. Our decks were constantly flooded, and we 
could rarely show more than the close-reefed main-topsail and 
reefed foresail. Only two accidents occurred: the little boat 
which we carried astern was washed away by a heavy sea that 
broke over us, while hoisting her in-board; and the marine 
barometer was broken by the violent motion of the vessel. At 
noon, on the 8th, Cape Corso bore from us, by account, S.F. 
{true), distant fifty-five miles. I had tried to gain a wide offing 
to get a less turbulent sea, and because not even an outline of 
the sea-coast of Campana Island was drawn in the chart. We 
had not, during these three days, a glimpse of the sun or of a 
star, for it blew a constant gale, accompanied by squalls, thick 
weather, and rain. According to the time of year, the season 
of winter had not arrived, but the weather seemed to say it was 
already come— 
Sullen and sad, with all it’s rising train 
Of vapours, clouds, and storms. 
() Thomas Sorrell, now boatswain of the Beagle (1837). He was boat- 
swain of the Saxe Cobourg, when wrecked in Fury Harbour.—R. F. 
VOL. I, M 
