April 1828. DANGERS—GALE—WwET. 163 
a-wash, and there were breakers that showed themselves only 
occasionally. Along this line the surf beat very heavily, and, 
outside, a long rolling sea prevailed, in which the ship was 
very uneasy. 
“This line of dangers is not altogether continuous; for 
there is an opening about two miles wide, abreast of Parallel 
Peak, to the southward of which is a bight, where possibly a 
harbour may exist ; but, considering the prevalence of heavy 
westerly gales and thick weather, if there be one, few vessels 
would venture to run for it; and this line must, I should 
think, be considered as a barrier that they ought not pass. As 
seal are found on the rocks, vessels engaged in that trade 
might not, perhaps, be deterred by these dangers, but every 
other would give all this extent of coast a wide berth. We ran 
past the breakers at the distance of about a mile, having rocky 
soundings, from thirty to twenty-three fathoms. 
“The termination of the coast line northward was a high, 
rugged island, with a small peak at the north end. The extre- 
mity of the main land was rather a high bluff cape, whence 
the coast extends southward, with craggy, mountainous peaks 
and ridges, as far as Parallel Peak. At sunset, the N.W. end 
of Campana bore north (magnetic), distant three leagues, and 
from the mast-head I could see very distinctly the belt of rocks 
and breakers extending uninterruptedly to the northward, as 
far as the end of Campana. 
‘“* We hauled off for the night, and had light variable airs, 
or calms, until 2 a.m. of the 12th, when a breeze from the 
northward sprung up, and freshened so rapidly, that by noon 
we were again reduced to a close-reefed main-topsail and 
foresail. The gale was accompanied, as usual, by incessant rain 
and thick weather, and a heavy confused sea kept our decks 
always flooded. 
“ The effect of this wet and miserable weather, of which we 
had had so much since leaving Port Famine, was too manifest 
by the state of the sick list, on which were now many patients 
with catarrhal, pulmonary, and rheumatic complaints. The 
gale continued undiminished until the morning of the 13th, 
M 2 
