May 1829. sHARP FROST—BOATS IN DANGER. 231 
*“‘ During this night and the preceding it froze sharply; but 
the sky was so clear, that I observed many sets of distances, 
on each side the moon. 
«20th. We went eastward through the little channel. Every 
thing was frozen; and the boat’s sails were useless until thawed. 
We left Donkin Cove directly after noon, and with a fresh and 
fair wind, steered towards Pecket Harbour. I may as well 
mention here my reasons for taking this course, instead of going 
farther westward. 
“* Considering our very limited time, and provisions, I 
wished to do first what was most useful; and to find a new 
passage, seemed to me the primary object. Having surveyed the 
narrow winding channel, and proved its navigability for vessels 
of any class; I thought it desirable to ascertain next the 
nature of the separation between Otway Water and the Strait 
of Magalhaens, between Laredo Bay and Pecket Harbour. 
“‘ A western passage might be sought by the Adelaide 
schooner, or by myself, at a future time. If we tried to cross 
the Skyring Water, our success would be very doubtful, for 
during the whole time we had been in the channel, the wind 
blew strong from S.W., raising so much sea, that it was with 
great difficulty I could sound outside the western entrance, 
even in a whale-boat. 
*< A fine breeze carried us rapidly eastward ; but it freshened 
too fast, reef after reef was taken in, until at two o’clock we 
were obliged to lower the sail, and pull to windward ; for as 
far as we could see, the shore continued unbroken, flat, and 
low, with a high surf breaking on it. To have attempted to 
land, would have been folly ; and as the wind continued to 
increase, and a current setting to windward caused a very short 
awkward sea, I sent Mr. Stokes off in the cutter, under his 
small close-reefed sails, to hang to windward as long as he 
could carry sail, while I kept the whale-boat head to wind. 
At three o’clock, we were embayed, and about a mile from the 
shore. My boat was deeply laden, and as our clothes and bags 
got soaked, pulled more heavily. We threw a bag of fuel over- 
board, but kept: everything else to the last. At sunset the sea 
