June 1829. care QUOD—GULF OF XAULTEGUA. 947 
had been said about the difficulty sometimes found in working 
through the Strait, that it concerned us'greatly not to lose a 
chance of making progress. During this night the squalls were 
very heavy. The holding ground must have been excellent, for 
williwaws drove the ship from one side to the other as if she 
had been a chip upon the water. 
“26th. Weighed this morning, weathered Cape Quod, and 
worked to the westward, the weather having cleared and become 
very fine. The part where most tide is felt was then past. 
Cape Quod projects so far south that the Strait is there ex- 
tremely narrow, and though very deep, has a strong tide. 
“27th. At daylight we found ourselves to windward of 
Marian’s Cove. Looking eastward upon the land about Cape 
Quod, it has a very bleak and rugged appearance. The almost 
perennial west winds prevent vegetation from growing on the 
heights exposed to their action. Hence the desolate look of the 
western shores of Tierra del Fuego. We saw a sail beyond 
Cape Notch, and, just before we moored, close to the shore in 
Half-port Cove, we made her out to be the Adelaide. 
“98th. A bad morning, snowy and blowing, but the wind 
being moderate between the squalls, I went in a whale boat to 
examine the Gulf of Xaultegua, and pulled along the south 
shore towards Cape Monday. Having gained some distance to 
windward, while the snow was so thick it was impossible to 
see the shore, we made sail across the Strait, and hit the place 
within a cable’s length. When the snow ceased falling, we saw 
a large space of water before us, the land opposite being at 
least five miles distant. We sailed towards a strange looking 
islet in the middle of the gulf, very similar to the old moul- 
dering figures of the fabled Sphinx, but the snow becoming 
again almost incessant, only allowing us to see our way at 
intervals, while the wind was too strong for even a close reefed 
sail, we landed, and hauled the boat up on an island. I was in 
hopes of finding an opening which would lead me to the Sky- 
ring Water; and my boat’s crew, being almost as eager as I 
was, cared little for the wind or snow. This night we made a 
larger tent than usual, with a top-gallant studding sail, and 
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