324 SAN QUINTIN—TADEO—OFQUI—RAFAEL. Dec. 1829. 
of which, some articles left by the Beagle, in a conspicuous 
place, were found by us untouched.” During the Adelaide's 
stay at Port Otway, the openings on the east side of Hoppner 
Sound were explored, yet they proved to be only small inlets. 
Mr. Kirke examined some, which appeared to communicate 
with San Quintin Sound ; but found them to be merely chan- 
nels dividing the group of the Marine Islands,* excepting the 
most southern, which is the entrance of Newman Inlet, a deep 
bight, without anchorage, but abounding with hair-seal. 
From Byron’s Narrative it would appear, that there is a 
channel somewhere hereabouts communicating with the Gulf 
of San Rafael, to the east of the Peninsula of Tres Montes ; 
for the Indian guide wanted to conduct the Wager’s barge 
through it, but was prevented by the strength of the current. 
The Adelaide sailed from Port Otway on the 18th, and the 
same evening reached San Quintin Sound, anchoring opposite 
an opening northward of Dead-tree Island, that proved to be 
the mouth of the River San Tadeo, by which Byron and his 
unfortunate companions effected their escape to Childe. 
The sufferings of this party, which are so affectingly described 
in Byron’s narrative of the loss of the Wager, made so deep an 
impression on our minds, that I thought it not irrelevant to the 
object of this voyage to endeavour to trace their steps. Among 
the numerous incidents that occurred to them, the passage 
of the ‘ Desecho,’ or carrying-place over the Isthmus of Ofqui, 
is, from all the circumstances connected with it, one of the most 
interesting. It may be remembered, that, upon the departure 
of Captain Cheap, and his shipwrecked crew, from the place of 
the wreck (Byron’s Narrative, p. 69), they proceeded round the 
shores of the Gulf of Penas, with an intention of tracing the 
Coast of Childe. They first attempted to steer for Cape Tres 
Montes, which headland they had seen, in one of the intervals 
of fair weather, from the summit of Mount Misery, and which 
appeared to be twenty or thirty leagues distant. The wind, 
* The Marine Islands were so called, in remembrance of the four 
marines who were put on shore from the Wager’s boats, and left behind. 
See Byron’s Nar., p. 85. 
