330 CHANNEL'S MOUTH—KIRKE’S REPORT. Jan. 1830. 
recommends for small vessels; the depth of water being six or 
eight fathoms, and the anchorage well sheltered from the wind. 
On the 31st they anchored under the Hazard Islands, in the 
Channel’s Mouth: “ preparatory,” writes Lieutenant Skyring, 
‘* to commencing new work with the new year; for since enter- 
ing the gulf, except while examining the San Tadeo, we 
had followed the Beagle’s track, and only completed what she 
left unfinished ; but from this place all would be new. ‘This 
was the last wild anchorage she had taken; and although now 
fixed in the best situation, and in the height of summer, we 
found our position almost as dangerous as hers. 
«© Early on the Ist of January 1830, Mr. Kirke went in a 
whale-boat to examine the openings, at the mouth of which we 
had anchored: he returned on the 9th, having traced to the 
end, all which had the least appearance of being channels. The 
two largest, the south and the east, penetrated into the Cor- 
dillera for thirty miles. All these inlets are narrow but deep 
arms of the sea, running between ranges of very steep hills ; 
their sides affording not the least shelter, even for a boat, and 
apparently deserted; for neither seal, nor birds of any kind 
were seen, nor were there even muscles on the rocks.” 
Mr. Kirke, in his report, says: “ The three northernmost of 
the inlets of the Channel’s Mouth end with high land on each 
side, and low sandy beaches at the head, beyond which there 
rises a ridge of high mountains, about two miles from the 
beach. The S.E. inlets end in rivers rushing down from the 
mountains, and a rocky shore: not the smallest shelter could 
I find, even for the boat. Two days and nights I was forced 
to keep her hauled up on a rock, just above high-water mark, 
in a strong gale, while the williwaws were so violent, that we 
were all obliged to add our weight to that of the boat, to pre- 
vent her from being blown off: and twice we were washed out 
of our resting-places, on the beach, by the night tide rising 
about fifteen or sixteen inches above that of the day.” 
This opening in the coast is noticed by the pilot Machado 
(Agiieros, p. 210); but by whom the name of Channel’s Mouth 
was given, does not appear. It is by no means descriptive of 
