338 OPEN BAY—CONCEPCION STRAIT, March 1830. 
sounding in the coves, but no fit spot was found ; therefore 
we were forced to stop in an ill-sheltered nook, termed Small 
Craft Bight, which just served us (having fair weather) as a 
resting-place until morning (5th), when we set out again to 
find a better anchorage ; for I still desired to ascertain whether 
the opening to the eastward was a sound or a channel. In our 
course to the southward we traced both shores in search of a 
stopping-place ; but there was neither bight nor cove where it 
was possible to anchor, until we arrived at Open Bay, which 
lies near the entrance of. Wide Channel. Even this was such a 
very insecure place, that although I remained the next day, to 
examine the neighbouring coast, it was far too exposed an 
anchorage for the vessel to continue in while the boats were 
away at a distance. 
** Disappointed by not finding a place for the schooncr near 
the opening I wished to explore, I was yet averse to leaving it 
unexamined, having traced every inlet to its extremity for 
upwards of two hundred miles along the continent. I wished 
to continue so sure a mode of proceeding ; and although I felt 
certain that this opening terminated like the rest, and Mr. 
Kirke held the same opinion, I would gladly have prevented 
any doubt by following its course in the boats, could we have 
gained a safe anchorage for the vessel. The nearest harbour 
that could be found was thirty miles from the opening, and 
it would have detained us too long to send the boats such a 
distance ; so considering that we had yet a great extent of 
coast to examine; that my state of health did not permit me 
to undertake any very exposed or arduous service ; and that 
Mr. Kirke was the only person to whom such duty could be 
entrusted, I was induced to relinquish our former practice of 
exploring every opening to its end. 
** We left Open Bay on the 7th, and soon entered Concep- 
cion Strait, keeping along the east shore, and sending a boat, 
at every opening, to seek a situation for the vessel. In the 
afternoon, a tolerably sheltered bay was found, at the south 
end of the North Canning Island, open only from S.E. to 
S.W.; but those winds being frequent and violent, and the 
