CHAPTER XIX. 
Sarmiento Channel—Ancon sin Salida—Cape Earnest—Canal of the 
Mountains—Termination of the Andes—Kirke Narrow—Easter Bay 
—Disappointment Bay — Obstruction Sound-— Last Hope Inlet — 
Swans—Coots—Deer—River—Lagoon—Singular eddies—Passage of 
the Narrow—Arrival at Port Famine—Zoological remarks. 
‘‘(April Ist). Tus morning the weather was very unset- 
tled, squally, and thick: but as no delay could be admitted, 
when there was a possibility of moving, we left at eight o'clock, 
and followed the course of Sarmiento Channel. I have no doubt 
that a passage exists eastward of Point San Gaspar, leading to 
Collingwood Strait, and forming an island between that point 
and Cape San Bartolomé: but with the N.W. wind and bad 
weather we then had, that bight was too leewardly for us to 
venture into. 
‘© The knowledge of an opening there could be of no great 
importance, yet had I been able to find an anchorage near Cape 
San Bartolomé I would gladly have profited by it, in order 
to assure myself of the existence of a passage. In hauling 
round, the appearance of the land favoured my impression ; 
but our chief object being to seek a channel through the high 
mountains, I stood toward Stewart Bay, the most southern part 
examined by the boats. Finding I could not anchor there with- 
out entering the bight and risking delay, which I was unwilling 
to do, as I wished to reach Whale-boat Bay as soon as pos- 
sible, we proceeded and anchored in the evening in Shingle 
Roads, ready for moving the next morning. Having, last year, 
passed along the whole line of coast, from Cape Earnest to this 
place, there seemed to me no necessity for a closer examination, 
for I knew there was no opening within that distance, and 
I could very little improve what was then laid down on the 
