Dec. 1829. LANDFALL ISLAND—CAPE GLOUCESTER. 363 
generally clouded over. Our only chance appeared to be, 
going from harbour to harbour and keeping close in-shore. 
** Behind Landfall Island the coast forms a deep bay, appa- 
rently full of islands, and it is said there is in that part a 
communication with the Strait of Magalhaens. Looking from 
seaward there seems to be an opening. 
‘From the southern point of this bay the coast presents 
a high and regular line for a few miles, and then there is a 
succession of islets, rocks, and broken land. We stood in 
close to the breakers, but too late in the evening to find an 
anchorage. I observed kelp on the surface of the water, 
growing up from the bottom, while the lead gave a depth of 
forty-five fathoms. This was in a wild-looking, open bight, 
full of rocks and breakers, and much exposed. 
“< We stood off, close to the wind, hoping to make northing 
and westing during the night; but at midnight it fell calm, 
and at day-break on the 6th, to our astonishment, we found 
ourselves to the southward of Cape Gloucester, a high, remark- 
able promontory, standing out from the land as if it were an 
island, with a peaked top, which, from the southward, appears 
notched. The day proved very fine, and as a breeze sprung up 
from the S.E. and gradually increased, I had hopes of seeing 
more of the coast, along which we had been hustled so fast, 
and so much against our inclination. 
“Jn running along shore, I noticed several inlets that seemed 
likely to afford good harbours. This coast has not, by any 
means, such a rugged and harsh appearance as I expected ; 
but the number of islets and breakers is quite enough to give 
it a most dangerous character. The land is not very high near 
the sea, and seems to be wooded wherever the prevailing winds 
will allow trees to grow. Soundings were taken at various dis- 
tances within four miles of the shore, and the depth generally 
was between twenty and one hundred fathoms. <A good idea 
may be formed of the current which had taken us to the S.E., 
when I say that, even with a fresh and fair wind, it occupied 
us the whole of the 6th to regain the place we had left the pre- 
vious evening. 
