Dec. 1829. BLIND BREAKER—FUEGIANS—PETREL. 367 
squalls, and rain: the sky being so constantly overcast that 
we saw neither sun nor stars. Although no progress was made 
in this weather, it was some satisfaction to think that we lost 
nothing but time; and that we saved much wear of the vessel 
by lying at anchor instead of being at sea. Being more 
moderate in the afternoon, our boats went away, and the ship 
was prepared for sailing. We tried to get some fur-seal, which 
were seen on a rock near the harbour, but they were too wary. 
** My boat was almost capsized by a ‘ blind breaker,’ which 
rose suddenly underneath her, and in an instant she was sur- 
rounded by and floated upon a white wave of foam, which 
broke all round and over, but without upsetting or swamp- 
ing her. 
“19th. Weighed and ran across to an anchorage in Landfall 
Island which I had seen from the heights. We anchored in a 
sheltered bay lying on the north side of the larger island, at 
the east opening of a passage which separates it from the smaller. 
These islands are high and, towards the sea, barren; but the 
sides of the hills, towards the east, are thickly wooded. 
*< A large smoke made near the bay showed us, that the 
Fuegians were in possession of our intended quarters; and soon 
after we anchored, a canoe came off to us full of men, women, 
and children, sixteen in all. They were in every respect similar 
to those we had so frequently met before; and from their unwil- 
lingness to part with furs or skins, unless for serviceable arti- 
cles, such as knives, &c. appeared to have had dealings with 
Europeans: beads and trinkets they did not value. They had, 
in the canoe, many eggs, and dead birds, which they eat raw: 
the birds were a light blue, or dove-coloured, petrel, about 
eight inches long, which goes on land for a part of the year 
to lay eggs in holes in the ground. During this and the follow- 
ing day, we were fortunate enough to obtain observations, and 
nearly all the necessary bearings and angles. 
* As yet I was pleased with the anchorage; the bottom 
shoaled gradually from twenty to five fathoms (fine sand), and 
it was sheltered from west winds, besides others, except north. 
Having obtained particularly good observations for latitude at 
