418 POINT NATIVITY—LEADING HILL. March 1830. 
it moderated I left the Beagle, and set out in a boat with Mr. 
Wilson (mate), taking a fortnight’s provisions ; though I hoped 
to be again on board in less than ten days, by which time our 
new boat would be finished, and Mr. Stokes, as well as Mr. 
Murray, would have laid down his last work. My object was 
to go eastward towards Indian Sound and Nassau Bay, but the 
weather soon stopped our progress, and obliged us to put into 
a small cove on the west side of Point Nativity, where we 
hoped to get shelter from the increasing wind, though not 
from the rain, which poured down in torrents. The cove 
proved to be much exposed, but we staid there till daylight 
on the following morning, when we pulled out, and round the 
point to the eastward, gladly enough, for we had been in a bad 
berth during the night, exposed to wind and rain, besides 
swell. We ran along the land, with a moderate westerly wind, 
stopped for a time near Cape Rolle, the point of land next to 
Weddell’s ‘ Hope Island ;’ and in the evening went into some 
openings among the adjacent islands. 
“17th. At daylight we set out again, and ran along-shore 
with a fresh west wind, crossed the mouth of a bay which 
seemed likely to afford shelter, but did not then delay to look 
at it closely. Soon after noon we passed Weddell’s ‘ Leading 
Hill, which is a very singular double-peaked height, con- 
spicuous from a long distance, and remarkable in every point 
of view. Between it and Black Point (a projecting craggy 
rock) lies a bay or sound, which appears to extend some distance 
northward. This part of the coast is bad for vessels to close 
with, being much broken, and having several rocky islets scat- 
tered near it; but two miles off shore there is no danger. 
Having found a secure cove near Leading Hill, we landed, 
and the men set up our tent, while Mr. Wilson and I ascended 
the heights to look round. The wind soon freshened to a 
gale, and made us rejoice at having reached a sheltered place. 
“18th. The whole of this day was lost by us, for it blew a 
strong gale with continual rain. Collecting limpets and mus- 
cles—cutting wood—and drying our clothes on one side by the 
fire, while the other got wet, were our only occupations. 
