SOUTHERN CRUISE. 161 
The 15th of April was the first fair day they had had since the 
25th of February. 
On the 16th of April, they had much phosphorescence, appearing 
as it were in sheets of liquid fire : the temperature of the water 58° ; 
latitude 36° S., longitude 75° W. 
On the 17th, they spoke the whale ship Francis, and afforded her 
medical assistance. Until the 20th, they had very light airs, in- 
clining to calms. On the evening of the 19th, they made the land of 
Chili ; and on the 21st, the Peacock arrived in Valparaiso, where to 
their surprise they found our store-ship the Relief, which had arrived 
at Valparaiso some days previous. 
The Relief left Orange Harbour on the 26th of February, (a copy 
of her instructions will be found in Appendix XXX.,) for the purpose of 
visiting various places in the Straits of Magellan, to afford an oppor- 
tunity of making investigations, and opening a larger field for our 
naturalists during the fifty or sixty days they were to be detained 
on the coast. Most of the scientific gentlemen were accordingly 
transferred to her ; and she was ordered to enter the Brecknock 
Passage, and thence into Cockburn Sound, of which we had King's 
valuable chart; and I thought that the passage into the strait was 
more feasible, and might be sooner accomplished by that route than 
by taking the eastern passage, particularly as the wind was favourable. 
I also thought it would enable them to explore more parts of the 
straits, and those which had been least visited. 
Various difficulties prevented her reaching the entrance to the 
Brecknock Passage, principally that of keeping too far off the coast 
on long tacks to the southward. 
On the 17th of March, after being at sea twenty days, they ap- 
proached the coast, and a gale ensuing from the southwest, Lieutenant- 
Commandant Long, on the following day, determined to run in and 
anchor under Noir Island, which is spoken of by King as an excellent 
harbour. The wind was blowing a gale from the southwest, with thick 
weather and hail squalls. Noir Island was discovered under the lee, 
judged to be about twelve miles distant, when they steered for it. It 
becoming thick, they did not discover the Tower Rocks until they 
were almost up with, and just had time to clear them. These rocks 
presented a magnificent and fearful sight, the sea breaking completely 
over them. Three anchors were prepared. They rounded the south- 
east point of the island, and stood in for the bay. At about 5 o'clock 
they anchored in seventeen fathoms, and the anchor took effect. 
VOL. I. 41 
