AUSTRAL-AMERICAN REGIONS. 103 



weather thick and rainy, the wind violent, one gale following another; 

 in confirmation of King's statement, that March here is the worst 

 month in the year for Navigation. 



Twice the Relief approached very near the coast ; and the last time, 

 was caught in a gale on a " lee shore," from which we got clear with 

 some difficulty. The Relief next stood off from the land, proceeding 

 nearly as far as " 58° S. lat.;" the point reached on this occasion being 

 the most Southern ever visited by myself. 



On the 17th of March, we were returning rapidly to the coast, 

 having the prospect of reaching by the morrow Noir Island Roads : 

 described as affording excellent anchorage. 



The wind shifted back to the Southwest during the night, and on 

 the 18th, increased to a heavy gale with thick weather and hail- 

 squalls. The sun for a few moments became distinguishable through 

 the clouds, enabling Lieutenant Sinclair to take an observation. He 

 quickly brought his work to Captain Long, with whom I happened to 

 be conversing, and stated, that the position of the vessel was that of 

 the Tower Rocks : the words were hardly spoken, wlien from the look- 

 out forward the cry came, " Rocks ! rocks under the bows ! " Captain 

 Long decided to "weather," or hold his course ; and as we passed them, 

 the Tower Rocks presented a magnificent and fearful spectacle ; the 

 sea at times shearing in a smooth, unbroken sheet completely over the 

 tall summit of the outer one ; the display of power carrying convic- 

 tion, that if a vessel should strike but once, there would be nothing 

 left but fragments. 



Continuing on, the Relief rounded the Southeast Point of NoiR 

 Island about 5 p. m. ; and standing in towards the land, three anchors 

 were let go in " twenty fathoms " of water, and were observed to take 

 fast hold. Before retiring in the evening, I heard one of the officers 

 remark, that "a few such days as this would make a man turn grey:" 

 the mistake appeared in the sequel. 



On the morning of the 19th, Noir Island, "six hundred feet" in 

 elevation, presented a distinct cap of snow, or possibly of hail. The 

 wind having somewhat abated, and a slight opening being observed in 

 the land, like a boat-harbor, I looked forward to the possibility of 

 landing : but an old Sealer, whom we had with us as a sort of pilot, 

 informed me, that he had been "going to sea for forty-five years, and 

 had never before seen such heavy riding." The Relief", in fact, hap- 

 pened to be provided with the anchors and chains usually assigned to 



