Oct.] CAPE TWO BAYS. 43 



of six or seven miles from the cape. On this island likewise are to be 

 found both fur and hair-seal. 



Cape Two Bays, as its name imports, is a projecting point between 

 two bays, forming the south part of Camarone's Bay, and the north 

 part of the great bay of St. George. About the shores of the last-named 

 bay are numerous rocks and islands, containing seal of both kinds, 

 and behind some of which vessels may anchor in safety. Port Melo, 

 in lat. 45° 3' S., long. 52° 30' W., is the first safe harbour to be 

 found after entering St. George's Bay from the north. It is fronted by 

 the Escobar and Lagoona Islands. Here ships of any size may lie 

 in perfect safety, in from seven to five fathoms of water, with a sandy 

 bottom. The entrance passage is between Escobar Island and Point 

 Portugal, or the eastern point ; and at about one mile within this point, 

 the water has a depth of five or six fathoms. The tide rises here 

 about eighteen feet, and it is full sea at twenty-two minutes past four 

 o'clock, on full and change days. In this snug and safe harbour, at 

 the head of the bay, vessels may fill fresh water of good quality, but 

 it is difficult to obtain wood. 



In this port and its vicinity are many ostriches, gray and brown 

 foxes, hares, deer, guanacoes, and a few wild cattle. This port is also 

 the resort of many different kinds of wild geese and other fowl. On 

 the shores are found seal, both hair and fur ; together with some sea- 

 elephants, and penguins of different kinds. Here the latter lay their 

 eggs in such abundance, that in the month of October a ship's crew 

 might collect forty or fifty barrels in a few days. 



Twenty-five miles to the south-west of Melo, in lat. 45° 13' S., is 

 port Malespina, fronted by the Viana Islands, or rocks, behind which 

 vessels may find shelter from every wind, the south-east excepted. In 

 approaching this small bay, you will see the Paps of Pineda to the 

 north, abreast of which you may anchor in from ten to six fathoms of 

 water, fine sandy ground. There are many other good anchoring 

 places between this and Cape Blanco, which require no particular 

 directions, as the coast is bold and clear of dangers, within half a 

 mile of the shore. Easterly winds never blow here with any degree 

 of violence ; so that whalemen may cruise about these shores in the 

 calving season with the greatest safety. 



Before I proceed farther south, I deem it expedient to make one 

 observation. I am well aware, that to the generality of readers this 

 coast-surveying business and sailing directions must appear very dry, 

 dull, and uninteresting. To such I would say, in the language of my pro- 

 fession, " Courage, my hearties, there's land ahead !" This part of 

 our cruise will soon be finished ; and admitting the possibility that 

 the descriptions and directions here given may prove the means, under 

 Providence, of preventing a single nautical disaster, I feel confident 

 that the good-natured reader will readily forgive their deficiency in 

 incident and interest. Were I disposed to make a romance of this 

 narrative, it would not be a difficult matter to conjure up some very 

 stirring incidents and startling adventures, on the shores of a region 

 which is so little known that no one could contradict me. Magellan 

 and his companions have done so before me, and so have many others 



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