May.] 



STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 



83 



The rise of the tide at the east entrance is about sixteen feet, and 

 about eight feet at the west entrance, running regularly each way, and not 

 swifter than two miles an hour, excepting in the narrows, where it runs 

 about five miles an hour. Violent gales are never experienced here 

 from any quarter ; the passage through is perfectly safe for vessels of any 

 size, and the navigation is pleasant and easy. If the navigator have 

 before him the latest edition of Arrowsmith's chart, he may avoid 

 every difficulty, as there is but one dangerous impediment in the whole 

 passage more than two cables' length from shore, that is not 

 readily shown by the hand-lead. The danger alluded to lies about 

 five miles north-east of the narrows, and always betrays itself by the 

 kelp or rock-weed which rises from it above the surface of the water. 

 Vessels must keep to the north of this shoal, and leave it under their 

 larboard quarter. 



Ships bound through this strait may run day and night by keeping 

 the north shore on board, until they come up with Indian Sound, and 

 then keeping the south shore on board until they reach Cape Pillar, at 

 the west entrance, on the Pacific coast. By following these direc- 

 tions, they will have the advantage of the prevailing winds, and keep 

 smooth water. 



On arriving at Cape Pillar, if the wind blow from the westward, 

 and it is thought inexpedient to put to sea, vessels may come to an- 

 chor in a perfectly safe harbour, about three miles south-east of the 

 cape, on the shore of Terra del Fuego. The entrance to this harbour 

 is covered by two small islands, which may be passed on either side, 

 in twenty fathoms of water. Then double a point which runs out 

 from the land in a north-east direction, and enter the cove behind it, 

 which extends to the south-west and west-north-west about two miles, 

 and come to anchor in from four to ten fathoms of water, mud and 

 clay bottom, and sheltered from all winds. 



It would be tedious to the reader, as well as to myself, to enumerate 

 and name all the safe and commodious harbours in this noble strait. 

 Let it suffice, that there is such a one every five or ten miles, or equally 

 safe anchorage for ships of any size. 



Magellan's Strait is about three hundred and seventy-five miles in 

 length, from its eastern entrance on the Atlantic coast to its western 

 entrance on the Pacific coast. But let it not be inferred from this that 

 the continent in this vicinity is of that extent from one ocean to the 

 other, as the course of the strait forms two sides of a nearly right- 

 angled triangle ; a third side would measure the distance across this 

 part of the continent ; say one hundred and ninety miles. Terra del 

 Fuego, from east to west along the south shore of the strait, is about 

 three hundred and sixty miles in length, and about one hundred and 

 sixty in breadth, from north to south, measuring from Cape Horn to 

 the strait. This part of the country contains a large population, 

 especially in the vicinity of the strait. 



Before I proceed any further into the strait, it may be proper to give 

 the reader some idea of the face of the country, as the eastern and 

 western parts are very different from each other, not only in their 



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