156 



PENINSULA OF THREE MOUNTAINS. 



[1824. 



October 2<ith. — We continued plying to the westward, and on Sat- 

 urday, the 23d, at midnight, passed the Narrows. On the following 

 morning, at 1 A. M., we came to an anchor on the east side of Quarter- 

 master's Island, in four fathoms of water, muddy bottom. At four 

 A. M. we again got under way, with the wind from west-north-west, 

 blowing a single-reef breeze. 



October 26th. — On Tuesday, the twenty-sixth, at three, A. M., we 

 anchored in Port Famine, in four fathoms of water, muddy bottom. At 

 six, A. M., sent all hands on shore to Cut wood and collect wild celery. 

 Many other plants were also procured, which furnished a fine mess of 

 greens for officers and crew. We lay here three days, during which 

 time I had frequent interviews with the natives, who appeared as in- 

 offensive and as wretched as they are represented in my former voyage. 

 On Wednesday and Thursday we were visited by heavy falls of rain. 



October 3lst. — We got under way on Friday, the twenty-ninth, with 

 the wind from west-south-west, and the weather fair. After leaving 

 Port Famine and passing Cape Froward, we assiduously plied to the 

 westward, night and day, until Sunday, the thirty-first, when, at four, 

 A. M., we passed Cape Pillar, the southern boundary of the west en- 

 trance to Magellan's Strait, with a fresh breeze from south-west. At 

 eight, A. M., the cape bore east-south-east, distant seven leagues. 



November 8th. — On Monday, the first of November, at nine, P. M., 

 the wind veered round to the north-west, blowing a strong breeze, with 

 heavy falls of rain, and continued from north-north-west to west, until 

 the Monday following, November 8th ; when, at six, A. M., we saw 

 Cape Three Mountains, bearing east-north-east, distant four leagues ; 

 wind from west-by-south, and fair weather. The shore of the Penin- 

 sula of Tres Montes, from the cape to Point Taitaohaohuon, runs in 

 the direction of north-by-west half-west. 



It will be recollected, that in the preceding voyage I examined the 

 eastern coast of Patagonia, from Cape Corrientes to Cape Virgin, and 

 furnished sailing directions from thence to Cape Horn ; also for 

 doubling that cape, and steering to the western entrance of Magellan's 

 Strait. From thence I inspected the western coast of South America 

 as far north as Point Taitaohaohuon, which is the north-western point 

 of the peninsula of Tres Montes. From the last-mentioned point the 

 shore of this peninsula turns suddenly to the eastward, opening to view 

 an extensive group of small islands, lying near the north-west extrem- 

 ity of the peninsula of Three Mountains. Hair-seals in great numbers 

 resort to these islands for the usual purposes of bringing forth their 

 young, shedding their coats, <fec, as described in my former voyage. 

 Here, however, they are very wild, and not easily taken, except in the 

 " pupping season ;" at which time the hair-lions (as the males are 

 called) will readily sacrifice their lives in defence of their "conjugal 

 partners and helpless offspring." 



When attacked by the crew of a sealing vessel, the lions will not 

 allow the females to abandon their young, even to preserve their own 

 lives. Under such circumstances I have frequently seen the female 

 attempt to make her escape ; sometimes with a pup in her mouth, as a 

 cat carries off her kitten. But the male, which is twice the size of the 



