108 



SHOALS OFF CAPK BLANCO. 



Jan. 1828. 



body, from its buoyancy and the sea not breaking against it, 

 would not be readily seen. 



On the 4th, being about one hundred miles to the N.E. of 

 Cape Blanco, I communicated with Captain Stokes, and gave 

 him directions to proceed to Port Desire for chronometrical 

 observations, and then follow me immediately to Cape Fair- 

 weather or Cape Virgins. We had light winds during the 

 night, so that the Beagle made very little progress. In the 

 afternoon. Cape Blanco, a long level-topped ridge, came in 

 sight, of which good views are given in Lord Anson's voyage. 

 We steered towards the land, and at six o'clock were in eigh- 

 teen fathoms, the rocky hill at the extremity of the Cape 

 bearing S. 10° E. thirteen miles; at seven o'clock, the same 

 hill was six miles and a half off, bearing S. S° E., when we 

 observed a line of rippling water, extending from east to as far 

 as we could see on the south horizon. The depth was seven- 

 teen fathoms, but as we proceeded it gradually decreased to 

 twelve and ten, and soon afterwards to seven fathoms, when 

 the Beagle was observed to be firing guns ; but whether they 

 were intended to warn us of danger, or as signals of her own 

 distress, we could not determine, and I hauled to the wind to 

 cross where the ripple appeared least violent. In passing 

 through it we had not less than seven fathoms, and then it 

 deepened to twelve and fifteen fathoms. We had now leisure to 

 attend to the Beagle, and soon saw that her signals were only to 

 warn us, for she had resumed her course under a press of sail. 



After steering four miles to the S.E., we again found our- 

 selves in the midst of ripplings, in which the water shoaled to 

 six fathoms. It being then dark, and not knowing how to 

 proceed, we shortened sail and brought to the wind, in order 

 that if the ship struck it might be with less force ; but hap- 

 pily we passed on without any further decrease of soundings. 

 In going through the ripple, the Adelaide, though deeply 

 laden, behaved well. 



Commodore Byron passed over these shoals, which he describes 

 as lying at a greater distance from the shore : it was to avoid 

 them that we passed so near the land. 



