April 1829. VESSELS SEPARATE FOSTEH. 19*7 



dalen and Barbara Channels, while he was to survey part of the 

 south shore of the Strait and the Jerome Channel, and then 

 proceed, in company with the Adelaide, to Childe. 



The Adventure then proceeded along the coast of Tierra 

 del Fuego towards Staten Land, for the purpose of communi- 

 cating with the Chanticleer, or obtaining some intelligence of 

 her. The appointed rendezvous was New Year''s Harbour, and 

 the day on which I had promised to be there was past. 



It was so foggy that no ])art of the coast of Tierra del 

 Fuego could be seen ; but as any detention might cause Cap- 

 tain Foster inconvenience, I did not wait for fair weather, but 

 went at once to the place appointed. 



When crossing Strait le Maire, we were very nearly drifted 

 through by the tide, wliich, however, changed just in time to 

 admit of our keeping on the north side of Staten Land. 



With a strong squally breeze we entered New Year's Har- 

 bour, and seeing nothing of the Chanticleer, should have sailed 

 without further investigation, had we not observed a cleared 

 white space on one of the islands, which being near the place 

 where I had requested Captain Foster to leave a document, I 

 concluded was intended to attract our attention. The anchor 

 was therefore dropped in twenty-five fathoms (the island bear- 

 ing from N. to N.W. ^ W.), nearly in the spot where Captain 

 Cook anchored, and a boat was sent to the white mark, near 

 which a flag-staff was observed, at whose foot was a tin canis- 

 ter, containing a letter from Captain Foster, which informed 

 me of his having been obliged, in consequence of a longer 

 detention here than he had anticipated, to alter his arrange- 

 ments, and requesting me to meet him at St. Martin's Cove, 

 near Cape Horn, about this day. We therefore lost no time in 

 getting under weigh, but in doing so, broke an anchor. We 

 passed round Cape St. John, and with a fair wind made rapid 

 progress to the westward. At noon, the next day, being seventy- 

 five miles from Cape Horn, bearing W. by S., the high moun- 

 tains on the S.E. end of Tierra del Fuego came in sight, 

 among which the ' Sugar Loaff^J was a conspicuous object. 

 r(j/J Campana, or Bell Mountain. — R. F. 



