224 OTWAY WATER — INDIAN CHANNEL. May 1829. 



lower and less wooded. This was, indeed, an animating view : 

 I stood considering what might be the boundary of this water, 

 till I recollected, that the longer I thought about it, the longer 

 I should be finding it out ; so we pushed on with the boats, of 

 course taking the necessary bearings and angles, until we 

 reached the ' Point of Islets'* in ' Otway Water.' 



"On the 12th, our oars were going early. 



" The two islands, ^ Englefield and ' Vivian,' were the only 

 land upon the horizon for six points of the compass. The 

 southern coast trended away nearly east from Cape Charles, pre- 

 serving the high mountainous character of the Fuegian shores, 

 while that to the northward was low, though as yet well wooded. 



" I was nearly tempted to try whether Fanny Bay led towards 

 the Gulf of Xaultegua ; but fortunately did not, as I should 

 have regretted the time so employed. 



" Point Hamond is thickly- wooded with evergreens, similar 

 to those of the Strait ; and with a species of pine, about thirty 

 or forty feet in height. 



" To the S.E. three remarkable promontories stand out in 

 bold relief from the Fuegian shore ; but beyond them the land 

 sinks into the tame flatness of Patagonia. 



" The water on the west shore is not deep ; from ten to thirty 

 fathoms at a quarter of a mile off shore, but getting more 

 shallow advancing northward. There is anchorage for a vessel 

 after passing Indian Channel, the whole way along ; and as the 

 prevailing winds are off shore, it would generally be safe. In 

 Indian Channel I only know of two anchorages, Cutter Bay 

 and Bending Cove. 



" Such constant rain fell during this evening, that it was 

 not until after much trouble that we at last made fires. Carry- 

 ing dry fuel in the boats we found indispensable, and I would 

 recommend any person who passes a night on shore in this wet 

 climate, with a boat, to carry a sheet of copper, or a piece of 

 flat iron, in preference to any boat-stove, as a fire can be lighted 

 upon it much more easily, and it does not take much stowage : 

 the great difficulty about fires here is getting fuel to burn 

 when the ground is wet, or when snow lies on it. 



