May ^S29' wAKMTH of wateh — jeiiome channel. 2S5 



the water, between Englefield Island and the nearest land, 

 one foot beneath the surface, was 42° ; the air at the same time 

 being 38°. While the sea water preserves this temperature, 

 it must tend much to moderate the severity of cold, one would 

 naturally expect in this latitude, near so many snow-covered 

 mountains. We arrived at the Point of Islets, soon after sunset, 

 on the 27th. 



" 28th. Almost every night I observed that the wind sub- 

 sided soon after sunset, the clouds passed away, and the first 

 part of the night was very fine ; but that, towards morning, 

 wind and clouds generally succeeded. From Point of Islets, we 

 sailed southward; and were again close to the mountains; 

 from whose appearance at this spot, no one would suppose that 

 any passage lay between them ; so intricate and winding are 

 the channels. 



" I was sorry to leave the open country, behind me ; but time 

 pressed ; and there was yet much to do with our loaded boats, 

 which could not make very great progress in the short day- 

 light afforded by this season. After passing Bennett Island the 

 land became rugged, and mountainous on each side, covered, 

 however, with wood and vegetation wherever it could grow ; 

 and we were again in the Magalhaenic regions. 



" This day I examined as much of the west side of the 

 channel, as time would allow, and reached Corona Creek at 

 about eight o'clock. What I called the Sugar Loaf must be 

 the Corona Island of Cordova's officers ; for at some distance 

 it looks somewhat like a crown. It is singular that they 

 inserted (in their chart) an island near their Corona, which 

 cannot be distinguished from the main-land, until one is 

 within two miles of it ; and as at that distance the Otway 

 Water is plainly visible, must they not have seen the open- 

 ing ? Tired of their job, did they return without prosecuting 

 the discovery, or was the weather too thick to see far ? Their 

 description of the Jerome Channel, leads to the supposition of 

 a continual current setting through in one direction, instead of 

 a regular ebb and flood ; and the surest sign of a passage 

 between places in Tierra del Fuego, is a current or stream. 



