330 



channel''s mouth — KiEKE^s REPORT. Jan. 1830. 



recommends for small vessels ; the depth of water being six or 

 eight fathoms, and the anchorage well sheltered from the wind. 



On the 31st they anchored under the Hazard Islands, in the 

 ChannePs Mouth : " preparatory,"" writes Lieutenant Skyring, 

 " to commencing new work with the new year ; for since enter- 

 ing the gulf, except while examining the San Tadeo, we 

 had followed the Beagle''s track, and only completed what she 

 left unfinished ; but from this place all would be new. This 

 was the last wild anchorage she had taken ; and although now 

 fixed in the best situation, and in the height of summer, we 

 found our position almost as dangerous as hers. 



" Early on the 1st of January 1830, Mr. Kirke went in a 

 whale-boat to examine the openings, at the mouth of which we 

 had anchored : he returned on the 9th, having traced to the 

 end, all which had the least appearance of being channels. The 

 two largest, the south and the east, penetrated into the Cor- 

 dillera for thirty miles. All these inlets are narrow but deep 

 arms of the sea, running between ranges of very steep hills ; 

 their sides affording not the least shelter, even for a boat, and 

 apparently deserted; for neither seal, nor birds of any kind 

 were seen, nor were there even muscles on the rocks." 



Mr. Kirke, in his report, says : " The three northernmost of 

 the inlets of the ChannePs Mouth end with high land on each 

 side, and low sandy beaches at the head, beyond v/hich there 

 rises a ridge of high mountains, about two miles from the 

 beach. The S.E. inlets end in rivers rushing down from the 

 mountains, and a rocky shore : not the smallest shelter could 

 I find, even for the boat. Two days and nights I was forced 

 to keep her hauled up on a rock, just above high- water mark, 

 in a strong gale, while the williwaws were so violent, that we 

 were all obliged to add our w^eight to that of the boat, to pre- 

 vent her from being blown off : and twice we were washed out 

 of our resting-places, on the beach, by the night tide rising 

 about fifteen or sixteen inches above that of the day."' 



This opening in the coast is noticed by the pilot Machado 

 (Agiieros, p. 210); but by whom the name of ChanneFs Mouth 

 was given, does not appear. It is by no means descriptive of 



