Feb. 1830. eyre sound — seal^ — ice- bergs. 



337 



prevented our moving ; but on the 27th we shifted our ancho- 

 rage to Fury Cove, in Wide Channel. 



" Mr. Kirke, on the 28th, examined an opening to the north- 

 ward, called Sir George Eyre Sound, which terminates in a 

 wide fresh- water river, running through low land from a large 

 glacier. The low grounds extend two or three miles from it, 

 and then the land becomes high. Behind the glacier there is 

 a ridge of high mountains, covered with snow, which we had 

 seen twice before ; first, from near White Kelp Cove, and again 

 from Halt Bay. In the sound, we saw three whales, and 

 being the first we had observed, since leaving the Gulf of 

 Penas, they inclined us to think we were near the Gulf of 

 Trinidad. A great number of fur seal, besides two of their 

 rookeries, or breeding- pi aces, were also seen. Several icebergs 

 were floating out of the sound, some of which were dark- 

 coloured ; and upon one I found a quantity of rock that had 

 come down with it from the mountains. There was serpentine 

 and granite, specimens of which were collected, and given to 

 Captain King. One of the bergs, which was large, was aground. 

 It was nearly seven fathoms above the water, and bottom could 

 not be found by sounding round it with twenty-one fathoms of 

 line. 



" Fury Cove is diminutive ; there is not more than sufficient 

 space for two small vessels; but the ground is good, and in 

 every other respect it is a secure haven. We sailed on the 3d 

 of March with the expectation of soon recognizing some known 

 points in the Gulf of Trinidad ; but as the wind failed, we were 

 obliged to anchor for the night in Sandy Bay, in eight fathoms. 



" As we proceeded to the southward, the appearance of the 

 country gradually changed : the mountains seemed more bar- 

 ren, the trees and shrubs more stunted, the land rose more 

 suddenly, and the shores of the channel became bolder, and 

 presented an uniform rocky line of coast. 



" (4th.) We again steered southward, and at noon an 

 opening appearing on the east side, which ran several miles 

 inland, I sought an adjacent anchorage, in order that it might 

 be explored. Our boats were examining the shore all day, and 



VOL. I. z 



