April 1830. ancon sin salida — kirke narrow. 347 



chart. The weather was very unpromising, and at daylight 

 the next morning it blew hard from the N.W., but we weighed 

 and ran to the southward. When in the ' Ancon sin Salida "* of 

 Sarmiento the wind suddenly shifted to the S.E., and was so 

 strong that we were quite unable to beat between Cape Earnest 

 and the northern island of the ' Ancon," but passing round, 

 found anchorage near the east end in a small bay : however, 

 as the wind had moderated, and the Canal of the Moun- 

 tains was open to us^ on the east side of which there appeared 

 to be several secure bays, we kept under sail, and in the 

 evening anchored in Leeward Bay, which we at first thought 

 would afford excellent shelter, but on reaching it found we had 

 erred exceedingly. There was no time to look for another, so 

 we moored, and prepared for bad weather, which, as usual, 

 was soon experienced ; and we were kept two days without a 

 possibility of moving, or doing any thing to make our situation 

 more secure. We had heavy squalls during the whole time ; 

 the wind being generally west or W.N.W., but at times nearly 

 S.W., when more swell was thrown into the bay. 



" On the 5th we got clear of this bad and leewardly 

 anchorage, the wind being more to the N.W. ; but we had still 

 such very squally weather, with rain, that it was a work of 

 several hours to beat to Whale-boat Bay, where we moored in 

 the evening, and prepared for examining the coast with our 

 boats, both to the east and west. Before leaving Leeward Bay, 

 a round of angles was taken from high ground north of the 

 anchorage, and it was satisfactory to reflect that the ' Ancon 

 sin Salida' was traced far more correctly than could be done 

 in our former visit. There was constant rain and squally wea- 

 ther all the morning, and only in the latter part of the day 

 could any work be performed in the boats. On the following 

 morning Mr. Kirke went to trace the Canal of the Mountains, 

 and I rejoice to say that I was again able to assist in the boat 

 service, and went to examine some openings. After leaving 

 Kirke Narrow on the right hand a wide sound appeared, about 

 nine miles in length ; and having traversed it, w^e turned to 

 the east, through a narrow intricate channel (White Narrow), 



