Nov. 1829. 



VICINITY OF CAPE PILLAR. 



^61 



" In working into the harbour we passed over several patches 

 of kelp, under which the bottom was plainly visible ; but the 

 lead never showed less than five fathoms, until we were about 

 to anchor, when the vessel shot a~head into a weedy place^ 

 where we had three fathoms. This was about a cable's length 

 in-shore (towards the highest mountain) of the spot marked by 

 Lieutenant Sky ring as good holding ground, to which we 

 warped and anchored. It proved to be verv good ground, 

 being extremely tough clay. 



" 27th. A promising morning tempted me to try to obtain 

 observations and a round of angles on or near Cape Pillar. I 

 therefore left the ship with the master, and went in a boat to 

 the Cape. To land near it in much swell was not easy upon 

 such steep and slippery rocks : at last we got ashore in a cove, 

 and hauled the instruments up the rocks by lines, but could 

 get no further, on account of precipices. I, therefore, gave up 

 that attempt, and went outside the Cape, to look for a better 

 place ; but every part seemed similar, and, as the weather was 

 getting foggy, it was useless to persevere. In going to the 

 Cape, and in returning, I measured the distance by a patent 

 log, and found the mean of the two measurements agree with 

 the chart. What current there was, ran to the westward. 



" A small ox, which we had carried from Chiloe, was doomed 

 to end his voyage at this place, and probably we were the first 

 people who ever eat fresh beef in the Strait of Magalhaens. 



" 28th and 29th. Gloomy days, with much wind and rain ; 

 ^nd the gusts coming so violently over the mountains, that we 

 were unable to do any work, out of the ship. 



" 30th. Still blowing and raining. 



" Dec. 1st and 2d. Cloudy days, with strong wind ; but one 

 short interval of sunshine was gladly made use of for rating our 

 chronometers. 



" 3d. This morning we weighed, and worked out ; and at 

 one P.M. we were three miles westward of Cape Pillar, with 

 every appearance of a N.W. gale. Shortly after, the weather 

 became so thick, that I could not see any part of the coast ; 

 ^nd therefore stood off shore, under low sail, expecting a bad 



