880 



AGNES ISLANDS BREAKERS. 



Jan. 1830 



safe anchorage for other vessels, it is out of the question, being 

 an exposed roadstead, with man}^ rocks, both to seaward and 

 in-shore. A sealer might use it, but not willingly I should 

 think. As we ran towards the Agnes Islands, before a strong 

 W.N.W. wind, many rocks and breakers showed themselves, 

 and when we neared the islands, became numerous on each side 

 of us. It would have been more prudent to have kept outside 

 all of them ; but I was anxious to find Hope Harbour, or run 

 into the entrance of the Barbara Channel, and anchor in the 

 north cove of Fury Island. Having passed the three Agnes 

 Islands, and being nearly abreast of Cape Kempe,* our view 

 became far from agreeable, for the sea, on all sides, seemed 

 strewed with breakers ; and how to steer go as to pass between 

 them was perplexing. We were at this time running free, under 

 treble reefed topsails, with top-gallant yards and masts on deck ; 

 the wind being strong from W.N. W., but the weather tolerably 

 clear. Suddenly the boatswain hailed, ' Hard-a-port, a rock 

 under the bows Round the little vessel turned, almost as fast 

 as the order was given ; but the thrill that shot through us was 

 happily not the precursor of our destruction ; for the supposed 

 rock proved to be a huge whale which had risen close to the 

 boAvs, and was mistaken for the top of a rock by the boatswain, 

 who was looking out on the forecastle, while I was at the 

 mast-head, and the ' hands'* were upon deck. This part of 

 the coast, from the Agnes Islands to Cape Schomberg, is the 

 worst I have seen, it is so very broken, and has so many rocks 

 and dangerous breakers lying at a long distance from the 

 shore. 



" At noon we were close to Fury Island ; but the wind fell 

 and prevented our making much progress. Fury Harbour, 

 where the Saxe Cobourg was lost, is a wild exposed place, and, 

 as the bottom is bad, it ought to be avoided by all vessels : 

 there is but one patch of good ground, and that is very small. 



" Passing round Fury Island, we entered the Barbara Chan- 

 nel, at the entrance to which stands Mount Skyring, a high, 

 peaked, and most barren mountain, visible at a great distance. 



* The three peaks, in-shor€ of Cape Kempe, are very remarkable. • 



