418 



POINT NATIVITY LEADING HILL. March 1830. 



it moderated I left the Beagle, and set out in a boat with Mr. 

 Wilson (mate), taking a fortnight's provisions ; though I hoped 

 to be again on board in less than ten days, by which time our 

 new boat would be finished, and Mr. Stokes, as well as Mr. 

 Murray, would have laid down his last work. My object was 

 to go eastward towards Indian Sound and Nassau Bay, but the 

 weather soon stopped our progress, and obliged us to put into 

 a small cove on the west side of Point Nativity, where we 

 hoped to get shelter from the increasing wind, though not 

 from the rain, w^dch poured down in torrents. The cove 

 proved to be much exposed, but we staid there till daylight 

 on the following morning, when we pulled out, and round the 

 point to the eastward, gladly enough, for we had been in a bad 

 berth during the night, exposed to wind and rain, besides 

 swell. We ran along the land, with a moderate westerly wind^ 

 stopped for a time near Cape Rolle, the point of land next to 

 WeddelFs ' Hope Island and in the evening went into some 

 openings among the adjacent islands. 



" 17th. At daylight we set out again, and ran along-shore 

 with a fresh west wind, crossed the mouth of a bay which 

 seemed likely to afford shelter, but did not then delay to look 

 at it closely. Soon after noon we passed Weddell's 'Leading 

 Hill,"* which is a very singular double-peaked height, con- 

 spicuous from a long distance, and remarkable in every point 

 of view. Between it and Black Point (a projecting craggy 

 rock) lies a bay or sound, which appears to extend some distance 

 northward. This part of the coast is bad for vessels to close 

 with, being much broken, and having several rocky islets scat- 

 tered near it ; but two miles off shore there is no danger. 

 Having found a secure cove near Leading Hill, we landed, 

 and the men set up our tent, while Mr. Wilson and I ascended 

 the heights to look round. The wind soon freshened to a 

 gale, and made us rejoice at having reached a sheltered place. 



" 18th. The whole of this day was lost by us, for it blew a 

 strong gale with continual rain. Collecting limpets and mus- 

 cles — cutting wood — and drying our clothes on one side by the 

 fire, while the other got wet, were our only occupations. 



