DETAINED BY WEATHER — SEAL. March 1830. 



somewhat better phght than we had been in during the greater 

 part of the day, the men having been constantly soaked through, 

 and their hands quite numbed with cold and wet. I was disap- 

 pointed by this place ; the various coves were sounded, with- 

 out getting bottom with twenty-five fathoms of line ; and I 

 could find no anchorage without going further up the inlet 

 than would suit any vessel running in from sea for a temporary 

 shelter. 



" 26th. A strong gale prevented our going outside, but in 

 hopes that there might be an inland passage I set out to look 

 for one. Having pulled and sailed about six miles up the inlet, 

 we reached its termination, and thence returned to our bivouac. 

 There seemed to be an opening into Duff* Bay not previously 

 seen, which would have saved us some time and trouble had 

 we known of its existence. 



" 27th. The gale continued with more or less violence, and 

 during the greater part of the day we were occupied in gather- 

 ing limpets and muscles, as a stock of food in case of being 

 detained longer than our provisions would last. Shooting did 

 not succeed, because the sea-birds were very wild and scarce. I 

 regretted that there was no harbour in the inlet which could be 

 planned during our stay. Every cove we could find had deep 

 water, and so rocky a bottom that we found difficulty in secur- 

 ing even our small boat ; for this continued gale raised so 

 much swell that we were kept on the alert at night to shift her 

 berth as often as the wind changed. 



" 28th. This day, and the preceding night, the wind was 

 exceedingly violent, from N.W. to S.W., but generally south- 

 ward of west. In pulling across the cove to get limpets, the 

 squalls at times forced the oars out of the men's hands, and blew 

 them across or away from the boat. Much rain fell during 

 most nights, but after sunrise it generally ceased ; sometimes 

 however the rain poured down by day as much as by night. 



" I here saw many seals teaching their young ones to swim. 

 It was curious to see the old seal supporting the pup by its 

 flipper, as if to let it breathe and rest, and then pushing it 

 away into deep water to shift for itself. 



