436 



BARNEVELT EVOUTS. 



May 1830. 



Madeira than that of fifty-six south latitude. During this day 

 I had excellent opportunities of taking angles, bearings, and 

 soundings, which I hoped would be sufficient for the south 

 and east sides of the Hermite Islands. The following night we 

 worked to the northward, near the Barnevelt Islands, the wea- 

 ther being fine, and the moon shining brightly. 



" May 1st. A beautiful day — May-day indeed. I landed 

 on the Barnevelt Islands, and took sights for time, latitude, 

 and true bearing, besides a round of angles, while the Beagle 

 was making slow progress to the northward, the wind being 

 very light, and variable. There is no good landing-place on 

 those islands ; but as the water was then comparatively smooth, 

 we were enabled to land upon a steep rocky part, where the 

 surf did not break much. They are two low islets, lying nearly 

 north and south, covered with grass, tussac, and weeds. The 

 largest is about half a mile long, and one-third of a mile wide ; 

 the other is about two cables'* length square. Several rocks lie 

 off the south end, towards both the east and west ; and one 

 above water lies detached, towards the Hermite Islands, nearly 

 in mid-channel : but no other appearance of danger was visible. 

 The angles gained here, crossing those from Orange Bay, 

 bounded the Hermite Islands towards the north — though the 

 detail of their coast-line, northwards, yet remained to be 

 ascertained. 



" 2d. As fine a day as the preceding. We were close to 

 Evouts, an islet similar to the Barnevelts, but rather higher. 

 The weather enabled Mr. Wilson to continue his sketches of 

 the coast : but indeed no part along which we sailed had 

 been quite omitted. In the afternoon we closed the shore 

 near New Island, and were looking out sharply for banks and 

 shoals, fancying, because the land lodged lower, and the Nassau 

 flat had shoal soundings, that we should find banks detached 

 from the land. Shoaler water we certainly found, compared 

 with that to which we had been lately accustomed, namely, 

 from fifteen to twenty fathoms, gradually decreasing as we 

 neared the shore, but we never had less than ten till we were 

 standing into a harbour in the evening. I could here trace no 



