( 31 ) 



The land we were now fettled upon 

 was about 90 leagues to the northward 

 of the weftern mouth of the ftreights of 

 Magellan, in the latitude of between 47 

 and 48^ fouth, from whence we could 

 plainly fee the Cordilleras ; and by two 

 Lagoons on the north and fouth of us, 

 ftretching towards thofe mountains, we 

 conje61:ured it was an ifland. But as yet 

 we had no means of informing ourfelves 

 perfedlly, whether it was an ifland or the 

 main ; for befides that the inland parts 

 at little diftance from us feemed imprac* 

 ticable,from the exceeding great thicknefs 

 of the wood, we had hitherto been in fuch 

 confufion and want (each finding full 

 employment for his time, in fcraping to- 

 gether a wretched fubfiftence, and pro- 

 viding flieher againft the cold and rain) 

 that no party could be formed to go up- 

 on (^ifcoveries. The climate and fea- 

 fon too were utterly unfavourable to ad- 

 venturers, and the coaft, as far as our 



eye 



