32 Cordovans Voyage of Discovery 



gale, we made away for the cove where we had dined the day 

 before. There securing our boats, we pitched our tent on the 

 only spot which, by its elevation, seemed to be beyond the 

 reach of the tide. We lighted a fire, to dry and warm our- 

 selves; for we all suffered severely from the incessant rain and 

 cold, although on that spot Fahrenheit's thermometer indicated 

 a temperature of 50 degrees. There, nevertheless, we slept 

 till past midnight, w^hen we were called up by the officer on 

 watch, because the tide had risen and entered the tent. Has- 

 tening to safe ground, we passed, in the open air, the most in- 

 clement night that wind, rain, and cold, combined, could well 

 produce. The spot we occupied was completely insulated by 

 the rising tide, but we were safely carried off by the boats. 



The violence and the variety of the currents in San Gero- 

 nimo, are not less dangerous than surprising. In the middle, 

 and along the northern shore, they set almost continually to the 

 8E. ; but, on the southern shore, they alternate with the tides. 

 The meeting of these opposite streams at the mouth of the chan- 

 nel, is, at some periods, most dangerous for boats or small ves- 

 sels ; which, without a strong leading wind, will be unable to 

 keep their course. To the violence of these currents must in 

 a great measure be ascribed the contradictory statements given 

 ot those in the Strait by navigators. The storm still continu- 

 ing, we erected our tent within a grove near the water \ where, 

 by cutting angl burning the brush-wood, we cleared a spot for 

 the purpose. We also availed ourselves of the position, to mea^ 

 sure another base, and continue our survey. The ordinary rise 

 of the tide appeared to be from six to seven feet, but the -westerly 

 winds then raised it to near nine feet. The difference of high-r 

 w^ater in a day was about 45 minutes, and, at full and change, it 

 flowed till near four o'clock. 



Early next morning, with a light wind from the N. and an 

 ebbing tide, we cleared the channel of San Geronimo, and 

 turned westward into the strait itself, having to the south the 

 islands of Charles III. and Ulloa, They are both vast masses 

 of rocks piled together in disorder; the former lofty and preci- 

 pitous over the water, having on it a few^ stunted trees, sup- 

 ported among the rocks by the almost incessant rains and melted 

 snows: its extent from SE. by E. to NW, by W. is 14 miles, 

 XJUoa's Island, of the same nature, contains besides some very 

 elevated summits : its extent from ESE. to WNW, is about the 

 same, and its distance from the former island two miles. Be- 

 tween these islands and Tierra del Fuego, is a passage called 

 Whale Channel ; but neither it, nor the islands, was it our busi- 

 ness to examine. Running therefore along the north ghore of 



