io the Strait of Magellan. 



39 



small curves, separated by projecting points of rocky cliff, 

 trending more towa,rds the W. from Cape Upright than it did to 

 the eastward of that cape. Having been detained three long 

 days in the miserable corner already described, we at last ven- 

 tured out to sea ; the weather becoming moderate, although 

 the wind was at NW. We passed several deep inlets, sepa- 

 rated by islands and points; but the wind being contrary, 

 and the sea very heavy, we put into a small bay, which we 

 supposed to be that of Sa. Monica, so called by Sarmiento. 

 JVo circumstance of his description, however, corresponded to 

 that bay, which was surrounded by high land, and no bottom 

 was found at 4S fathoms. From these and other circumstances 

 we w^ere convinced, that some error exists in the account of his 

 voyage through the strait, in the distance between the bay of 

 Sa. Monica and Cape Upright. In that most unfit situation for 

 our small vessel, we were overtaken by a most furious tempest 

 of squalls and rain, particularly during the night, which, by the 

 roaring of the winds among the mountains, and the dashing of 

 the waves against the steep cliffs around us, was the most 

 distressing of all our voyage. In the course of the two following 

 days, we heard a dull sort of noise, of short duration, which 

 we supposed to be thunder ; but we were afterwards inclined to 

 ascribe the noise to some explosion among the mountains, in 

 which we believed volcanos existed, although not in visible 

 conflagration. To this conclusion we were led, by having 

 found, on the summit of one which we ascended, masses of 

 scoria, or metallic cinders, perfected similar to those produced 

 in a smith's forge. On the last day of our detention in that 

 wretched spot happened the new moon, and it was high water 

 at 5 minutes past 12 noon. The weather becoming more 

 moderate in the afternoon, we at last proceeded on our way, 

 and soon came to another harbour, small, but tolerably com- 

 modious ; for the ground is good, and the bay is sheltered from 

 the SW. and NW. quarters. The only defect is, that the sur- 

 rounding land is low ; but, being well wooded on those quarters, 

 vessels may lie in the bay very safely, especially as they may 

 be made fast to the trees, if necessary. The harbour runs in 

 to the west about half a mile; and the wood and verdiu-e around 

 it, which are very uncommon in the western part of the strait, 

 together with the runs of fresh water from the snows of the 

 interior, make this harbour an object of value. From these 

 and other circumstances, it seems highly probable that this 

 is, in fact, the harbour of Sa. Monica: its distance is 14 

 miles about WNW. from Cape Upright, and SSW. from Cape 

 Tamar. In this port we passed the night, having found there, 

 as in all the other parts of the strait, abundance of mussels ; 



