t)f the Strait. 17 



thre^ ancboM, with two small ones, whicb migbt be joined to- 

 gether so as to make one, with two whole cables and two pieces 

 of others. Notwithstandinir such slender provision of indis- 

 pensable articles, it was still unanimously resolved, by all the 

 officers on-board, to return to the Strait as soon as the wind 

 should permit : and it having subsided considerably on the 

 morning of the 31st, but still blowing from WSW. we bent 

 our course to the southward ; and, on the 1st of January, at 

 break of day, we again came in sight of Cape de las Virgenes, 

 distant about four leagues. At 8 A.M. we reached the mouth 

 of the Strait, and having turned to windward the whole day 

 to little advantage: in the evening, the west assuming again a 

 very threatening aspect, we thought it to be most prudent 

 once more to take refuge under the land to the northward of the 

 same cape, there to wait for more favourable weather. 



The wind abating a little on the 2d, we entered the Strait a 

 third time ; and, having tacked all the morning to little pur- 

 pose, it fell calm about \~ p.m. when the current being against 

 us, we dropped one of our small anchors in 43 fa. fine sand 

 and shells, Cape de las Virgenes, bearing N. 31^ E. 4 leagues. 

 At 3 P.M. the wind sprung up from SW., and the force of the 

 current being weakened, we weighed ; and, notwithstanding 

 the approach of night, and the unfavourable appearance of the 

 heavens, continued under-sail, preferring rather to turn up to 

 Avindward, even in these dangerous parts, by night, than again 

 to hazard the loss of more cables and anchors. The night was 

 spent in tacking and sounding, putting about always when we 

 came into 14, 15, or 16 fathoms water. 



The remark seems to be well founded, that, in these parts, 

 when the currents are very strong towards the E. but almost in- 

 sensible in their course to the westward, it is a sign that the 

 winds will be boisterous and squally from the W. ; for, in this, 

 our third attempt to enter the Strait, in which the winds had 

 neither been constant nor violent from the \vestvvard, we found 

 that the currents had been considerably in our favour. Not- 

 withstanding that it is not advisable to turn to windward 

 by night in such passages, yet, in the morning, we found that 

 we had advanced more in the Strait than we had done in all the 

 days preceding ; and at 11 a.m. we had reached Cape Possession, 

 although the wind had always blown from the westward. At 

 6 P.M. that cape bearing IS3. 25° E. and the hill called Aymon 

 W. 54° N. it being quite calm, and the current setting SE. 

 we anchored in 10 fathoms brown sand, and got out the boat, 

 to sound in the neighbourhood of the vessel; and to discover 

 the channel which led to the first pass, or Pass of Nuestra 

 Sei ora de la Esperanza. At 6| p.m. the current began to set 



Voyages and Travels, No, 5, Vol II, d 



