of the Strait. IS 



$ky was cl-oudy and dark the whole night ; so that we had the 

 mortification of being prevented from observing the emervsions of 

 the J St and £d satellites of Jupiter, by which we would have 

 been able to determine with accuracy the longitude of Cape de 

 ]as Virgenes. 



All the 25th we remained at anchor, with the wind fresh, ac- 

 companied by a heavy sea from SW.: the current was either 

 at a stand, or setting towards ESE. We made several expe- 

 riments to ascertain its rise and fall, but were never able to 

 satisfy ourselves, the vessel being as it were in a kind of whirl- 

 pool, from the continual shifting of the wind and currents : upon 

 the whole, however, we were of opinion that the rise and fall 

 of the water are very inconsiderable. 



On the following day we had but little wind, but the current 

 continued to be almost alwaj's contrary to our course. In the 

 evening, the boat went on shore, for the purpose of making 

 some observations requisite for laying down the chart of the 

 strait. The Patagonians, who for some days past had not 

 appeared on the shore, but remained about a mile up the coun- 

 try, endeavouring to soften the rigour of the weather by keep- 

 ing up large fires, now came down, in number about thirty, all 

 men, to the place where the boat was to land, and received our 

 people with every mark of friendship and goodwill. We pre- 

 sented to them some glass trinkets, making them sit down, that 

 we might tie them round their necks with red ribbons ; and our 

 second captain gave to the "allest among them a small plate of 

 metal, with his name and the date engraved on it. We invited 

 them to come on-board the frigate, which they declined doing 

 at that time, as night was coming on, when they regularly re- 

 trurned to their place of abode; but promised to pay us a visit 

 on the morrow, or next sun, as they express it. 



Having no kind of boats or ships themselves, they have con- 

 sequently no names for them ; they therefore called the frigate 

 the great waggon or cart, and the boat the little waggon. 



On this occasion we had again an opportunity of remarking 

 the quiet temper and dispositions of these Patagonians, as well 

 as their manners and stature. Their continuing in that part of 

 the strait as long as we remained there, seemed to prove rather 

 their desire to acquire some European trinkets, jewels in their 

 eyes, than any wish for conversation or intercourse with us, 

 I'he tribe consisted of 300 or 400 persons, all men and boys, 

 for we saw not one woman among them, who no doubt remain- 

 ed at their habitations up the country, whither the men every 

 night retired. 



Ail requisite operations for taking a survey of that part of the 



