NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE. 
863 
carefully looked for, but was not seen. At 6.15 p.m. the ship rounded the south extremity 
of Alert Island and was steered for Hale Cove, anchoring there at 6.45 p.m., with the right 
extremity of Billard Island S.S.W. § W., Point Boulard S.E., and Point Pillot W.N.W. 
Hale Cove is a very good anchorage for vessels entering the Messier Channel and 
being nearer the Gulf of Penas, will probably be preferred also by vessels bound north- 
ward. Island Harbour, 10 miles farther south, is smaller and much more confined. 
In making the Messier Channel, the bearings taken from the ship to the various 
conspicuous points on shore were found not to agree, and there can be no; doubt that the 
chart is somewhat incorrect. However, with the fine weather experienced, there was 
no difficulty in distinguishing the land or in steering towards the port it was 
intended to anchor in for the night ; it might have been otherwise had the hills been 
capped, or only visible at intervals through the rain. The great difficulty of pilotage 
is in first making out the land ; when the various objects on a coast have been once 
distinguished, and the vessel’s position assured, then little difficulty is experienced 
in proceeding along the coast or into the port of destination, for as the vessel proceeds, 
the various objects which from time to time are sighted may readily be recognised by 
an occasional judicious angle from previously known points. If however the chart be 
incorrect, considerable difficulty is experienced in recognising the various objects delineated, 
more especially if a continuous view of the land cannot be obtained owing to rain or 
thick weather ; and as this appears to be the general condition of things in the Gulf of 
Penas, there can be no doubt that a correct survey of its southern coasts is a great 
desideratum. When once in the Messier Channel the water is so deep and the coast so 
steep that little danger need be apprehended ; besides which, vessels are well protected 
from the gales which prevail in the Pacific on this parallel. 
On the 2nd January the ship left Hale Cove and proceeded to the southward 
through the Messier Channel for Gray Harbour at the northern end of the English 
Narrows. At 9 a.m. a sounding was obtained in 565 fathoms, with Scout Peak N. 30^° W., 
Mount Millar N. 39^° W., Mount Black N. 49^° W., Middle Island Summit S. 39° E., 
and Cock’s Head N. 16^° W. Black Island Peak is the easternmost of the two marked 
on the chart, and is higher than the one delineated, being 2000 feet above the level 
of the sea. At 9.20 a.m. the vessel again proceeded to the southward, and at 11.10 a.m. 
stopped off Middle Island, to land surveying and exploring parties. Here a latitude 
was obtained on the west extremity of the island, and a rough true bearing and a few 
angles taken. The latitude was 48° 28' 3" S., the true bearing of Scout Peak N. 1 1° 22 ' W., 
and of the summit of Thornton Island S. 8° 25' E. Whilst the exploring parties were on 
shore the ship sounded, trawled, and took temperatures in 345 fathoms, Middle Island 
Peak bearing N. 85° E. and Thornton Island Peak S. 31° 40' E. The temperature at 
the surface was 57°‘5, and from 100 fathoms to the bottom was 46°. At 2 p.m. the 
ship again proceeded to the southward towards Gray Harbour. At 4 p.m., when off 
(XARR. CHALL. EXP. VOL. I.— 1885.) 109 
