NARK ATI YE OF THE CRUISE. 
86*7 
The day was cloudy and drizzly, not much wind in the inner passage, but apparently 
a fresh breeze outside in Nelson Strait. The rain was never sufficiently heavy to hide 
the land for any distance, but it was enough to prevent surveying operations. 
On the 11th January, at 4 a.m., the vessel left Isthmus Bay for Port Churruca. 
No difficulty was experienced in proceeding through Smyth Channel and Mayne 
Passage. Bradbury Rock, the height of which is not given on the chart, is low, about 
6 feet above the level of the sea. At 10.30 a.m., having cleared Smyth Channel, a 
sounding and trawling were obtained in 245 fathoms, with the left extremity of 
Fairway Island north, St. Agnes Peak N. 15° W., St. Anne’s Peak N. 33° W., the left 
extremity of the islands in Parker Bay N. 71° W., and the right extremity of Tamar 
Island S. 30° E. The temperature at the surface was 50°, and at the bottom 46°. At 
0.30 p.m. the trawl was hove up, and the ship proceeded for Port Churruca, anchoring 
in Nassau Bay at 2.45 p.m., with Digby Point N. 10° E., Holland Point N. 34° W., 
ancl the entrance - of Lobo Arm N.E. by E. \ E. The early part of the day was rainy 
and thick, but this cleared off about 9 a.m., and the rest of the day was line, with a 
moderate breeze. The Challenger had then steamed 300 miles through the Inner 
Channels from the Gulf of Penas to the Strait of Magellan, thus avoiding the chances of 
bad weather on the tempestuous coast of Western Patagonia. 
The existence of these channels was first made known by Pedro Sarmiento. He 
entered the Gulf of Trinidad in November 1579, and anchored in 20 fathoms, rocky 
bottom, near the south shore, 15 miles within the outer capes, but being there exposed 
to northwest winds, afterwards anchored in 5 fathoms in a narrow port, which he 
named “ Rosario,” just west of Cape Candelaria. The first anchorage was named 
“ Puerto Peligroso ” by Sarmiento, but by the seamen “ Cache Diablo.” From Port 
Rosario the ships proceeded to the eastward into Concepcion Channel, and then anchored 
in Port Bermejo at the southeast extremity of Madre Island. Leaving his ships at 
anchor in Port Bermejo, Sarmiento proceeded in boats first along the western coast of 
Hanover Island, which he traced as far south as Cape Santa Lucia, and rejoined his vessel 
again on December 24th. Leaving Port Bermejo again on the 29th, Sarmiento pro- 
ceeded in his boats to the southeastward, past Inocentes Island and through the 
Guia Narrows into the channel now bearing his name, which he traced to the south- 
ward to the parallel of 52° 15' S., but missing the passage by which he might have 
entered the Strait of Magellan, returned to his ship January 12th, 1580. Giving up 
hopes of being able to enter Magellan Strait by the inner channels, Sarmiento took his 
ships outside through the Concepcion Channel. It is worthy of note that by observations 
made at Port Bermejo, there was in 1580 no variation of the needle. 
From the time of Sarmiento no account was given by any Europeans of the Gulf of 
of Trinidad or the. inner passages, until the two surveying ships “ Adventure ” and 
