Chapter X: Book IV (2)

Next morning, at three o’clock, we bore up for the east end of Staten Land, which, at half past four, bore S. 60° E. the west end S. 2° E. and the land of Terra del Fuego S. 40° W. Soon after I had taken these bearings, the land was again obscured in a thick haze, and we were obliged to make way, as it were, in the dark; for it was but now and then we got a sight of the coast. As we advanced to the east, we perceived several islands, of unequal extent, lying off the land. There seemed to be a clear passage between the easternmost and the one next to it, to the west. I would gladly have gone through this passage, and anchored under one of the islands, to have waited for better weather; for on sounding we found only twenty-nine fathoms water; but when I considered that this was running to leeward in the dark, I chose to keep without the islands, and accordingly hauled off to the north. At eight o’clock we were abreast of the most eastern isle, distant from it about two miles, and had the same depth of water as before. I now shortened sail to the three top-sails, to wait for clear weather; for the fog was so thick, that we could see no other land than this island. After waiting an hour, and the weather not clearing up, we bore, and hauled round the east end of the island, for the sake of smooth water and anchorage, if it should be necessary. In hauling round, we found a strong race of a current, like unto broken water; but we had no less than nineteen fathoms. We also saw on the island abundance of seals and birds. This was a temptation too great for people in our situation to withstand, to whom fresh provisions of any kind were acceptable; and determined me to anchor, in order that we might taste of what we now only saw at a distance. At length, after making a few boards, fishing, as it were, for the best ground, we anchored in twenty-one fathoms water, a stony bottom, about a mile from the island, which extended from N. 18° E. to N. 55° 1/2 W.; and soon after, the weather clearing up, we saw Cape St. John, or the east end of Staten Land, bearing S. 75° E., distant four leagues. We were sheltered from the south wind by Staten Land, and from the north wind by the island; the other isles lay to the west, and secured us from that wind; but beside being open to the N. E. and E. we also lay exposed to the N. N. W. winds. This might have been avoided by anchoring more to the west; but I made choice of my situation for two reasons: first, to be near the island we intended to land upon; and secondly, to be able to get to sea with any wind.

After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party of men; some to kill seals; others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what came in our way. To find of the former, it mattered not where we landed; for the whole shore was covered with them; and, by the noise they made, one would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On landing, we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand, generally known by the name of sea-bears; at least, we gave them that name. They were, in general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to come near enough to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we shot, not thinking it safe to approach them. We also found on the island abundance of penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost fledged, and just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many; birds of prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on board, our boats well laden with one thing or other.

Next day being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh at, whom chance or design might bring hither, I sent Mr. Gilbert over to Staten Land in the cutter, to look for one. Appearances promised success, in a place opposite the ship. I sent also two other boats for the lions, &c. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after, I went myself, and observed the sun’s meridian altitude at the N. E. end of the island, which gave the latitude 54° 40ʹ 5ʺ south. After shooting a few geese, some other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young shags, we returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, &c. The old lions and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber, or fat, to make oil of; for, except their harslets, which were tolerable, the flesh was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish. But the young cubs were very palatable; and even the flesh of some of the old lionesses was not much amiss; but that of the old males was abominable. In the afternoon, I sent some people on shore to skin and cut off the fat of those which yet remained dead on shore; for we had already more carcasses on board than necessary; and I went myself, in another boat, to collect birds. About ten o’clock Mr. Gilbert returned from Staten Land, where he found a good port, situated three leagues to the westward of Cape St. John, and in the direction of north, a little easterly, from the N. E. end of the eastern island. It may be known by some small islands lying in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east side of these islands, is half a mile broad. The course in is S. W. by S. turning gradually to W. by S. and west. The harbour lies nearly in this last direction; is almost two miles in length; in some places near a mile broad; and hath in it from fifty to ten fathoms water, a bottom of mud and sand. Its shores are covered with wood fit for fuel; and in it are several streams of fresh water. On the islands were sea-lions, &c. and such an innumerable quantity of gulls as to darken the air when disturbed, and almost to suffocate our people with their dung. This they seemed to void in a way of defence, and it stunk worse than asafœtida, or as it is commonly called, devil’s dung. Our people also saw several geese, ducks, and race-horses, which is also a kind of duck. The day on which this port was discovered, occasioned my calling it New Year’s Harbour. It would be more convenient for ships bound to the west, or round Cape Horn, if its situation would permit them, to put to sea with an easterly and northerly wind. This inconvenience, however, is of little consequence, since these winds are never known to be of long duration. The southerly and westerly are the prevailing winds; so that a ship can never be detained long in this port.

As we could not sail in the morning of the 2d, for want of wind, I sent a party of men on shore to the island, on the same duty as before. Towards noon we got a fresh breeze at west; but it came too late, and I resolved to wait till the next morning, when, at four o’clock, we weighed with a fresh gale at N. W. by W. and stood for Cape St. John, which, at half-past six, bore N. by E. distant four or five miles. This cape, being the eastern point of Staten Land, a description of it is unnecessary. It may, however, not be amiss to say, that it is a rock of considerable height, situated in the latitude of 54° 46ʹ South, longitude 64° 7ʹ West, with a rocky islet lying close under the north part of it. To the westward of the cape, about five or six miles, is an inlet, which seemed to divide the land; that is, to communicate with the sea to the south; and between this inlet and the cape is a bay; but I cannot say of what depth. In sailing round the cape, we met with a very strong current from the south: it made a race which looked like breakers; and it was as much as we could do, with a strong gale, to make head against it.

After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast; and as soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our topsails. It afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At this time Cape St. John bore N. 20° east, distant three and a half leagues; Cape St. Bartholomew, or the S. W. point of Staten Land, S. 83° west; two high detached rocks N. 80° west; and the place where the land seemed to be divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15° west, three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54° 56ʹ. In this situation we sounded, but had no bottom, with a line of one hundred and twenty fathoms. The calm was of very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N. W., but it was too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to the N. N. E. At four o’clock the wind veered at once to S. by E. and blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle gale. All this time the current set us to the north; so that, at eight o’clock, Cape St. John bore W. N. W. distant about seven leagues. I now gave over plying, and steered S. E. with a resolution to leave the land; judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general purposes of navigation and geography.

CHAP. IV.

OBSERVATIONS, GEOGRAPHICAL AND NAUTICAL, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE ISLANDS
NEAR STATEN LAND, AND THE ANIMALS FOUND IN THEM.

The annexed chart will very accurately shew the direction, extent, and position of the coast, along which I have sailed, either in this or my former voyage; and no more is to be expected from it. The latitudes have been determined by the sun’s meridian altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the one we sailed from Christmas Sound; which was of no consequence, as its latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67° 46ʹ for the longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian, the longitudes of all the other parts are deduced by the watch; by which the extent of the whole must be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable, that the longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the Straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made it.

In order to illustrate this, and to show the situations of the neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the annexed chart of more general use, I have extended it down to 47° of latitude. But I am only answerable for the inaccuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In laying down the rest, I had recourse to the following authorities.

The longitude of Cape Virgin Mary, which is the most essential point, as it determines the length of the Straits of Magalhaens, is deduced from Lord Anson, who made 2° 3ʹ difference of longitude between it and the Strait Le Maire. Now as the latter lies in 65° 22ʹ, Cape Virgin Mary must lie in 67° 52ʹ, which is the longitude I have assigned to it, and which, I have reason to think, cannot be far from the truth.

The Strait of Magalhaens, and the east coast of Patagonia, are laid down from the observations made by the late English and French navigators.

The position of the west coast of America, from Cape Victory northward, I have taken from the discoveries of _Sarmiento_, a Spanish navigator, communicated to me by Mr. Stuart, F. R. S.

Falkland islands are copied from a sketch taken from Captain M’Bride, who circumnavigated them some years ago in his Majesty’s ship Jason; and their distance from the main is agreeable to the run of the Dolphin, under the command of Commodore Byron, from Cape Virgin Mary to Port Egmont, and from Port Egmont to Port Desire; both of which runs were made in a few days; consequently no material errors could happen.

The S. W. coast of Terra del Fuego, with respect to inlets, islands, &c. may be compared to the coast of Norway; for I doubt, if there be an extent of three leagues where there is not an inlet or harbour which will receive and shelter the largest shipping. The worst is, that till these inlets are better known, one has, as it were, to fish for anchorage. There are several lurking rocks on the coast; but happily none of them lie far from land, the approach to which may be known by sounding, supposing the weather so obscure that you cannot see it. For to judge of the whole by the parts we have sounded, it is more than probable that there are soundings all along the coast, and for several leagues out to sea. Upon the whole, this is by no means the dangerous coast it has been represented.

Staten Land lies nearly E. by N. and W. by S. and is ten leagues long in that direction; and no where above three or four leagues broad. The coast is rocky, much indented, and seemed to form several bays or inlets. It shews a surface of craggy hills which spire up to a vast height, especially near the west end. Except the craggy summits of the hills, the greatest part was covered with trees and shrubs, or some sort of herbage, and there was little or no snow on it. The currents between Cape Deseada and Cape Horn, set from west to east, that is, in the same direction as the coast; but they are by no means considerable. To the east of the cape their strength is much increased, and their direction is N. E. towards Staten Land. They are rapid in Strait Le Maire and along the south coast of Staten Land, and set like a torrent round Cape St. John; where they take a N. W. direction, and continue to run very strong both within and without New Year’s isles. While we lay at anchor within this island, I observed that the current was strongest during the flood; and that, on the ebb, its strength was so much impaired, that the ship would sometimes ride head to wind when it was at west and W. N. W. This is only to be understood of the place where the ship lay at anchor; for at the very time we had a strong current setting to the westward, Mr. Gilbert found one of equal strength near the coast of Staten Land, setting to the eastward; though probably this was an eddy current or tide.

If the tides are regulated by the moon, it is high-water by the shore at this place, on the days of the new and full moon, about four o’clock. The perpendicular rise and fall is very inconsiderable, not exceeding four feet at most. In Christmas Sound it is high water at half past two o’clock on the days of the full and change, and Mr. Wales observed it to rise and fall, on a perpendicular, three feet six inches; but this was during the neap-tides, consequently the spring-tides must rise higher. To give such an account of the tides and currents on these coasts as navigators might depend on, would require a multitude of observations, and in different places, the making of which would be a work of time. I confess myself unprovided with materials for such a task; and believe that the less I say on this subject the fewer mistakes I shall make. But I think I have been able to observe, that in Strait Le Maire, the southerly tide or current, be it flood or ebb, begins to act on the days of new and full moon about four o’clock, which remark may be of use to ships who pass the strait.

Were I bound round Cape Horn to the west, and not in want of wood or water, or any thing that might make it necessary to put into port, I would not come near the land at all. For by keeping out at sea, you avoid the currents, which, I am satisfied, lose their force at ten or twelve leagues from land; and at a greater distance there is none.

During the time we were upon the coast, we had more calms than storms, and the winds so variable that I question if a passage might not have been made from east to west in as short a time as from west to east; nor did we experience any cold weather. The mercury in the thermometer at noon was never below 46°; and while we lay in Christmas Sound, it was generally above temperate. At this place, the variation was 23° 30ʹ east; a few leagues to the S. W. of Strait Le Maire, it was 24°; and at anchor, within New Year’s isles, it was 24° 20ʹ east.

These isles are, in general, so unlike Staten Land, especially the one on which we landed, that it deserves a particular description. It shews a surface of equal height, and elevated about thirty or forty feet above the sea, from which it is defended by a rocky coast. The inner part of the isle is covered with a sort of sword-grass, very green, and of a great length. It grows on little hillocks, of two or three feet in diameter, and as many or more in height, in large tufts, which seemed to be composed of the roots of the plant matted together. Among these hillocks are a vast number of paths made by sea-bears and penguins, by which they retire into the centre of the isle. It is, nevertheless, exceedingly bad travelling; for these paths are so dirty that one is sometimes up to the knees in mire. Besides this plant, there are a few other grasses, a kind of heath, and some celery. The whole surface is moist and wet, and on the coast are several small streams of water. The sword-grass, as I call it, seems to be the same that grows in Falkland isles, described by Bougainville as a kind of _gladiolus_, or rather a species of _gramen_,[16] and named by Pernety, corn-flags.

The animals found on this little spot are sea-lions, sea-bears, a variety of oceanic and some land birds. The sea-lion is pretty well described by Pernety; though those we saw here have not such fore-feet or fins as that he has given a plate of, but such fins as that which he calls the sea-wolf. Nor did we see any of the size he speaks of; the largest not being more than twelve or fourteen feet in length, and perhaps eight or ten in circumference. They are not of that kind described, under the same name, by Lord Anson; but, for aught I know, these would more properly deserve that appellation; the long hair with which the back of the head, the neck and shoulders, are covered, giving them greatly the air and appearance of a lion. The other part of the body is covered with a short hair, little longer than that of a cow or a horse, and the whole is a dark brown. The female is not half so big as the male, and is covered with a short hair of an ash, or light dun colour. They live, as it were, in herds, on the rocks, and near the sea-shore. As this was the time for engendering as well as bringing forth their young, we have seen a male with twenty or thirty females about him, and always very attentive to keep them all to himself, and beating off every other male who attempted to come into his flock. Others again had a less number; some no more than one or two; and here and there we have seen one lying growling in a retired place, alone, and suffering neither males nor females to approach him: we judged these were old and superannuated.

The sea-bears are not so large, by far, as the lions, but rather larger than a common seal. They have none of that long hair which distinguishes the lion. Theirs is all of an equal length, and finer than that of the lion, something like an otter’s; and the general colour is that of iron-grey. This is the kind which the French call sea-wolfs, and the English seals; they are, however, different from the seals we have in Europe and in North America. The lions may too, without any great impropriety, be called overgrown seals; for they are all of the same species. It was not at all dangerous to go among them; for they either fled or lay still. The only danger was in going between them and the sea; for if they took fright at any thing, they would come down in such numbers, that, if you could not get out of their way, you would be run over. Sometimes, when we came suddenly upon them, or waked them out of their sleep (for they are a sluggish sleepy animal), they would raise up their heads, snort and snarl, and look as fierce as if they meant to devour us; but as we advanced upon them, they always run away; so that they are downright bullies.

The penguin is an amphibious bird, so well known to most people, that I shall only observe, they are here in prodigious numbers; so that we could knock down as many as we pleased with a stick. I cannot say they are good eating. I have indeed made several good meals of them; but it was for want of better victuals. They either do not breed here, or else this was not the season; for we saw neither eggs nor young ones.

Shags breed here in vast numbers; and we carried on board not a few, as they are very good eating. They take certain spots to themselves, and build their nests near the edge of the cliffs on little hillocks, which are either those of the sword-grass, or else they are made by the shags building on them from year to year. There is another sort rather smaller than these, which breed on the cliffs of rocks.

The geese are of the same sort we found in Christmas Sound; we saw but few; and some had young ones. Mr. Forster shot one which was different from these, being larger, with a grey plumage, and black feet. The others make a noise exactly like a duck. Here were ducks, but not many; and several of that sort which we called race-horses. We shot some, and found them to weigh twenty-nine or thirty pounds; those who ate of them said they were very good.

The oceanic birds were gulls, terns, Port Egmont hens, and a large brown bird of the size of an albatross, which Pernety calls quebrantahuessas. We called them Mother Cary’s geese, and found them pretty good eating. The land-birds were eagles, or hawks, bald-headed vultures, or what our seamen called turkey buzzards, thrushes, and a few other small birds.

Our naturalists found two new species of birds. The one is about the size of a pigeon, the plumage as white as milk. They feed along shore, probably on shell-fish and carrion; for they have a very disagreeable smell. When we first saw these birds, we thought they were the snow-peterel, but the moment they were in our possession, the mistake was discovered; for they resemble them in nothing but size and colour. These are not web-footed. The other sort is a species of curlews nearly as big as a heron. It has a variegated plumage, the principal colours whereof are light grey, and a long crooked bill.

I had almost forgot to mention that there are sea-pies, or what we called, when in New Zealand, curlews; but we only saw a few straggling pairs. It may not be amiss to observe, that the shags are the same bird which Bougainville calls saw-bills; but he is mistaken in saying that the quebrantahuessas are their enemies; for this bird is of the peterel tribe, feeds wholly on fish, and is to be found in all the high southern latitudes.

It is amazing to see how the different animals, which inhabit this little spot, are mutually reconciled. They seem to have entered into a league not to disturb each other’s tranquillity. The sea-lions occupy most of the sea-coast; the sea-bears take up their abode in the isle; the shags have post in the highest cliffs; the penguins fix their quarters where there is the most easy communication to and from the sea; and the other birds chuse more retired places. We have seen all these animals mix together, like domestic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one attempting to molest the other. Nay, I have often observed the eagles and vultures sitting on the hillocks among the shags, without the latter, either young or old, being disturbed at their presence. It may be asked how these birds of prey live? I suppose, on the carcasses of seals and birds which die by various causes; and probably not few, as they are so numerous.

This very imperfect account is written more with a view to assist my own memory, than to give information to others. I am neither a botanist nor a naturalist; and have not words to describe the productions of nature, either in the one branch of knowledge or the other.

CHAP. V.

PROCEEDINGS AFTER LEAVING STATEN ISLAND, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE
DISCOVERY OF THE ISLE OF GEORGIA, AND A DESCRIPTION OF IT.

Having left the land in the evening of the 3d, as before mentioned, we saw it again next morning, at three o’clock, bearing W. Wind continued to blow a steady fresh breeze till six P. M. when it shifted in a heavy squall to S. W. which came so suddenly upon us, that we had not time to take in the sails, and was the occasion of carrying away a top-gallant mast, a studding-sail boom, and a fore studding-sail. The squall ended in a heavy shower of rain, but the wind remained at S. W. Our course was S. E. with a view of discovering that extensive coast, laid down by Mr. Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the Gulph of St. Sebastian. I designed to make the western point of that gulph, in order to have all the other parts before me. Indeed, I had some doubt of the existence of such a coast; and this appeared to me the best route for clearing it up, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean.

On the 5th, fresh gales, and wet and cloudy weather. At noon observed in 57° 9ʹ, longitude made from Cape Saint John, 5° 2ʹ E. At six o’clock, P. M. being in the latitude 57° 21ʹ, and in longitude 57° 45ʹ W., the variation was 21° 28ʹ E.

At eight o’clock in the evening of the 6th, being then in the latitude of 58° 9ʹ S. longitude 53° 14ʹ W., we close-reefed our top-sails, and hauled to the north, with a very strong gale at W., attended with a thick haze and sleet. The situation just mentioned is nearly the same that Mr. Dalrymple assigns for the S. W. point of the Gulph of St. Sebastian. But as we saw neither land, nor signs of land, I was the more doubtful of its existence, and was fearful, that by keeping to the south I might miss the land said to be discovered by La Roche in 1675, and by the ship Lion in 1756, which Mr. Dalrymple places in 54° 30ʹ latitude, and 45° of longitude; but on looking over Danville’s Chart, I found it laid down 9° or 10° more to the west; this difference of situation being to me a sign of the uncertainty of both accounts, determined me to get into the parallel as soon as possible, and was the reason of my hauling to the north at this time.

Towards the morning of the 7th, the gale abated, the weather cleared up, and the wind veered to the W. S. W. where it continued till midnight; after which it veered to N. W. Being at this time in the latitude of 56° 4ʹ S. longitude 53° 36ʹ W., we sounded, but found no bottom with a line of one hundred and thirty fathoms. I still kept the wind on the larboard-tack, having a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. On the 8th, at noon, a bed of sea-weed passed the ship. In the afternoon, in the latitude of 55° 4ʹ, longitude 51° 45ʹ W., the variation was 20° 4ʹ E.

On the 9th, wind at N. E. attended with thick hazy weather; saw a seal, and a piece of sea-weed. At noon, latitude 55° 12ʹ S. longitude 50° 15ʹ W., the wind and weather continuing the same till towards midnight, when the latter cleared up, and the former veered to west, and blew a gentle gale. We continued to ply till two o’clock the next morning, when we bore away E., and at eight, E. N. E.; at noon, observed in latitude 54° 35ʹ S., longitude 47° 56ʹ W., a great many albatrosses and blue peterels about the ship. I now steered E., and the next morning, in the latitude of 54° 38ʹ, longitude 45° 10ʹ W., the variation was 19° 25ʹ E. In the afternoon saw several penguins, and some pieces of weed.

Having spent the night lying to, on the 12th, at day-break, we bore away, and steered east northerly, with a fine fresh breeze at W. S. W.; at noon observed in latitude 54° 28ʹ S., longitude in 42° 8ʹ W.; that is, near 3° E. of the situation in which Mr. Dalrymple places the N. E. point of the Gulph of St. Sebastian; but we had no other signs of land than seeing a seal and a few penguins; on the contrary we had a swell from E. S. E. which would hardly have been, if any extensive track of land lay in that direction. In the evening the gale abated, and at midnight it fell calm.

The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till six next morning, when we got a wind at E., but the fog still prevailed. We stood to the S. till noon, when, being in the latitude of 55° 7ʹ, we tacked and stretched to the N. with a fresh breeze at E. by S. and E. S. E. cloudy weather; saw several penguins and a snow-peterel, which we looked on to be signs of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder than we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In the afternoon the wind veered to S. E. and in the night to S. S. E. and blew fresh; with which we stood to the N. E.

At nine o’clock the next morning we saw an island of ice as we then thought; but at noon were doubtful whether it was ice or land. At this time it bore E. 3/4 S., distant thirteen leagues; our latitude was 53° 56-1/2ʹ, longitude 39° 24ʹ W.; several penguins, small divers, a snow-peterel, and a vast number of blue peterels about the ship. We had but little wind all the morning; and at two P. M. it fell calm. It was now no longer doubted that it was land, and not ice, which we had in sight. It was, however, in a manner wholly covered with snow. We were farther confirmed in our judgment of its being land, by finding soundings at one hundred and seventy-five fathoms, a muddy bottom. The land at this time bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six o’clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N. E., with which we stood to S. E. At first it blew a gentle gale, but afterwards increased so as to bring us under double-reefed topsails, and was attended with snow and sleet.

We continued to stand to the S. E. till seven in the morning on the 15th, when the wind veering to the S. E. we tacked and stood to the N. A little before we tacked, we saw the land bearing E. by N. At noon the mercury in the thermometer was at 35-1/4°. The wind blew in squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and we had a great sea to encounter. At a lee-lurch which the ship took, Mr. Wales observed her to lie down 42°. At half-past four P. M. we took in the top-sails, got down top-gallant yards, wore the ship, and stood to the S. W. under two courses. At midnight the storm abated, so that we could carry the top-sails double reefed.

At four in the morning of the 16th, we wore and stood to the E., with the wind at S. S. E., a moderate breeze and fair; at eight o’clock saw the land extending from E. by N. to N. E. by N.; loosed a reef out of each top-sail, got top-gallant yards across, and set the sails. At noon observed in latitude 54° 25-1/2ʹ; longitude 38° 18ʹ W. In this situation we had one hundred and ten fathoms’ water; and the land extended from N. 1/2 W. to E., eight leagues distant. The northern extreme was the same that we first discovered, and it proved to be an island which obtained the name of Willis’s Island, after the person who first saw it.

At this time we had a great swell from the S., an indication that no land was near us in that direction; nevertheless, the vast quantity of snow on that in sight, induced us to think it was extensive, and I chose to begin with exploring the northern coast. With this view we bore up for Willis’s Island, all sails set, having a fine gale at S. S. W. As we advanced to the N., we perceived another isle lying east of Willis’s, and between it and the main. Seeing there was a clear passage between the two isles, we steered for it, and at five o’clock, being in the middle of it, we found it about two miles broad.

Willis’s Isle is a high rock of no great extent, near to which are some rocky islets. It is situated in the latitude of 54° S., longitude 38° 23ʹ W. The other isle, which obtained the name of Bird Isle, on account of the vast number that were upon it, is not so high, but of greater extent, and is close to the N. E. point of the main land, which I called Cape North.

The S. E. coast of this land, as far as we saw it, lies in the direction of S. 50° E., and N. 50° W. It seemed to form several bays or inlets; and we observed huge masses of snow, or ice, in the bottoms of them, especially in one which lies ten miles to the S. S. E. of Bird Isle.

After getting through the passage, we found the north coast trended E. by N. for about nine miles; and then E. and E. southerly to Cape Buller, which is eleven miles more. We ranged the coast, at one league distance, till near ten o’clock, when we brought to for the night, and, on sounding, found fifty fathoms, a muddy bottom.

At two o’clock in the morning of the 17th, we made sail in for the land, with a fine breeze at S. W.; at four, Willis’s Isle bore W. by S., distant thirty-two miles; Cape Buller, to the west of which lie some rocky islets, bore S. W. by W.; and the most advanced point of land to the E., S. 63° E. We now steered along the shore, at the distance of four or five miles, till seven o’clock, when, seeing the appearance of an inlet, we hauled in for it. As soon as we drew near the shore, having hoisted out a boat, I embarked in it, accompanied by Mr. Forster and his party, with a view of reconnoitring the bay before we ventured in with the ship. When we put off from her, which was about four miles from the shore, we had forty fathoms’ water. I continued to sound as I went farther in, but found no bottom with a line of thirty-four fathoms, which was the length of that I had in the boat, and which also proved too short to sound the bay, so far as I went up it. I observed it to lie in S. W. by S. about two leagues, about two miles broad, well sheltered from all winds; and I judged there might be good anchorage before some sandy beaches which are on each side, and likewise near a low flat isle, towards the head of the bay. As I had come to a resolution not to bring the ship in, I did not think it worth my while to go and examine these places; for it did not seem probable that any one would ever be benefited by the discovery. I landed in three different places, displayed our colours, and took possession of the country in his Majesty’s name, under a discharge of small arms.

I judged that the tide rises about four or five feet, and that it is high water on the full and change days about eleven o’clock.

The head of the bay, as well as two places on each side, was terminated by perpendicular ice-cliffs of considerable height. Pieces were continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and a great fall happened while we were in the bay, which made a noise like cannon.

The inner parts of the country were not less savage and horrible. The wild rocks raised their lofty summits, till they were lost in the clouds, and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. Not a tree was to be seen, nor a shrub even big enough to make a toothpick. The only vegetation we met with, was a coarse strong-bladed grass, growing in tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocks.

Seals, or sea bears, were pretty numerous. They were smaller than those at Staten Land; perhaps the most of those we saw were females; for the shore swarmed with young cubs. We saw none of that sort which we call lions; but there were some of those which the writer of Lord Anson’s Voyage describes under that name; at least they appeared to us to be of the same sort; and are, in my opinion, very improperly called lions; for I could not see any grounds for the comparison.

Here were several flocks of penguins, the largest I ever saw; some, which we brought on board, weighed from twenty-nine to thirty-eight pounds. It appears by Bougainville’s account of the animals of Falkland Islands, that this penguin is there; and I think it is very well described by him under the name of First Class of Penguins.[17] The Oceanic birds were albatrosses, common gulls, and that sort which I call Port Egmont hens, terns, shags, divers, the new white bird, and a small bird like those of the Cape of Good Hope, called yellow birds; which, having shot two, we found most delicious food.

All the land birds we saw consisted of a few small larks; nor did we meet with any quadrupeds. Mr. Forster, indeed, observed some dung, which he judged to come from a fox, or some such animal. The lands, or rather rocks, bordering on the sea-coast, were not covered with snow like the inland parts; but all the vegetation we could see on the clear places was the grass above mentioned. The rocks seemed to contain iron. Having made the above observations, we set out for the ship, and got on board a little after twelve o’clock, with a quantity of seals and penguins, an acceptable present to the crew.

It must not, however, be understood that we were in want of provisions: we had yet plenty of every kind; and since we had been on this coast, I had ordered, in addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled every morning for breakfast; but any kind of fresh meat was preferred by most on board to salt. For my own part, I was now, for the first time, heartily tired of salt meat of every kind; and though the flesh of the penguins could scarcely vie with bullock’s liver, its being fresh was sufficient to make it go down. I called the bay we had been in, Possession Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 54° 5ʹ S., longitude 37° 18ʹ W., and eleven leagues to the east of Cape North. A few miles to the west of Possession Bay, between it and Cape Buller, lies the Bay of Isles; so named on account of several small isles lying in and before it.

As soon as the boat was hoisted in, we made sail along the coast to the E. with a fine breeze at W. S. W. From Cape Buller, the direction of the coast is S. 72° 30ʹ E., for the space of eleven or twelve leagues, to a projecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Saunders. Beyond this Cape, is a pretty large bay, which I named Cumberland Bay. In several parts in the bottom of it, as also in some others of less extent, lying between Cape Saunders and Possession Bay, were vast tracks of frozen snow, or ice not yet broken loose. At eight o’clock, being just past Cumberland Bay, and falling little wind, we hauled off the coast, from which we were distant about four miles, and found one hundred and ten fathoms’ water.

We had variable light airs and calms till six o’clock the next morning, when the wind fixed at N. and blew a gentle breeze; but it lasted no longer than ten o’clock, when it fell almost to a calm. At noon, observed in latitude 54° 30ʹ S., being then about two or three leagues from the coast, which extended from N. 59° W. to S. 13° W. The land in this last direction was an isle, which seemed to be the extremity of the coast to the east. The nearest land to us being a projecting point which terminated in a round hillock, was, on account of the day, named Cape Charlotte. On the west side of Cape Charlotte lies a bay, which obtained the name of Royal Bay, and the west point of it was named Cape George. It is the east point of Cumberland Bay, and lies in the direction of S. E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues. Cape George and Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37° E., and N. 37° W., distant six leagues from each other. The isle above mentioned, which was called Cooper’s Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte. The coast between them forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich. The wind being variable all the afternoon, we advanced but little; in the night it fixed at S. and S. S. W., and blew a gentle gale attended with showers of snow.

The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and S. W., clear pleasant weather, but cold. At sun-rise, a new land was seen bearing S. E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a sugar-loaf; some time after, other detached pieces appeared above the horizon near the hill. At noon observed in the latitude 54° 42ʹ 30ʺ S., Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38° W., distant four leagues; and Cooper’s Isle S. 31° W. In this situation, a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and near this rock were several breakers. In the afternoon we had a prospect of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits were elevated high above the clouds. The wind continued at S. S. W. till six o’clock, when it fell to a calm. At this time Cape Charlotte bore N. 31° W., and Cooper’s Island W. S. W. In this situation we found the variation, by the azimuths, to be 11° 39ʹ, and by the amplitude, ll° 12ʹ E. At ten o’clock, a light breeze springing up at N., we steered to the S. till twelve, and then brought to for the night.

At two o’clock in the morning of the 20th, we made sail to S. W., round Cooper’s Island. It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles in circuit, and one mile from the main. At this isle the main coast takes a S. W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point, which I called Cape Disappointment. Off that, are three small isles, the southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from the Cape.

As we advanced to S. W., land opened off this point, in the direction of N. 60° West, and nine leagues beyond it. It proved an island quite detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island, after my third officer. Soon after, a point of the main, beyond this island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55° W.; which exactly united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more than an island of seventy leagues in circuit.

Who would have thought that an island of no greater extent than this, situated between the latitude of 54° and 55°, should, in the very height of summer, be in a manner wholly covered many fathoms deep with frozen snow, but more especially the S. W. coast? The very sides and craggy summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; but the quantity which lay in the valleys is incredible; and at the bottom of the bays, the coast was terminated by a wall of ice of considerable height. It can hardly be doubted that a great deal of ice is formed here in the winter, which in the spring is broken off and dispersed over the sea; but this island cannot produce the ten-thousandth part of what we saw; so that either there must be more land, or the ice is formed without it. These reflections led me to think that the land we had seen the preceding day might belong to an extensive track; and I still had hopes of discovering a continent. I must confess the disappointment I now met with, did not affect me much, for to judge of the bulk by the sample, it would not be worth the discovery.

I called this land the Isle of Georgia in honour of his Majesty. It is situated between the latitude of 53° 57ʹ and 54° 57ʹ S.; and between 38° 13ʹ and 35° 34ʹ W. longitude. It extends S. E. by E., and N. W. by W. and is thirty-one leagues long in that direction; and its greatest breadth is about ten leagues. It seems to abound with bays and harbours, the N. E. coast especially; but the vast quantity of ice must render them inaccessible the greatest part of the year; or, at least, it must be dangerous lying in them, on account of the breaking up of the ice-cliffs.

It is remarkable that we did not see a river or stream of fresh water, on the whole coast. I think it highly probable that there are no perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, as being much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in such quantities as to produce a river or stream of water. The coast alone receives warmth sufficient to melt the snow, and this only on the N. E. side; for the other, besides being exposed to the cold south winds, is in a great degree deprived of the sun’s rays by the uncommon height of the mountains.

It was from a persuasion that the sea-coast of a land situated in the latitude of 54°, could not, in the very height of summer, be wholly covered with snow, that I supposed Bouvet’s discovery to be large islands of ice. But after I had seen this land, I no longer hesitated about the existence of Cape Circumcision; nor did I doubt that I should find more land than I should have time to explore. With these ideas I quitted this coast, and directed my course to the E. S. E. for the land we had seen the preceding day.

The wind was very variable till noon, when it fixed at N. N. E., and blew a gentle gale; but it increased in such a manner, that, before three o’clock, we were reduced to our two courses, and obliged to strike top-gallant yards. We were very fortunate in getting clear of the land before this gale overtook us, it being hard to say what might have been the consequence had it come on while we were on the north coast. This storm was of short duration, for at eight o’clock it began to abate, and at midnight it was little wind. We then took the opportunity to sound, but found no bottom with a line of an hundred and eighty fathoms.

Next day the storm was succeeded by a thick fog, attended with rain; the wind veered to N. W., and at five in the morning it fell calm, which continued till eight, and then we got a breeze southerly, with which we stood to the east till three in the afternoon. The weather then coming somewhat clear, we made sail and steered north in search of the land; but at half past six we were again involved in a thick mist, which made it necessary to haul the wind, and spend the night in making short boards.

We had variable light airs, next to a calm, and thick foggy weather, till half-past seven o’clock in the evening of the 22d, when we got a fine breeze at N., and the weather was so clear that we could see two or three leagues round us. We seized the opportunity, and steered to west; judging we were to the east of the land. After running ten miles to the west, the weather became again foggy, and we hauled the wind, and spent the night under top-sails.

Next morning, at six o’clock, the fog clearing away so that we could see three or four miles, I took the opportunity to steer again to the W., with the wind at E., a fresh breeze; but two hours after, a thick fog once more obliged us to haul the wind to the south. At eleven o’clock, a short interval of clear weather gave us a view of three or four rocky islets, extending from S. E. to E. N. E., two or three miles distant; but we did not see the Sugar-loaf Peak before-mentioned. Indeed, two or three miles was the extent of our horizon.

We were well assured that this was the land we had seen before, which we had now been quite round: and therefore it could be no more than a few detached rocks, receptacles for birds, of which we now saw vast numbers, especially shags, who gave us notice of the vicinity of land before we saw it. These rocks lie in the latitude of 55° S. and S. 75° E., distant twelve leagues from Cooper’s Isle.