However, about Noon they returned in no very Comfortable Condition, and what was still worse 2 blacks, servants to Mr. Banks, had perished in the Night with Cold. Great part of the day they landed was spent before they got through the Woods, after which they advanced so far into the Country that they were so far from being able to return that night, and with much difficulty they got to a place of Tolerable Shelter where they could make a fire: these 2 men being Intrusted with great part of the Liquor (that was for the whole party) had made too free with it, and Stupified themselves to that degree that they either could or would not Travel, but laid themselves down in a place 44 where there was not the least thing to Shelter them from the inclemency of the night. This was about 1/4 of a Mile from where the rest took up their Quarters, and notwithstanding their repeated Endeavours, they could not get them to move one Step farther, and the bad travelling made it impossible for any one to Carry them, so that they were Obliged to leave them, and the next morning they were both found dead. Wednesday, 18th. All the Middle and Latter parts of this day it blow'd very strong from the South-South-West and South-West, attended with Snow, Hail and Rain, and brought such a Sea into the Bay, which rose the Surf to such a Height that no Boat could land. The same Stormy weather and Surf continued all Thursday, 19th. All this time the Ship road very easy with her Broad side to the swell. The great Surf that always will be upon the Shore when the wind blows hard from the Southward makes Wooding and Watering tedious, notwithstanding there are great plenty of both close to high water Mark. Friday, 20th. Moderate gales and Cloudy with frequent Showers of rain all this day. This Evening the Surf abated, and at 2 a.m. sent the People on shore to Wood and Water and cut Brooms, all of which we Completed this day. In this Service we lost our small Kedge Anchor, it having been laid off the Watering Place to ride the Longboat by, and the Gale had broke away the Hawser and Buoy rope, and perhaps buried the Anchor in the Sand, for notwithstanding our utmost Endeavours we were not able to Hook it. Took up the Stream Anchor and made ready for Sailing. [Sailed from Success Bay.] Saturday, 21st. Wind from South-South-West to South-West; moderate breezes the first part; latter, fresh Gales with Showers of Rain. P.M. hoisted in the Boats, and made ready for Sailing; at 2 a.m. weighed and made Sail out of the Bay. At 1/2 past 4 the Cape of good Success bore West, and Cape Bartholomew East. Variation per Azimuth, 24 degrees 9 minutes East; at Noon the Cape of good Success bore North 36 degrees West; distance, 11 leagues. Sunday, 22nd. Wind between the South and the West first and Latter part, fresh Gales and Squally, with rain; the Middle, little wind and rain. A.M. found the Variation by several Azimuths to be 20 degrees 4 minutes East. Unbent the Cables and Stowed the Anchors. At Noon, Latitude observed 56 degrees 7 minutes South, longitude, made from the Cape of Good Success, 42 minutes East. Monday, 23rd. Winds variable from South-East round by the South-West to North-West. First part, a fresh breeze and Squally, the remainder moderate breezes and sometimes Calm and clear weather, which is more than we have had for several days past. At 4 a.m. saw the Land in the South-West Quarter, and a small Island bearing West; from this Time until 9 it was Calm, at which time the Ship drove very fast to the North-East by North. At 9 Sprung up a light breeze at North, loos'd all the Reefs out, and set the Steering sails. The Cape of good Success bore North-East by North; Staten land seen from the Deck bearing North-East; the Sugar Loaf on Terra Del Fuego North-North-East, and is the same Hill as is seen from the North-East side of the Land; it appears to stand but a little way in Land from the Shore; and the Mainland and Islands on the Coast extending from the Cape of good Success to the South by West. The Country Mountainous, of an indifferent height; the Tops were covered with Snow, which had lately fell, as it did not lay long. There appeared to be several Bays and inlets and Islands laying along the Coast; the 3rd view in the Chart exhibits the appearance of this Coast where g is new Island, c the Sugar Loaf, and h the Cape of good Success. At noon the West End of New Island bore North-West by West, 5 leagues. Latitude observed 55 degrees 25 minutes South, this Island I named New Island because it is not laid down in any Chart.* (* This island is still so called in the charts.) Tuesday, 24th. The fore and Middle parts of these 24 Hours Moderate Gales and Cloudy with some Showers of Rain; the Latter, fresh gales with flying Showers. At 7 p.m. New Island bore North-West by North, and a small Island laying to the Westward of it bore West by North. Variation per Several Azimuths 21 degrees 0 minutes East, which is much less than we have yet found it upon this Coast; yet I am satisfied with the Goodness of the Observations. At 1/2 past 1 a.m. the Wind Shifted from South-South-West to East-South-East. Tackt and stood South-West; at 6 Saw the Land to the Westward making like several Islands. At 8 two Small Islands laying off a low Point of Land bore West by South, distant 3 Leagues, and the small Island we saw last night bore North-North- West. This I take to be the Island of Evouts, it is about one League in Circuit, and of a Moderate height and lies 4 Leagues from the Main. Near the South Point of it are some Peaked rocks pretty high above Water; the wind coming to the Southward we did but just weather this Island; in passing it, sounded and had 40 fathoms Water, sand, and broken Shells. At Noon it bore North-East distance one League, and the low point of land before mentioned South 17 degrees West distant 4 or 5 Leagues. Tackt and Stood to the South-East, wind at South-South-West. From this low Point the land trends to the North-West, about 4 Leagues, where it ends in a low point round which to the Westward appears to be a Deep Bay, unless this land should prove to be an Island or Islands, which is most likely. It rises into high Craggy hills, and the Shore seems to form several Bays; if so, they must afford good Shelter for Shipping against Southerly and Westerly winds. 45 [Off Cape Horn.] Wednesday, 25th. Winds from the South to the West-North-West, the first part fresh Gales and Squally with some Rain; Middle, little wind with Hail and Rain; latter, fresh Gales and Hazey, with Showers of Rain. At 8 p.m. the Island of Evouts North-West, distant 3 or 4 miles. Variation, per morning Amplitude 21 degrees 16 minutes East. At 8 a.m. the Southermost low point of land seen Yesterday Bore South 74 degrees West, and a remarkable Peaked Hill to the Southward of it South-West; and soon after we discovered that the land which we took Yesterday to be a part of the Main or an Island, was three Islands, which I take to be Hermites. At Noon the South Point of the Southermost Island bore North-West by West distant 3 leagues, having then 58 fathoms Peble Stones. This Point is pretty high and consists of Peaked Craggy rocks, and not far from it lay several others high above Water. It lies in the Latitude of 55 degrees 53 minutes South and South-West 26 Leagues from Straits La Mair, and by some on board thought to be Cape Horn; but I was of another Opinion, and with good reason, because we saw land to the Southward of it about 3 or 4 leagues. It appeared not unlike an Island with a very high round Hummock upon it; this I believe to be Cape Horn, for after we had stood about 3 Leagues the weather cleared up for about a quarter of an hour, which gave us a sight of the land bearing West-South-West, but we could see no land to the southward or Westward of it, and therefore conclude that it must be the Cape, but whether it be an Island of itself, a part of the Southermost of Hermits Islands, or a part of Terra del Fuego, I am not able to determine. However, this is of very little Consequence to Navigation: I only wished to be Certain whether or no it was the Southermost Land on or near to Terra del Fuego; but the thick foggy weather and the westerly winds which Carried us from the land prevented me from satisfying my Curiosity in this point, but from its Latitude and the reasons before given I think it must, and if so it must be Cape Horn, and lies in the latitude of 55 degrees 53 minutes South and Longitude 68 degrees 13 minutes West from the Meridian of Greenwich,* (* No doubt this was Cape Horn, but it lies in 55 degrees 58 minutes South, 67 degrees 16 minutes West.) being the Mean result of Several Observations of the sun and moon made the day after we left the land, and which agreed with those made at Straits Le Mair, allowing for the dis- tance between one place and the other, which I found means very accurately to determine. As we are now about taking our departure from the Land, which we are not likely to fall in with again, I shall give a more full Description of such parts of the Coasts of Terra del Fuego as hath fallen under my inspection. We fell in with this Coast 21 Leagues to the Westward of Straits Le Mair, and ranged the coast from thence to the Strait within 2 or 3 Leagues of the Land, and had soundings all the way from 40 to 20 fathoms, a Gravelly and Sandy Bottom. The land near the Shore is in general low but hilly, the face of the Country appears Green and Woody, but in land are Craggy Mountains; they appeared to be of no great height, nor were they Covered with Snow. The most remarkable land on Terra Del Fuego is a high Mountain in form of a Sugar Loaf, situated not far from the sea on the South-West side of the Land, and 3 hills called the 3 Brothers. They lay near the Shore and nine Miles to the Westward of Cape St. Diego, which is a low point that forms the North-West Entrance of Strait Le Mair, and are Contiguous to Each other.
