On the 26th, little wind, next to a calm, and fair weather, except in the morning, when we had some showers of rain. In the evening, when it was cold, the natives made us another visit; and it being distressing to see them stand trembling and naked on the deck, I could do no less than to give them some baize and old canvass to cover themselves.
Having already completed our water, on the 27th I ordered the wood, tent, and observatory to be got on board; and, as this was work for the day, a party of us went in two boats to shoot geese, the weather being fine and pleasant. We proceeded round by the south side of Goose Island, and picked up in all thirty-one. On the east side of the island, to the north of the east point, is good anchorage, in seventeen fathoms water, where it is entirely land-locked. This is a good place for ships to lie in that are bound to the west. On the north side of this isle, I observed three fine coves, in which were both wood and water; but it being near night, I had no time to sound them; though I doubt not, there is anchorage. The way to come at them is by the west end of the island.
When I returned on board, I found every thing got off the shore, and the launch in; so that we now only waited for a wind to put to sea. The festival, which we celebrated at this place, occasioned my giving it the name of Christmas Sound. The entrance, which is three leagues wide, is situated in the latitude of 55° 27ʹ S., longitude 70° 16ʹ W.; and in the direction of N. 37° W. from St. Ildefonso Isles, distant ten leagues. These isles are the best landmark for finding the sound. York Minster, which is the only remarkable land about it, will hardly be known by a stranger from any description that can be given of it, because it alters its appearance according to the different situations it is viewed from. Besides the black rock, which lies off the end of Shag Island, there is another about midway between this and the east shore. A copious description of this sound is unnecessary, as few would be benefited by it. The sketch which accompanies this journal will be a sufficient guide for such ships as chance may bring hither. Anchorage, tufts of wood, and fresh water, will be found in all the coves and harbours. I would advise no one to anchor very near the shore for the sake of having a moderate depth of water; because there I generally found a rocky bottom.
The refreshments to be got here are precarious, as they consist chiefly of wild fowl, and may probably never be found in such plenty as to supply the crew of a ship; and fish, so far as we can judge, are scarce. Indeed the plenty of wild fowl made us pay less attention to fishing. Here are, however, plenty of muscles, not very large, but well tasted; and very good celery is to be met with on several of the low islets, and where the natives have their habitations. The wild-fowl are geese, ducks, sea-pies, shags, and that kind of gull so often mentioned in this journal under the name of Port Egmont hen. Here is a kind of duck, called by our people race-horses, on account of the great swiftness with which they run on the water; for they cannot fly, the wings being too short to support the body in the air. This bird is at the Falkland Islands, as appears by Pernety’s journal.[[15]] The geese too are there, and seem to be very well described under the name of bustards. They are much smaller than our English tame geese, but eat as well as any I ever tasted. They have short black bills and yellow feet. The gander is all white; the female is spotted black and white, or grey with a large white spot on each wing. Besides the bird above mentioned, here are several other aquatic, and some land ones; but of the latter not many.
From the knowledge which the inhabitants seem to have of Europeans, we may suppose that they do not live here continually, but retire to the north during the winter. I have often wondered that these people do not clothe themselves better, since nature has certainly provided materials. They might line their seal-skin cloaks with the skins and feathers of aquatic birds; they might make their cloaks larger, and employ the same skins for other parts of clothing; for I cannot suppose they are scarce with them. They were ready enough to part with those they had to our people; which they hardly would have done, had they not known where to have got more. In short, of all the nations I have seen, the Pecheras are the most wretched. They are doomed to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the world, without having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such conveniences as may render life in some measure more comfortable.
Barren as this country is, it abounds with a variety of unknown plants, and gave sufficient employment to Mr. Forster and his party. The tree which produceth the Winter’s bark, is found here in the woods, as is the holly-leaved barberry, and some other sorts which I know not, but I believe are common in the Straits of Magalhaens. We found plenty of a berry which we called the cranberry, because they are nearly of the same colour, size, and shape. It grows on a bushy plant, has a bitterish taste, rather insipid; but may be eaten either raw or in tarts, and is used as food by the natives.
CHAP. III.
RANGE FROM CHRISTMAS SOUND, ROUND CAPE HORN, THROUGH STRAIT LE MAIRE, AND ROUND STATEN LAND; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF A HARBOUR IN THAT ISLAND, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE COASTS.
At four o’clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor; and at eight weighed and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N. W. which afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east point of the sound (Point Nativity), bore N. 1⁄2 W.; distant one and a half leagues, and St. Ildefonso Isles S. E. 1⁄2 S., distant seven leagues. The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S., but the weather being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct.
We continued to steer S. E. by E. and E. S. E., with a fresh breeze at W. N. W., till four o’clock P. M., when we hauled to the South, in order to have a nearer view of St. Ildefonso Isles. At this time we were abreast of an inlet, which lies E. S. E. about seven leagues from the sound; but it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction. At the west point of the inlet, are two high peaked hills; and below them, to the E. two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction of N. E. and S. W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to the west of this; indeed, the coast appeared indented and broken as usual.
At half-past five o’clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight of Ildefonso Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water, situated above six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55° 53ʹ S., longitude 69° 41ʹ W.