In the entrance, the sea runs very heavy and irregularly during and after a gale; so that a ship should not leave her anchorage in the Harbour of Mercy, without a fair or a leading wind to get her quickly through it.

For small vessels, particularly if they be fore-and-aft rigged, many, if not all of the local difficulties vanish; and inlets which a ship dare not or cannot approach, may be entered with safety, and anchorage easily obtained by them. A large ship will perhaps be better off in entering and leaving the Strait where there is open space and frequently a heavy sea; but for the navigation of the Strait, a small vessel has considerably the advantage. She has also the opportunity of passing through the Cockburn Channel should the wind be north-westerly, which will very much reduce the length of the passage into the Pacific.

One very great advantage to be derived from the passage through the Strait is, the opportunity of obtaining as much wood and water as can be required, without the least difficulty; and another benefit is, that by hauling the seine during the summer months, from January to May, at the mouth of the river or along the beaches in Port Famine, at the first quarter flood, a plentiful supply of fish may be obtained. Excellent fish are also caught at the anchorage with the hook and line, at all seasons, early in the morning or late in the

evening. Fish may also be obtained with the seine at any other place where there are rivers. Freshwater Bay and Port Gallant are equally productive. On the outer coast of Tierra del Fuego an excellent fish may be caught in the kelp.

The advantage which a ship will derive from passing through the Strait, from the Pacific to the Atlantic is very great; and it ought to be great to induce the seaman to entangle his ship with the land when fair winds and an open sea are before him. After passing through the Strait, the prevailing winds being westerly, and more frequently from the northward than from the southward of west, they are fair for his running up the coast; or if not, the ship is not liable to receive much injury from the sea, which is comparatively smooth; whereas, to a ship passing round the Horn, if the wind be north-west she must go to the eastward of the Falkland Islands, and be exposed to strong gales and a heavy beam sea, and hug the wind to make her northing. To a small vessel the advantage is incalculable; for, besides filling her hold with wood and water, she is enabled to escape the severe weather that so constantly reigns in the higher latitudes of the South Atlantic Ocean.

Coming from the northward, it will be advisable to keep an offing until the western entrance of the Strait is well under the lee, to avoid being thrown upon the coast to the northward of Cape Victory, which is rugged and inhospitable, and, forming as it were a breakwater to the deep rolling swell of the ocean, is for some miles off fringed by a cross hollow sea almost amounting to breakers.

The land of Cape Victory is high and rugged, and much broken; and if the weather be not very thick, will be seen long before the Evangelists, which are not visible above the horizon, from a ship's deck, for more than four or five leagues.[[206]] Pass to the southward of them, and steer for Cape Pillar,

which makes like a high island. In calm weather do not pass too near to the cape, for the current sometimes sets out, and round the cape to the southward; but with a strong wind, get under the lee of it as soon as you please, and steer along the shore. In the night it will be advisable to keep close to the land of the south shore; and if a patent log be used, which no ship should be without, your distance will be correctly known. The course along-shore, by compass, is E. ¾ S.; and if the weather be hazy, by keeping sight of the south shore, there will be no difficulty in proceeding with safety.

The Adventure entered the Strait on the 1st of April, 1830, at sunset; and after passing within half a mile of the islets off the Harbour of Mercy, steered E. ¾ S. magnetic, under close-reefed topsails, braced by, the weather being so squally and thick that the land was frequently concealed from us; but being occasionally seen, the water being quite smooth, and the course steadily steered, with the patent log to mark the distance run, we proceeded without the least anxiety, although the night was dark, and the squalls of wind and rain frequent and violent. When abreast of Cape Tamar, that projection was clearly distinguished, as was also the land of Cape Providence, which served to check the distance shewn by the patent log; but both giving the same results, proved that we had not been subjected to any current; whereas the account by the ship's log was very much in error, in consequence of the violence of the squalls and the long intervals of light winds, which rendered it impossible to keep a correct account of the distance. At daybreak we were between Cape Monday and the Gulf of Xaultegua; and at eight o'clock we were abreast of Playa Parda, in which, after a calm day, the ship was anchored.

In the summer season there is no occasion to anchor any where, unless the weather be very tempestuous, for the nights are short, and hardly dark enough to require it, unless as a precautionary measure, or for the purpose of procuring wood and water; the best place for which is Port Famine, where