By Phillip Parker King, Esq., Commander of His Majesty's surveying vessel Adventure, and Senior Officer of an Expedition for the survey of a part of South America.
As soon as the Adelaide Tender is ready, you will proceed to sea, in the execution of the following orders:—
As your principal object will be to trace the main-land from the peninsula of Tres Montes to the southward, by penetrating into all the openings that lead easterly, you will commence at the Channel Mouths, and explore them to their termination.
In the event of their affording a communication with the Gulf of Trinidad, and your having time, you will examine the channels that you have reported to exist in the neighbourhood of Neesham Bay, so as to complete the Fallos Channel, which separates Campana from the land within it.
Should the Channel Mouths not afford the expected termination, you will proceed through the Mesier or Fallos Channels, in
which, and in the channels more to the southward, you will explore all openings leading into the interior, and, if possible, not lose sight of the main-land until you reach the Strait of Magellan; by doing which it is expected, from the results of your last survey, that you will pass through the Skyring and Otway Waters, and enter the Strait by the Jerome Channel. The above being the principal object of your operations, you will take every opportunity of examining all other interesting parts of the coast, in the vicinity of your anchorages, among which the following seem to be of most interest:—
The Guaianeco Islands, and the probable place of the Wager's wreck, which would seem to be to the southward of, and not far from the Dundee Rock of your former survey.
If time afforded, it would be interesting to lay down the shores of Concepcion Strait; also to examine the deep opening on the west side of St. Estevan Channel, in the latitude of 51° 8′.
Lord Nelson Strait is also of much interest, and any extension of our knowledge of the land that bounds the western side of Smyth Channel.