Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

74 CAPTAIN STOKEs's BOAT-CRUIZE. Feb. 1827- Captain Stokes says, " Our discomfort in an open boat was very great, since we were all constantly wet to the skin. In trying to double the various headlands, we were repeatedly obliged (after hours of ineffectual struggle against sea and wind) to desist from useless labour, and take refuge in the nearest cove which lay to leeward." From the Harbour of Mercy, Captain Stokes attempted to cross the Strait, on his return to the Beagle ; but the sea ran too high, and obliged him to defer his daring purpose until the weather was more favourable. During his absence, Lieutenant Skyring surveyed Tamar Bay and its vicinity. Again the Beagle weighed, and tried hard to make some progress to the westward, but was obliged a third time to return to Tamar Bay. After another delay she just reached Sholl Bay, under Cape Phillip, and remained there one day, to make a plan of the anchorage, and take observations to fix its position. The Beagle reached the Harbour of Mercy (Separation Harbour of Wallis and Carteret),* after a thirty days' passage from Port Famine, on the 15th, having visited several ancho- rages on the south shore in her way. But tedious and haras- sing as her progress had been, the accounts of Byron, Wallis, Carteret, and Bougainville show that they found more difficulty, and took more time, in their passages from Port Famine to the western entrance of the Strait. Byron, in 1764, was forty-two days ; Wallis, in 1766, eighty-two ; Carteret, in the same year, eighty-four ; and Bougainville, in 1768, forty days, in going that short distance. Five days were passed at this place, during which they com- municated with a few natives, of whom Captain Stokes remarks; " As might be expected from the unkindly climate in which they dwell, the personal appearance of these Indians does not • It was here that Commodore Wallis and Captain Carteret separated, the Dolphin going round the world ; the Swallow returning to England. Sarmiento's name of Puerto de la Misericordia, or ' Harbour of Mercy,' being of prior date, ought doubtless to be retained.