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

78 DANGEROUS SERVICE. Feb. 1827. In his journal Captain Stokes says : " Incessant rain and thick clouds prevented my completing, until this day (19th), the observations necessary for making an island, just outside the Harbour of Mercy, the southern end of my base, for the trigonometrical connection of the coasts and islands near the western entrance of this weather-beaten Strait. " On the 20th, I weighed and beat to windward, intending to search for anchorage on the north shore, where I might land and fix the northern end of our base line. In the eveninsr we anchored in an archipelago of islands, the real danger of whose vicinity was much increased to the eye by rocks, scattered in every direction, and high breakers, occasioned doubtless by reefs under water. We observed that most of the larger islands have small banks of sand at their eastern sides, on which ancho- rage may be found ; but for ordinary purposes of navigation, this cluster of islands* need only be pointed out to be avoided. The number and contiguity of the rocks, below as well as above water, I'ender it a most hazardous place for any square- rigged vessel : nothing but the particular duty on which I was ordered would have induced me to venture among them. Fore- and-aft vessels might work with far less risk ; and as the rocks are frequented by vast numbers of fur seal, a season or two might be profitably passed here liy a sealing vessel so rigged. " This morning (21st) I landed on one of the larger islands, with Lieutenant Skyring, and having ascended an eminence (Observation Mount) with the necessary instruments, fixed its position, and made it the northern end of our base. " It was a beautiful, and clear day ; the Isles of Direction (or Evangelists), as well as every point of importance on the adjacent coast, were seen distinctly during several hours. " My next object was to fix the position of Cape Victory, and ascertain whether anchoraoe could be found in its neigh- bourhood. Accordingly, we weighed early next morning (22d,) and after extricating ourselves from this labyrinth (not without much difficulty and danger), we beat to the westward. Violent squalls, a heavy sea, and thick weather, which came on about • Called the Scilly Isles.