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

Jan. 1828. bellaco. — possession bay. 109 During the follo^ving evening there was a very heavy dew, the never-failing prognostic of a northerly wind ; the horizon, also, was very hazy, and the water perfectly smooth. We were not more than ten miles off shore, yet the land was completely distorted in appearance by mirage. Next morning we were very close to the position assigned to the Bellaco, or St. Estevan's Shoal, the existence of which has been very much doubted. It was discovered by theNodales, and in the diary of their voyage is thus described : " At five o'clock, or later in the evening, we discovered a rock a-wash (' una baxa que lababa la mar en ella') about five leagues from the shore, more or less. It is a very deceitful rock (' Es muy bellaco baxo'), because it is under water, over which, in fine weather and smooth water, the sea breaks. We sounded near it, and found twenty-six fathoms stony bottom. Its latitude is 48i°, accord- ing to our noon observation, and the course and distance we have since run."* The late Don Felipe Bauza, one of the companions of Males- pina, informed me, that on the voyage of the Descubierta and Atrevida, their boats were sent to look for it, but were unsuc- cessful. At noon we were in lat. 48° 40' S., long. 66° 6', depth forty- two fathoms, but without any signs of the Bellaco. Sailing on, the coast was seen in the neighbourhood of Beachy Head (so named from its resemblance to the well-known promontory). Afterwards, Cape Fair weather came in sight, and on the 10th Cape Virgins, which we passed in the evening, and, half an hour afterwards, rounding Dungeness, we again entered the Strait of Magalhaens ; and anchored near the northern shore. In Possession Bay we were detained several days, although repeated attempts to pass the First Narrow were anxiously made. One evening, clouds gathered, and the weather assumed such a threatening appearance, that I expected to be obliged to run to sea ; but to our surprise, when the cloudy mass seemed on * Nodales, p. 48.