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

1741. channel's mouth BYHON. 325 however, freshened to a gale, and they were obliged to run before it, and throw all their provisions overboard to lighten the boat. At night they took refuge in a small opening, which led to a secure harbour, and next day advanced a little farther, till they reached some small islands, where they were detained three or four days by bad M'eather. After leavmg that place, they found an opening, into which they rowed, flattering themselves it would prove to be a pas- sage; but, being disappointed, they were obliged to return. This was probably the inlet, called ' Channel's Mouth.' Xavier Island was the next place they went to, named by them Montrose Island. Byron describes this island so ex- actly, that there cannot be the least doubt of its identity. " The next morning," he says, " being calm, we rowed out ; but as soon as clear of the island, we found a great swell from the westward : we rowed to the bottom of a very large bay, which was to northward of us, the land very low, and we were in hopes of finding some inlet through, but did not ; so kept along shore to the westward. This part, which I take to be fifty leagues from Wager Island, is the very bottom of the large bay it lies in. Here was the only passage to be found, which (if we could by any means have got information of it) would have saved us much fruitless labour. Of this passage I shall have occasion to say more hereafter." — Byron's Nar. p. 74. This is evidently San Quintin Sound. They proceeded to the west- ward and northward, entered a larger bay (Holloway Sound), and discovered another headland at a great distance to the westward (Cape Tres Montes), which they reached with much difficulty ; but being unable to get round it, and losing the boat that accompanied them, besides being obliged to leave four of the marines behind, they became quite disheartened, and returned to Wager Island, to linger out their miserable lives, without the least prospect of again seeing home. This expedition occupied two months, during which they lived principally upon sea-weed, called ' tangle ;' but sometimes passed whole days without eating anything at all. While thev