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

April 18C0. ANCON SIN SALIDA KIUKE NARROW. 347 chart. The weather was very unpromising, and at daylight the next morning it blew hard from the N. W., but we weiglied and ran to the southward. AVhen in the ' Ancon sin Salida' of Sarmiento the wind suddenly shifted to the S.E., and was so strong that we were quite unable to beat between Cape Earnest and the northern island of the ' Ancon,' but passing round, found anchorage near the east end in a small bay : however, as the wind had moderated, and the Canal of the Moun- tains was open to us, on the east side of which there appeared to be several secure bays, Ave kept under sail, and in the evening anchored in Leeward Bay, which we at first thought would afford excellent shelter, but on reaching it found we had erred exceedingly. There was no time to look for another, so we moored, and prepared for bad weather, which, as usual, was soon experienced ; and we were kept two days without a possibility of moving, or doing any thing to make our situation more secure. We had heavy squalls during the whole time ; the wind being generally west or W.N.W., but at times nearly S.W., when more swell was thrown into the bay. " On the oth we got clear of this bad and leewardly anchorage, the wind being more to the N.W. ; but we had still such very squally weather, with rain, that it was a work of several hours to beat to Whale-boat Bay, where we moored in the evening, and prepared for examining the coast with our boats, both to the east and west. Before leaving Leeward Bay, a round of angles was taken from high ground north of the anchorage, and it was satisfactory to reflect that the ' Ancon sin Salida' was traced far more correctly than could be done in our former visit. There was constant rain and squally wea- ther all the morning, and only in the latter part of the day could any work be performed in the boats. On the following morning Mr. Kirke went to trace the Canal of the Mountains, and I rejoice to say that I Avas again able to assist in the boat service, and went to examine some openings. After leaving Kirke Narrow on the right hand a wide sound appeared, about nine miles in length ; and having traversed it, we turned to the east, through a narrow intricate channel (White Narrow),