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

352 OBSTRUCTION SOUND. April 1830. disti'nguish any decided stream of tide, and the rise and fall did not appear to have ever exceeded a foot : that there was a slio-ht tidal movement of the water seemed evident, from the streams of foam coming from the cascades ; and also from the fallen leaves which were borne on the water, from the shores of the bays, in long lines ; but signs like these are indicative of there beino- no strength of tide : I have frequently noticed such appearances in large sounds, or inlets, but never in any channel where there was a current. " The bays between Hope Promontory and Point Intervene are frequented by immense numbers of black-necked swans {Anser nigricollis) : hundreds were seen together ; they ap- peared not at all wild when we first passed; but, on our return, there was no approaching them within musket shot. Many ducks and coots were also observed. On a rock, near the Oliver Islands, was a small ' rookery ' of hair-seal ; and, in our progress down the sound, we passed some few shags and divers. This is the enumeration of all we saw, and these few species seem to possess, undisturbed, this Obstruction Sound; for we neither observed any wigwams, nor saw any traces of inhabitants. " Having no interest in remaining, after some necessary anoles were taken on Meta Islet, we commenced our return and, with a fair wind, made good progress, landing only where it was necessary for angles, and reached the vessel on the evening of the next day (16th). I have fully stated the examination of this sound, and have been, perhaps, unnecessarily particular and diffuse ; but I think that when its near approach to the Skyrino- Water is known by others, it will be considered very singular that no communication exists between them. To every one on board the Adelaide it was a great disappointment. The only inlet now remaining to be explored was through the S.S.E. opening, east of Point Return ; which, on the 18th, I went to examine. Mr. Kirke returned on the same day as myself, having traced the coast as far as he had been du-ected, and found the large expanse of Disappointment Bay nearly bounded by a flat stony beach ; and the water so shallow, that even his whale- boat could seldom approach the shore within a quarter of a