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

CHAPTER XX. Beagle sails from San Carlos — Enter Strait — Harbour of Mercy — Cape Pillar — Apostles — Judges — Landfall Island — Cape Gloucester — Dis- location Harbour — Week Islands — Fuegians — Latitude Bay — Boat's crew in distress — Petrel — Passages — Otway Bay — Cape Tate — Fin- cham Islands — Deepvvater Sound — Breaker Bay — Grafton Islands Geological remarks — Barbara Channel — Mount Skyring — Compasses affected — Drawings — Provisions — Opportunities lost. Captain Fitz Roy having received his orders on the 18th of November (see Appendix), sailed the following morning from San Carlos, and proceeding to the southward, approached the entrance of the Strait of Magalhaens on the night of the 24th. The following are extracts from his Journal : " At daylight on the 25th, with the wind at S. W., we made Cape Pillar right a-head (E.N.E. by compass), distant seven or eight leagues. The wind became lighter, and we were set by a current to the S.W., which obliged us, in nearing the Cape, to alter our course from E.N.E. to N.N.E., to avoid being carried too near the Apostle Rocks. A dangerous rock, under Avater, on which the sea breaks, lies half a mile more towards the north than either of the Apostles. Cape Pillar is a detached headland, and so very remarkable that no person can fail to know it easily. " A very good latitude was obtained at noon, from which, and the astronomical bearing of the Cape, we made its latitude within half a mile of that given in the chart by Captain Stokes and Lieutenant Skyring ; and the weather being clear and fine, sketches were taken of all the surrounding land. At one, we passed the Cape, and at three, anchored in the Harbour of Mercy. By the distance we had run, as shown by the patent log and compared with the chart, there had been a current against us of more than a knot an hour.