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. 1830. Isabella island— hope harbour. 379 " 13th. We weighed and left the harbour, but the morning- proved too hazy to allow of our running down the coast, there- fore until eight o'clock we kept under easy sail in the roads. Being clear and moderate after that time, we passed Leading Island, and hove-to, to watch for a breaker near it. It broke but twice during the hour that we waited, therefore probably there is water enough to allow any vessel to pass in safety. At ten we bore up, and ran towards Isabella Island ; my first object being to look for a place called by sealers ' Hope Har- bour,' which, from what I could learn, ought to lie there- abouts. Its situation was not recognised by our boatswain, (A) who had been in it when sealing on this coast ; so passing close to Isabella Island, we hauled our wind under the lee of the land, and came to an anchor in fifteen fathoms, sheltered from north to S. W. b. S. A high peaked hill, over the cove where I took observations, made this a suitable place for the business of the survey. Mr. Murray went up the height, while Mr. Stokes and I were employed near the water, till rain set in and drove us on board. This is the easternmost of the Grafton Islands. Beyond the channel, which separates them from the main body of islands, appeared a succession of broken land, not very high, but reaching apparently to a distant range of snowy mountains. The part nearest to us was a labyrinth of islets and rocks. Towards night the wind increased much, and drew to the S.W. and S.W. b. S. I was doubtful of our anchorage, and had the wind drawn one point more to the southward, we should have had a heavy sea to deal with, and must have slipped our cable. "14th. Itmoderated again, and the sun showed himself enough to enable us to get sights, and be on board in time to weigh at nine. We had reason to think a seaUng vessel had been along this coast not long before us, by the traces our boats found in several places. Indians also had frequented these islands, for their wigwams were found everywhere. Observations on shore made our anchoring here of some consequence, although as a rhj Mr. Sorrell, formerly with Mr. Weddell, and since that time with Mr. Brisbane.— R. F.