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

380 AGNES ISLANDS BREAKERS. Jan. 1830 safe anchorage for other vessels, it is out of the question, being an exposed roadstead, with many rocks, both to seaward and in-shore. A sealer might use it, but not willingly I should think. As we ran towards the Agnes Islands, before a strong W.N.W. wind, many rocks and breakers showed themselves, and when we neared the islands, became numerous on each side of us. It would have been more prudent to have kept outside all of them ; but I was anxious to find Hope Harbour, or run into the entrance of the Barbara Channel, and anchor in the north cove of Fury Island. Having passed the three Agnes Islands, and being nearly abreast of Cape Kempe,* our view became far from agreeable, for the sea, on all sides, seemed strewed with breakers ; and how to steer so as to pass between them was perplexing. We were at this time running free, under treble reefed topsails, with top-gallant yards and masts on deck ; the wind being strong from W.N.W. , but the weather tolerably clear. Suddenly the boatswain hailed, ' Hard-a-port, a rock under the bows I' Round the little vessel turned, almost as fast as the order was given ; but the thrill that shot through us was happily not the precursor of our destruction ; for the supposed rock proved to be a huge whale which had risen close to the bows, and was mistaken for the top of a rock by the boatswain, who was looking out on the forecastle, while I was at the mast-head, and the ' hands' were upon deck. This part of the coast, from the Agnes Islands to Cape Schomberg, is the worst I have seen, it is so very broken, and has so many rocks and dangerous breakers lying at a long distance from the shore. " At noon we were close to Fury Island ; but the wind fell and prevented our making much progress. Fury Harbour, Avhere the Saxe Cobourg was lost, is a wild exposed place, and, as the bottom is bad, it ought to be avoided by all vessels there is but one patch of good ground, and that is very small. " Passing round Fury Island, we entered the Barbara Chan- nel, at the entrance to which stands Mount Skyring, a high, peaked, and most barren mountain, visible at a great distance. * The three peaks, in-shore of Cape Kempe, are very remarkable.