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

418 POINT NATIVITY LEADING HILL. Marcll 1830. it moderated I left the Beagle, and set out in a boat with Mr. Wilson (mate), taking a fortnight's provisions ; though I hoped to be again on board in less than ten days, by which time our new boat would be finished, and Mr, Stokes, as well as Mr. Murray, would have laid down his last work. My object was to go eastward towards Indian Sound and Nassau Bay, but the weather soon stopped our progress, and obliged us to put into a small cove on the west side of Point Nativity, where we hoped to get shelter from the increasing wind, though not from the rain, which poured down in torrents. The cove proved to be much exposed, but we staid there till daylight on the following morning, when we pulled out, and round the point to the eastward, gladly enough, for we had been in a bad berth during the night, exposed to wind and rain, besides swell. We ran along the land, with a moderate westerly wind, stopped for a time near Cape Rolle, the point of land next to Weddell's ' Hope Island ; and in the evening went into some openings among the adjacent islands. " 17th. At daylight we set out again, and ran along-shore with a fresh west wind, ci-ossed the mouth of a bay which seemed likely to afford shelter, but did not then delay to look at it closely. Soon after noon we passed Weddell's 'Leading Hill,' which is a very singular double-peaked height, con- spicuous from a long distance, and remarkable in every point of view. Between it and Black Point (a projecting craggy rock) lies a bay or sound, which appears to extend some distance northward. This part of the coast is bad for vessels to close with, being much broken, and having several rocky islets scat- tered near it ; but two miles off shore there is no danger. Having found a secure cove near Leading Hill, we landed, and the men set up our tent, while Mr. Wilson and I ascended the heights to look round. The wind soon freshened to a gale, and made us rejoice at having reached a sheltered place. " 18th. The whole of this day was lost by us, for it blew a strong gale with continual rain. Collecting limpets and mus- cles — cutting wood — and drying our clothes on one side by the fire, while the other got wet, were our only occupations.