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

432 VISIT THE SUAIMIT OF CAPE HORN. April 1830. Cove. I afterwards went in a boat to Horn Island, to ascer- tain the nature of the landing, and whether it was practicable to carry any instruments to the summit of the Cape. Many places were found where a boat might land ; and more than one spot where she could be hauled ashore : so that taking in- struments to the summit did not seem likely to be a very diffi- cult task. As the weather continued favourable I returned on board that night, and the next morning (19th) arranged for a visit to Cape Horn ; a memorial having been previously pre- pared, and securely enclosed in a stone jar. After taking observations at noon for latitude, we set out, carrying five days' provisions, a good chronometer, and other instruments. We landed before dark, hauled our boat up in safety on the north-east side, and established ourselves for the night on Horn Island. " 20th. At daybreak we conwfienced our walk across the island, each carrying his load ; and by the time the sun was high enough for observing, were near the summit, and exactly in its meridian ; so we stopped while I took two sets of sights and a round of angles. Soon afterwards we reached the highest point of the Cape, and immediately began our work; I and my coxswain, with the instruments ; and Lieut. Kempe with the boat''s crew raising a pile of stones over the memorial. " At first the Diego Ramirez Islands were seen, but before I could get the theodolite fixed and adjusted, the horizon be- came hazy. At noon satisfactory sets of circum-meridional altitudes were obtained with two good sextants. A round of angles, compass bearings for the variation, and good afternoon sights for time completed our success. The pile made over our memorial was eight feet high, and in it were stones which required the united exertions of all seven men to raise to the top. We drank the health of His Majesty King George the Fourth, and gave three hearty cheers, standing round the Union Jack. Directly all was finished we travelled towards our boat as fast as possible : but darkness surrounded us before we were more than half-way. Those who had loads which would not be hurt by tumbling about among bushes, travelled