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

April 1830. SPECIMENS CHANTICLEEII — MISTAKE. 433 on ; but, having the chronometer and a sextant to take care of, I waited till one of the men returned with a lantern. All reached the boat before nine o'clock, without losing or injuring any thing ; but the cargo of stones, for specimens, which each brought back, delayed our returning progress materially. " At day-light (21st) we launched and stowed our boat, and set out on our return. We reached the ship that after- noon, well laden with fragments of Cape Horn. " 22d. Since the end of March the weather had been more settled, and much finer than we had yet had it on any part of the coast ; but our visit to Horn Island was only just in time, for it soon changed again to blowing and raining. Being close to the head of the cove, we did not feel the williwaws — though they appeared to blow sharply enough about the middle of it. I did not wonder at the American, whom we met in the Strait of Magalhaens, saying tliat he saw ' marks of a very large establishment ;' for the head of this cove appeared to have been colonized by the Chanticleer, so many remains of wooden roads and wooden houses were visible every where. " 23d — 24th. Bad weather. I was waiting anxiously for an opportunity of getting a true bearing of Diego Ramirez, from the top of Kater Peak, or Cape Spencer, to cross the bearings obtained from Henderson Island. " 25th. I went up to the summit of the Peak, but found so thick a haze, that no distant object could be seen. Leaving the instruments at the top, after taking a few angles, and obser- vations of the sun for true bearings, I descended, and after- wards examined St. Bernard Cove, which appeared to be a good harbour. By comparing the old charts with this place and Nassau Bay, I became convinced that there had been a great mistake, and that the Bay of Nassau is, or rather was, the bay of St. Francis ; and that the plan given in the Admi- ralty charts is a very fair sketch of its west side, from False Cape to Packsaddle Island ; but the bottom and east side of the bay are evidently put in at random, and would have been better left out to give place to the words, ' Land was seen in this direction."' Neither in shape, bearings, distance, or VOL. I. 2 F