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

452 EXAMINE STRAIT — SQUALLS. May 1830. from the best guanaco country. I was not sure which was the height Mr. Banks ascended ; but the broad road mentioned by Cook is still a good mark for the bay, if the inbend of the land does not show it sufficiently. The weather here was colder than we had yet found it, the wind being so much in the south quarter ; there were very sharp frosts at night, and snow lay deep, even close to the sea water-mark. " May 30th. I was in hopes of finding a harbour between Cape San Diego and Cape San Vicente, or a little farther along the coast, where we might be able to fix the position of Cape San Diego and the adjacent land ; for I did not like sending a boat along this coast, the tides being so very strong, and the shore so rocky, without any inlets, where she could be secured at night. (During Mr. Murray ""s last trip, he was extremely fortunate in having a fine interval ; as the coast he passed would have been impracticable for a boat in blowing weather. Had these last strong southerly gales begun before he came back, his situation would have been extremely critical.) We therefore stood into the strait, the wind being variable and light with us, though blowing strongly over the tops of the hills, and striking the water nearest them in strong squalls. At half a mile from the land there was little wind; but from that dis- tance to the shore was torn up by williwaws. This strange appearance must have been caused by the cold air rushing from the snow-covered hills and displacing the warmer air near the surface of the water. " With the ebb tide and what flaws of wind we could catch we stood to the southward, to get some angles and bearings, and see more of the shore between Cape Good Success and the bay. In the afternoon we had a steady wind from N.N.W. and having done what was necessary, to the southward, re- turned, and anchored after dark near the middle of the bay. " May 31st. At daylight this morning, we weighed and made sail with a fresh northerly breeze. I trusted to the wea- ther improving, as the glasses were rising ; but, indeed, our time was becoming too short to allow of a choice of days. We worked to the northward with the flood-tide, taking the required