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

June. DANGEROUS TIDE-RACE SAN VICENTE. 453 angles and bearings, and at noon were close to Cape San Diego, where the flood-tide opposed the north wind very strongly, and in addition to a heavy swell from the northward, made such an irregular high sea, as nearly caused the loss of our new boat, and would have damaged many a vessel. The weather became worse ; and as the swell continued high from the northward, I was obliged to stand to sea, and carry a press of sail to keep off the land, which by that time was too much obscured by haze and clouds to admit of our running back. " June 1st. Bad weather, with rain nearly all day. At about twelve miles to the northward of Cape San Vicente, by estimation, we stood off and on until in the latter part of the day we got a breeze from south, to which sail was made to close the land about Cape San Vicente. " At noon, on the 2d, we were well in-shore, and stood along the land, looking for a harbour. Seeing a promising- place, we anchored off it, in twenty-two fathoms water ; and, as the night proved to be fine, remained quiet in smooth water, with the wind off the land, and a regular tide setting past the ship. " At daylight next morning, I went to look at the opening, which, from the masthead, seemed like a spacious harbour but I found it to be so shallow an inlet, that at its entrance, just within the heads, there was no more than one fathom of water. Nevertheless this cove must be the place which the Spa- niards dignified with the name of Port San Policarpo. " We weighed and sailed along-shore, but the wind being scant, and the tide against us, it was late before we could get into San Vicente Bay, where we anchored in a line between that cape and Cape San Diego, but nearest to the former. In a cove at the head of this bav, Mr. Banks landed when Cook was here. During the night we were tossed about by a very heavy swell, opposing a strong tide ; the wind being moderate, not enough to steady the vessel. " Finding this morning (June 4th), that the swell was too high to allow a boat to be lowered in safety, I gave up my intention of examining the cove, and hastened back to the Bay