Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

PLAN OF VOYAGE. 29 veyed, including the outer edge of the extensive shoals that project from its northern extreme, and setting at rest the question of the Sebastian Channel. « On the southern side of this great collection of islands, the Beagle Channel and Whale-boat Sound should be finished, and any other places which the Commander's local knowledge may point out as being requisite to complete his former survey, and sufficiently interesting in themselves to warrant the time they will cost ; such as some apparently useful ports to the westward of Cape False, and the north side of Wakefield Channel, all of which are said to be frequented by the sealers. « In the north-western part it is possible that other breaks may be found interrupting the continuity of S**- Ines Island, and communicating from the Southern Ocean with the Strait these should be fully or cursorily examined, according to their appearance and promise ; and though it would be a very useless waste of time to pursue in detail the infinite number of bays, openings, and roads, that teem on the western side of that island, yet no good harbour should be omitted. It cannot be repeated too often that the more inhospitable the region, the more valuable is a known port of refuge. " In the western division of the Strait, from Cape Pillar to Cape Froward, there are a few openings which may perhaps be further explored, on the chance of their leading out to sea a few positions which may require to be reviewed ; and a few ports which were only slightly looked into dui'ing Captain Kino-'s laborious and excellent survey, and which may now be completed, if likely to augment the resources of ships occupied in those dreary regions. " In the eastern division of the Strait there is rather more work to be done, as the Fuegian shore from Admiralty Sound to Cape Orange has not been touched. Along with this part of the service, the Islands of Saints Martha and Magdalena, and the channel to the eastward of Elizabeth Island, will come in for examination ; and there is no part of the Strait which requires to be more accurately laid down and distinctly de- scribed, from the narrowness of the channels and the trans-