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 /•'/■f'/t/ an original painting at Toledo 
 
■tfa£*i: 
 
 VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
 
 TO THE 
 
 ^txmt of J^agtltett: 
 
 WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THB 
 
 MANNERS and CUSTOMS of the INHABITANTS; 
 
 AND OF THE 
 
 Natural ^rofcuction:* of JPatagonia. 
 
 UNDERTAKEN, BY ORDER OF THE KING OF SPAIN, 
 
 By ADMIRAL DON A. DE CORDOVA, 
 
 Of the Royal Sp«nuh Marine. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE SPANISH. 
 
 LONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS and Co. 
 
 BRIDE COURT, BRIDGE STREET; AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. 
 
 Entered at Stationers' Hall. 
 
■mm 
 
 Printed by J. and C. Adlard, 
 23, Baitholomew-Close. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 Pap>. 
 Sect. I. Preparation for the Expedition .................. 1 
 
 II. Voyage from Cadiz to the Strait of Magellan ...... 4 
 
 III. Occurrences in the Navigation of the Strait . .. 12 
 
 IV. Return to Cadiz .. 51 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Sect. I. Description of the Strait of Magellan. — Division of 
 the Country into high and low. — Temperature: 
 Qualities of the Soil. — Productions of the Strait : 
 Herbs, Plants, Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees. — De- 
 scription of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and 
 
 Insects ......... ........................ 64 
 
 II. Of the Inhabitants of the Strait of Magellan 84 
 
 III. Of the Indians of the Strait of Magellan 94 
 
HHHH IH 
 
 LINEAL MEASURES, 
 lEngltgsft, tfxmti), antr £pante5. 
 
 Bng. Inches. 
 The most accurate standard of the yard, is tliat called the Parlia- 
 mentary Standard, made by Bird in 1758, equal to 36*00023 
 
 On a measurement by the late Dr. Maskelyne, astronomer-royal, of 
 two French standard toises, exhibited by M. de la Lande in London, 
 
 the one was found to be equal to 76*732 
 
 And the other to • 76*736 
 
 The medium 76*734 English inches for the toise of 6 teet, or 72 
 inches French, is adopted by Biot in his Astronomie Physique, 1810. 
 According to this medium proportion, one inch, foot, fathom, or toise, 
 English, is to one inch, &c. French as 1 : 1*06575 precisely. Or, making 
 the French measure the unit, the English measure will be 0*938 of that 
 unit very nearly. 
 
 In the end of 1801, Professor Pictet, of Geneva, carried over from 
 London to Paris a brass scale, of 49 inches in length, made by Trough- 
 ton. On a most accurate comparison of that scale, by Members of the 
 Institute, with the platina and iron standard metres, the mdtre was 
 
 found to be (at the the temperature of melting ice) equal to 3938272 
 
 Which, reduced to the English rule of comparison, 62° of Fahrenheit, is 39*371 
 
 The mitre being the ten-millionth part of a quadrant of the meridian, 
 a sexagesimal degree of a great circle must he equal to 57*012 French 
 toises, or 60,760*54 English fathoms, equal to English miles » 69*046 
 
 The late eminent nautical mathematician Captain Mendoza y Rios 
 furnished this rule for converting Spanish into English measures, and 
 vice versa. 
 
 From the logarithm of the number of Spanish feet, fathoms, &c. sub- 
 tract the constant logarithm 0*0384544, and the remainder will be the 
 logarithm of the corresponding liiuului of English fuel, fathoms, E. in. &c. 
 
 Hence the Spanish foot is equal to • •••• 10*9831 3 
 
 vara, or yard, equal to 32*94954 
 
 — braz-i, or fathom, equal to 65*89903 
 
 And 12 Spanish brazus are within a small trifle of 11 English faths. 
 
 N.B.— The French brasse contains only 5 French feet, and is therefore 
 only equal to 63*945 English inches, equal to 5 feet and nearly 4 inches 
 English. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 OF 
 
 THE TRANSLATOR. 
 
 " Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? 1 ' is a 
 supercilious query but too frequently directed against 
 various regions of the earth, particularly against bigotted 
 and enslaved Spain. And, indeed, were our opinion of 
 what may be extracted from that devoted country to be 
 formed by estimating the magnitude, or the value of 
 the information lately brought home from it, even by 
 our friendly armies, after a long abode, the answer to 
 the insolent query above-mentioned would justly be, — 
 " Nothing." 
 
 Having resided for some time in Spain, and having 
 occasionally, since my return, directed my attention 
 towards Spanish literature, to that qnery I should feel 
 myself warranted to give a very different answer. — 
 To mention one branch of scientific literature only, — 
 I mean what relates to maritime information respecting 
 her dominions, European and American, Spain has done 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 more, and in a more systematic manner, than all the other 
 Powers of Christendom put together. She has surveyed, 
 by the most able operators, furnished with the best in- 
 struments and instructions which England and France 
 could produce, the whole sea coast of those vast regions ; 
 and the results she has, with a manly liberality without 
 example, laid before the public. The great Coasting 
 Pilot of Spain (including Portugal) was published by 
 the authority of the Government in 1787, accompanied 
 by a set of charts, illustrated by plans of all the principal 
 harbours and naval stations, in the fullest detail ; accom- 
 panied by views of the coast, the whole executed in a 
 style far superior to any work of the kind which France 
 or England yet possesses ; except, perhaps, the Atlantic 
 Neptune of Governor De Barres. This Coasting Pilot, 
 forming a good quarto volume, I translated several years 
 ago for Mr. Faden ; and it now forms one of the standard 
 treatises attached to every vessel belonging to the na- 
 tional navy. 
 
 Since then I have translated from the Spanish " An 
 Account of a Voyage from Cadiz to the Strait of Ma- 
 gellan." This voyage, performed" under the command 
 of Admiral Don Antonio de Cordova, in a frigate, was 
 projected with the humane view of setting at rest for 
 ever the long-agitated question, whether mariners ought 
 or ought not, on any account, to attempt a passage to 
 the Pacific Ocean through that Strait. 
 
 The translation was first suggested to me by the late 
 
I H I {-j, 
 
 l'REFACE. 
 
 Vll 
 
 ill-fated General Miranda ; and, in the cxecutioin of it, 
 I was encouraged and aided by the late first-raite nau- 
 tical mathematician, Captain Mendoza y Rios, of the 
 Spanish navy, but long domiciliated in Britain. That 
 the subject is not only important, curious, and entertain- 
 ing, in itself, and valuable, as filling up a chasm in our 
 Knowledge of the globe, will be seen from the annexed 
 Contents ; and, excepting the filling-up of chasms, little 
 probability remains of discoveries of importance being 
 now made. In the course of the voyages out from Spain 
 to the Strait of Magellan, and home again, and in the 
 perilous traverses of the Strait itself, various important 
 particulars are finally settled by the able commander. 
 The description of the countries bordering on the Strait, 
 that is, of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego ; of the pro- 
 ductions, animal and vegetable ; of the famous gigantic 
 race of Patagonians, in the work reduced to a rational 
 standard ; — these, and other matters, are well entitled to 
 notice and to confidence. 
 
 The authority of the whole is not to be questioned. 
 Its importance to mariners, particularly in the present 
 eventful crisis of South American affairs, and of our 
 intimate connections and frequent intercourse with the 
 western coasts of the Spanish possessions (to say no- 
 thing of our growing navigation to New Holland amd the 
 whole Pacific), is self-evident ; — the notices respecting 
 the productions of the South American promontory, 
 come forward with an air of genuineness sufficient to 
 command our belief, and may in time lead to tlh<e dis- 
 covery of other objects of singular value. 
 
■mm 
 
 VI 11 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 This voyage is calculated to be eminently useful at 
 this time, by settling for ever the question in regard to 
 the eligibility of making the passage of this Strait in a 
 voyage to the Great Pacific : — a question which it de- 
 cides in the negative on the clearest evidence of facts. 
 But, in arriving at this important conclusion, it has added 
 to our stock of geographical knowledge, and brought us 
 acquainted with large tracts, hitherto but imperfectly 
 explored and studied. 
 
'^M 
 
 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF A LATE 
 
 VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
 
 >trait of Jttagellam 
 
 THE King of Spain, having some time ago resolved to 
 dispatch a vessel, for the purpose of examining and 
 making an accurate draught of the Strait of Magellan, in South 
 America, orders were given to the general of the fleet to select 
 a frigate for the enterprise, who, in consequence, made choice 
 of the Santa Maria de la Caheza of thirty-six guns, whose good 
 qualities were already well known. For several reasons, it was 
 thought proper that she should not be sheathed with copper. 
 She was built on the modern French model ; which, it was 
 believed, could not fail to render her lit for any kind of na- 
 vigation ; and the experience of this voyage confirmed that 
 opinion : as her good qualities, on many occasions, delivered, 
 the officers and men from dangers, to all appearance in- 
 evitable. 
 
 The chief command of the frigate, and of the whole ex- 
 pedition, was conferred on Don Antonio de Cordova, of the 
 Royal Navy, with leave for him to choose his officers, seamen, 
 and marines ; as also to carry out a second captain and two 
 other officers, particularly conversant with astronomical obser- 
 vations. 
 
 In consequence of this permission, the commander made 
 choice of Don Ferdinand de Miera to be his second captain; 
 and it happened fortunately that Brigadier Don Vincent Tofino 
 was at that time in Cadiz, together with the officers of that 
 department of the Spanish navy, who for two years past had 
 been employed in the construction of a hydrographic atlas, or 
 sea-chart, and coasting-pilot, of Spain : he requested to have 
 two of these gentlemen, who, being thoroughly instructed in 
 astronomical observations, and expert in the use of all the 
 instruments necessary for this expedition, might assist him. in 
 the execution of his commission. 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. b 
 
■ 
 
 2 Account of a late Voyage of Discovery 
 
 He therefore selected D. Dionisius Alcala Galiano and D. 
 Alexander Belmonte, lieutenants in the navy, who, -without in 
 the ieast excusing themselves from the strict performance of 
 the ordinary duty of the ship, took the charge of all observa- 
 tions, astronomical and geographical ; as also of the marine 
 watches or time-pieces, and other instruments which were put 
 on-board, as requisite for the due performance of the ex- 
 pedition. 
 
 Of this charge they acquitted themselves, to the entire satis- 
 faction of the commander: and the following account of the 
 voyage, together with the directions and instructions for navi- 
 gating the Strait of Magellan, entirely drawn-up by these 
 officers, is almost wholly compiled from their journals, formed 
 and kept with the greatest hkill and attention, and well deserv- 
 ing to be used as models for other voyages of a similar nature. 
 
 D. Antonio de Cordova also appointed D. Joachin Camacho 
 to be his chief pilot, or master ; and to him entrusted the opera- 
 tions necessary for taking separate draughts of the harbours, 
 bays, a..,d roads of the strait, and which we can affirm to have 
 been executed with all the care and precision to be expected 
 from the eminent knowledge and experience of that officer. 
 
 The following List shows the exact state of the whole officers 
 and crew of the frigate, as she sailed from Cadiz : 
 
 Commandant. 
 Second. 
 
 Lieutenants. 
 
 Midshipmen. 
 
 Officers of Marines. 
 
 Chaplains. 
 
 Surgeons. 
 
 Pilots, or Masters. 
 
 Pilotines, or Males, 
 
 Don 
 Don 
 fDon 
 J Don 
 "l Don 
 [Don 
 fDon 
 \ Don 
 { Don 
 i Don 
 I.Don 
 C Don 
 2 Don 
 5 Don 
 I Don 
 C Don 
 /Don 
 5 Don 
 iDon 
 r Don 
 -J Don 
 (.Don 
 
 Antonio de Cordova. 
 Ferdinand de Miera. 
 Miguel de Zapiain. 
 Tcllo Mantilla. 
 Dionysius Alcala Galiano. 
 Alexander Belmonte. 
 Pedro de Mesa. 
 Joachin Blanco. 
 Francisco Villegas. 
 Philip Perez de Acevedo. 
 Joachin Fernandez Salvador. 
 Eugenio de Cardenas. 
 Rcinigio Bobadilla. 
 Julian Martiano. 
 Joseph Riquero. 
 Juan Luis Sanchez. 
 Bartholomew de Rivas. 
 Joachin Camacho, 1st. 
 Antonio Castcllanos, 2d. 
 Antonio Rico. 
 Antonio Castro. 
 Pedro Sanchez. 
 
 As the season was now far advanced for the nature of this 
 royage, (nth Sept.) no time was lost in getting ready the 
 frigate j so that, on the 27th of the same month, she came out 
 
to the Strait of Magellan. 3 
 
 of the Dock-yard, completely equipped, with provisions for 
 eight months, and wood and water for five ; and, as the for- 
 tunate conclusion of all sea-expeditions must, in great measure, 
 depend on the health and comfort of the seamen, it was the com- 
 mander's principal care to use every precaution for that effect. 
 
 He therefore sent on-board, not only an ample supply of 
 additional warm clothing for the crew, but also all such medi- 
 cines, and other preservatives, as the experience of former 
 navigators had shown to be essentially useful. 
 
 Whilst the commander was thus employed, the two officers, 
 charged with the nautical observations, carried on-board two 
 marine watches or time-pieces, (Nos. 15 and 16 of Berthoud,) 
 which belonged to the Observatory of Cadiz, and also No. 71 
 of Arnold, a small one belonging to Lieut. Belmonte ; and, by 
 means of observations on-shore, and signals on-board the frigate, 
 began to ascertain their several rates of motion, and to form the 
 corresponding tables. 
 
 At the same time was carried on-board a complete collection 
 of instruments, chosen from those procured by order of His 
 Catholic Majesty in London, under the inspection of Mr. 
 Jacinto Magellan, and from the hands of the most eminent 
 artists of England. In removing them from the Observatory to 
 the ship, the glass tube of the marine barometer suddenly burst, 
 without its having received any blow or other injury, — so that 
 the mercury was lost, — occasioned probably by the mercury 
 having been but imperfectly purified, or perhaps not in the 
 just quantity; so that we were under the necessity of proceed- 
 ing on our voyage without that most valuable but delicate in- 
 strument. 
 
 Amongst these instruments were the best English quintants 
 and sextants that could be procured: for if, by the aid of the 
 time-pieces, we hoped to be able to ascertain every clay the 
 errors occasioned in our reckoning, by its own unavoidable un- 
 certainty, as well as by the setting of tides and currents; so, by 
 constant observations of the distance of the moon from the sun 
 or stars, performed with these excellent instruments of reflec- 
 tion, by two distinct observers, it was to be expected, as it was 
 afterwards experienced, that in each lunation we might disco- 
 ver what confidence ought to be placed in these time-pieces, 
 supposing them to preserve one uniform motion : and, from 
 such comparisons and calculations, we made no doubt of ob- 
 taining satisfactory results. 
 
 Lastly, as every information that could be collected respect- 
 ing the object of the voyage must be useful, either as furnishing 
 advice to be followed, or as pointing out what was to be 
 avoided, the several officers of the frigate made it their business 
 
4 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 to draw together the accounts of all expeditions to the Strait 
 of Magellan which had been published in the different parts 
 of Europe ; in which they were zealously assisted by Captain 
 Don Alexander Malespina, of the department of Cadiz ; who 
 not only parted with his own collection of Voyages, but used 
 every endeavour to procure from other persons such books as 
 he himself did not possess. 
 
 All these preparations being concluded, and the commander 
 satisfied that he now had on-board every thing requisite for the 
 proper fulfilment of the enterprise, he ordered the vessel to be 
 completely cleared on the <)th of October, and to be in perfect 
 readiness to put to sea on the following morning. 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Voy age from Cadiz to the Strait of Magellan.* 
 
 Having received from the Captain-general of the Fleet our 
 final instructions and orders, authorising us to undertake the 
 expedition, we set sail from Cadiz, at break of day, on Sunday 
 the 9th of October, with an easy wind from the land, and an 
 ebbing tide. The little wind we had being variable, we made 
 but small progress ; so that at night we were still within sight 
 of the town. This weather lasted all night : however, in the 
 morning early we had a distant view of Cape Spattel, on the 
 coast of Africa. By observations of our latitude at mid-day, 
 and from the longitude indicated by the time-pieces, as well as 
 from our position according to the sea-chart, we found that the 
 currents had carried us towards the south-east quarter, — a thing 
 very common in these parts, on account of their general setting 
 into the Strait of Gibraltar. In the evening we directed our 
 course for the Canary Islands, which we reached without meet- 
 ing with any thing remarkable on the passage. 
 
 The time-pieces, No. 16 of Berthoud and No. 71 of Arnold, 
 kept an uniform pace : but No. 15 of the former artist gave 
 room, from our first setting out, to suspect its accuracy ; as its 
 movements differed continually from those of the other two. 
 
 During the passage to the Canaries, no considerable setting 
 of the waters was perceived ; the errors occasioned by them in 
 our reckoning mutually counterbalancing each other. 
 
 At day-break of the ltith, we discovered the islands Grand 
 
 * The name in the Spanish language is Magallancs, and pronounced nearly 
 thus in English — Magalyttucs, the third syllable being accented. The Italians 
 spell it Magaglianes, which is equivalent to the former. 
 
 5 
 
M^$3m 
 
 'v'^i^^lwi^Lstfu^ 
 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 5 
 
 Canary and Teneriffe. At 7| hours a.m. we took observations 
 of the sun's altitude, in order to determine our longitude ; and 
 at the same time found the Pic of Teyde, in Teneriffe, bearing: 
 from us W. 3° S. and the W. point of Grand Canary, S. 14° 
 "W. from which observation we ascertained our place on the 
 chart, making use of that of M. Verdun de la Crenne : and the 
 latitude so pointed out agreed with that observed the following- 
 noon ; when allowances had been made for a reckoning care- 
 fully kept during the interval of four-and-a-half hours, and for 
 the setting of the waters to the southward ; which, by observing 
 the bearings of the island, we found had been the case. We 
 were therefore at that time, according to the above-mentioned 
 chart, in N. lat. 28° 18' 20", and in 'long. W. from Cadiz, 9° 
 28' 48". The time-piece, No. lG of Bertboud, indicated 2' ?", 
 and No. 71 of Arnold 3' 4" more to the westward: differences 
 so inconsiderable on a course of such extent, as to give great 
 hopes of reaping the highest advantages from those machines ; 
 whilst we entirely abandoned No. 15 of Berthoud, of whose 
 accuracy we had all along been very suspicious. The errors in 
 our ship's reckoning bad been so compensated one by another, 
 that it differed only a few minutes from the place laid down on 
 the chart.* 
 
 All this day we continued under sail, with light winds, be- 
 tween the Grand Canary and Teneriffe, whose peak disap- 
 peared to us soon after midnight ; nor did we see it any more 
 on the following day, on account of the fresh weather. With 
 tolerably fresh breezes we stood on to the S.S.W. that we 
 might the sooner get out of the calms so often met with to 
 leeward of the Canaries. 
 
 * It is necessary here to remark, that all the bearings mentioned in tl is account 
 are, corrected for the variation; and that the longitude is counted from the me- 
 ridian of the Royal Marine Observatory at Cadiz (P 16' VV. from Greenwich. 
 
 In the aCCOunt of the last Voyage of the celebrated Captain Cook, an attempt 
 is made to prove, that the position of the Road of Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe, is 
 14' 30" to the westward of that assigned by Captain Don Joseph Vareja ; who 
 was employed, with Messrs. Verdun de la Crenne. and Horda, in constricting the 
 above chart. The observations of the Spanish astronomer must be preferable to 
 those of Captain Cook, as being absolute, and independent of any errors occa- 
 sioned by a time-piece. However, as much pains are taken in the above voyag-e 
 to show that Varela was mistaken, we will here compare two positions, as laid 
 down by Cook, witli those assigned by two distinct astronomers; which, joined 
 to Cook's remark on the Cape of Good Hope, which he lays down 8' 25" to the 
 W. of the truth, will demonstrate that his time-piece went out of England witli a 
 positive error ; or that, in a few days, it contracted that error. 
 
 Isle of Ouessant (Ushant), according to Cook W.ftom Paris 7° 37' 37" 
 
 Ditto, according to M. M. Verdun and Horda 7 24 30 
 
 Cook to the westward 15 O-i 
 
 Cape Finisterre, according to Cook, W. from Cadiz . . .3 12 00 
 
 Ditto, according to Don Vicente Torino 2 55 M 
 
 Cook to the westward 1(5 06 
 
Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 igh it is the ordinary practice to cross the Equinoctial 
 lit the meridian of Teneriffe, (10° 22' W. from Cadiz 
 
 Althom 
 Line about 
 
 yet, in order to avoid the calms which almost constantly prevail 
 to the eastward of that point of longitude, we resolved to cross 
 it more to the westward, viz. from 14° to 15° W. from Cadiz, 
 and accordingly directed our course to that quarter. 
 
 As soon as we had passed the Tropic of Cancer, we began to 
 distribute to every man of the crew a large plate of gaspacho, 
 or spiced salad, by the use of which, and by regularly sprink- 
 ling vinccrar and brine between the decks, Ave succeeded in 
 maintaining them stout and healthy. 
 
 On the 24th at night, the breezes for the first time failed us, 
 in N. latitude 11°. Nothing else noticeable having occurred 
 since we lost sight of the Canaries. 
 
 A bright unclouded sky; winds regular and moderate, which 
 temper the intense heat of the sun's rays ; and a sea rarely agi- 
 tated to excess : these circumstances have procured to this part 
 of the Ocean the appellation of the Ladies' Bay. The sight we 
 enjoyed every day of flying-fish, tunnies, and bonitos, diversi- 
 fied a little the monotony of this scene.- We also had the com- 
 pany of a number of land birds, which, driven by the violence 
 of the winds more than 100 leagues from their native country, 
 hoped to escape unavoidable destruction in the water, by vo- 
 luntarily delivering themselves into the hands of men. 
 
 About noon on the 25th, breezes again sprung up from E. 
 and E.N.E., which, though feeble, still gave us hopes of speed- 
 ily passing the Line. During the night we were assailed by a 
 furious squall, which, leaving us no time to prepare for it^ 
 did some damage to our rigging; but, on the other hand, it 
 furnished an opportunity of knowing the trim of our vessel ; 
 a circumstance which was afterwards of great consequence 
 to us. The storm veered round by the N. to the W., 
 and, after an hour's duration, it ceased ; the heavens clear- 
 ing up, which, during the squall, had a most unfavourable 
 aspect. 
 
 On the morning of the 27th spoke with a Portuguese vessel, 
 the Fez Ivledeo, out :iS days from Lisbon, and bound for Rio 
 Janeiro in Brasil: her reckoning was very erroneous; and 
 she sailed so ill, that we were not surmised at the small advance 
 she had made in her voyage. 
 
 Calms and moderate winds continued successively till the 
 31st, when the latter became more constant from the N.E. ano\ 
 N.N.E. : our latitude being then about 7° 3o'N. ; and, on the 
 1st November, they changed to S.S.E. 
 
 We were now in longitude 14° VV". from Cadiz. Standing 
 on a tack to the eastward, with the wind at S.S.E. we made no 
 
j$0& ?mM $M 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 7 
 
 advance in latitude, but on the contrary course towards the 
 S.W. we gained a little southing, but still added more to our 
 longitude, and were consequently departing widely from the 
 meridian of Teneriffe, (|0° 2'i'W. from Cadiz;) the point in 
 which, as we before said, it is customary to cross the Equi- 
 noctial. 
 
 As two or three ships, which have cut the line much to the 
 W. of that meridian, have not been able afterwards to weather 
 Cape St. Augustine, on the coast of Brasil, other navigators 
 have been induced to keep as near to it as possible ; notwith- 
 standing that experience has uniformly shewn, that the calms 
 are more frequent and lasting, the sudden squalls and storms of 
 lightning more violent and terrible, towards the coast of Africa, 
 than they are towards the westward. In a climate of such a na- 
 ture, the voyage is unavoidably much protracted ; the stock of 
 water is exhausted ; and sickness, particularly the scurvy, is 
 introduced into the ship, producing effects the most dreadful. 
 The preservation of the health and lives of the ship's company 
 ought to be the principal object of a commander's solicitude; 
 not only because humanity requires it, but because it is the 
 only way to attain the accomplishment of the expedition 
 entrusted to him : and his care and attention ought to be more 
 particularly exerted in a long voyage, in which little or no re- 
 freshment or rebel can be expected. From these considerations, 
 Nve resolved to follow such courses as would produce the great- 
 est southing, in order to be freed from those latitudes so sub- 
 ject to calms, squalls, and sudden gusts of wind. We had be- 
 sides observed that our frigate sailed remarkably well and close 
 to the wind, so that we had reason to hope, if we should fall a 
 little to the leeward, that we would soon recover a proper situ- 
 ation ; especially as we were very confident in our methods for 
 correcting errors in our reckoning, and in our calculations of 
 our position with respect to the American coast. 
 
 The winds continued to blow from S.S.E. to S.E. with the 
 sky cloudy and squally, as is generally the case in these parts. 
 On the 8th we discovered a flaw in one of our top-masts about 
 a yard long, and of considerable depth, which obliged us in 
 future to proportion our sail to what we thought the mast would 
 bear. 
 
 On the 9th November, at 10 p. m. we crossed the equinoctial 
 line at iy° W. from Cadiz, ('351° 22' from the meridian of 
 Teneriffe, counted easterly,) according to the time-piece 
 No. 16, which coincided with No. 71, and both within half a 
 degree of the longitude deduced from observations of the moon's 
 distance from the sun. Our reckoning placed the frigate 54,' 
 
8 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 more easterly than the time-piece, and 1° 22' more easterly 
 than the observations. 
 
 From repeated observations of the variation of the magnetic 
 needle, both by amplitude and azimuth, we found the varia- 
 tion chart of M. Bellin, constructed in 1?57, sufficiently exact 
 in the neighbourhood of the line; but by no means so much to 
 be depended on, when at some distance from it. 
 
 The discussions between Captain Cook and M. de Monier, on 
 this subject, excited us to the inquiry : in which our results co- 
 incided with those of the former navigator; although we couid 
 not justly say of our needle as the captain says of his, — that it 
 was excellent. 
 
 As soon as we had passed into S. latitude, the winds fixed 
 themselves in the S.E. quarter, drawing however more to the E. 
 than to the S. ; which was also observed by Captain D. Joseph 
 Varela, of the Spanish frigate Santa Catalina, who, in his voy- 
 age from Cadiz to Brasil, in 1777, being obliged to cross the 
 Line far to the W. of the usual point, apprehended he should 
 not be able to make Cape St. Augustine; but he found that, as 
 he advanced in the southern hemisphere, and approached the 
 coast of Brasil*, the winds drew more to the E. ; so that, although 
 he had fallen so much to leeward, as to be within sight of the 
 island of Fernando Norono, he yet weathered that cape without 
 any difficulty. Cook experienced almost the same favourable 
 change of the wind, as do all our vessels on their return from 
 America to Europe; for which reasons it seems not improper 
 that, in a voyage from Europe to South America, navigators 
 should venture to trust a little to such a change ; and therefore 
 to cross theJKquinoctial from 16° to 20° from Cadiz, provided 
 the properties of their ships warrant them to make such at- 
 tempts. 
 
 Captain Cook, in consequence of his own experience, lays it. 
 down, that from the meridian of Teneriffe to the W., the set- 
 ting of the waters is constantly to the westward ; and, on the E. 
 side of the same meridian, they set to the eastward : that is to 
 say, that they draw always towards the respective coasts of 
 America and Africa. Our experience in this voyage confirmed 
 the former part of the observation, which explains the variety 
 in the accounts of different navigators respecting these currents. 
 Some instances which we had occasion to consult also attest the 
 truth of the remark : for example, Captain D. Philip Gonzalez, 
 of the Spanish man-of-war the San Lorenzo, on his passage from 
 Spain to Lima, having crossed the Line to the eastward of the 
 meridian of Teneriffe, found, on his arrival on the coast of Pa- 
 tagonia, a great difference to the eastward between his reckon- 
 

 to the Sir jit of Magellan. Q 
 
 u>«\ and the true situation of that coast. He had ascertained 
 his place by the chart of M. Belli u, the correctness of which, 
 on that coast, we had reason to testify. 
 
 On the other hand, ships returning to Europe, which pass 
 always to the westward of that meridian, find tine errors in their, 
 accounts to be constantly to the westward of the truth. Some 
 instances might also be mentioned of vessels which found little 
 or no errors in their reckonings which could be attributed to 
 the setting of the waters, because they had passed at or near 
 the meridian of TenerifFe. 
 
 The breezes continued from the eastward until we had 
 reached south latitude 18°, when we experienced their usual 
 change, viz. that as we advanced in south latitude, they veer r 
 ed round more and more to E. and NE. which enabled us with- 
 out anv difficulty to pass Cape St. Augustine; and to cross 
 without apprehension the parallel of the Abrojois, notwithstand-' 
 iinr that the currents had set considerably to the westward, as 
 we could easily perceive by our observations for ascertaining 
 the longitude. In south latitude 22° 45', these winds failed us; 
 and, which is worthy of notice, at the same itime also ceased 
 the settin<>- of the currents towards the W. For two days we 
 had winds from S. and SW., but they afterwards returned to 
 the NE. 
 
 On the 21st November fell in with the ship Los Placeres, be- 
 longing to the new Company of the Philippine! Islands, which 
 sent her boat on-board of us as soon as we were within her 
 reach. She had sailed from Cadiz on the 1st October for Lima, 
 and had crossed the Equinoctial two days later, and two or three 
 decrees more to the eastward, than we had done. Her reckon- 
 ing, corrected for currents to the W., agreed with our account 
 deduced from our observations of lunar distances by the time- 
 pieces. We steered a little more easterly than she did; and, 
 from our superiority in sailing, next day lost sight of her. 
 
 In south latitude 3 < v 45' the wind began to veer round by the 
 N. and W. to the SW. quarter. Experience has shown, that; 
 in these latitudes, and in the neighbourhood of the coast of 
 Brasil, when the wind has been at NE. and (draws round by 
 the N. to the W., it never fails to arrive at the SW., from 
 which point it blows with the greatest violence. These last 
 winds are commonly called Pamperos, as proceeding from, or 
 over, the immense plains or Pampas, adjacent to the River de la 
 Plata in South America. 
 
 From latitude 13° 5' to latitude 41°, the longitude indicated 
 by the time-pieces was constantly 2° or 2i° to the W. of that 
 drawn from our reckoning; but after that parallel (41 Q ,) in, 
 jvhich the winds began to blow from theNW. and SW. qtiari 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol.11. c. . 
 
■m 
 
 10 T Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 ters. These machines pointed out a considerable setting of the 
 waters to the E. ; insomuch, that from the 8th to the ]3th De- 
 cember, in which time we crossed the parallels from 41° to 45°, 
 there was an error in our reckoning of i° 35' of longitude. 
 There was likewise an error of l 9 3'i' of latitude; and both 
 were evidently occasioned by the currents towards the E. and 
 N. The drift of the sea in that direction first gave us notice of 
 that which observations, made on purpose, afterwards con- 
 firmed. 
 
 A little before noon of the I lth December we felt a quick 
 short motion of the vessel, which was repeated after a short in- 
 terval, and was supposed to proceed from an earthquake, agree- 
 ably to the opinion of some of our officers, who had experi- 
 enced the like on other occasions. On the following day died 
 Alonzo Mateo, a seaman, with no other sjmptpms of illness 
 than a violent colic, which carried him oft' in a few hours. The 
 loss of one of our company was sensibly felt; however, we had 
 the satisfaction to observe that all others continued to enjoy 
 good health ; and that the transition from a warm to a cold cii- 
 liiate had made no considerable alteration on them. 
 
 From south latitude 43°, we directed our course to disco- 
 ver Cape Blaneo ; but were prevented from seeing it by the 
 westerly winds. 
 
 We cannot sufficiently recommend it to navigators in these 
 seas, bound for the Strait of Magellan or the Pacific Ocean, to 
 keep as close as possible to the Patagonian coast, in summer 
 time ; that is, in the months of November, December, Janu- 
 ary, and February, during which the cross-winds from the 
 SE. are not known ; otherwise, the winds which predominate 
 from NW. to SW. will prevent them from doing it when it 
 is absolutely necessary. If, in a passage to Lima, a vessel should 
 pass much to the eastward of Cape de las Virgines, and in that 
 latitude should meet with winds from SW., it would after- 
 wards cost infinite labour to make States Island ; and, conse- 
 quently, it would be to enhance unnecessarily the difficulties 
 and dangers of a voyage, which is already one of the most ha-, 
 zardous and severe that can be undertaken. 
 
 At length, on the evening of the 13th December, we came 
 into soundings, with 60 fathoms fine brown sand. We were 
 then distant from the land about 64 leagues, according to the 
 chart of M. Bellin ; our time-pieces and lunar observations 
 shewing us to be in west longitude 55°, our latitude at the same 
 time being 45° 35' 5" south. 
 
 From that position we judged a SSW. course to be the 
 most advantageous, and accordingly steered to that quarter. 
 
 It is proper to remark in this place, that the soundings on the 
 
■ 
 
 *m 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 11 
 
 coast of Patagonia are by no means so regular as some naviga- 
 tors have imagined them to be. It is a very common notion, 
 that the number of leagues of distance from the land is, in ge- 
 neral, equal to the number of fathoms of water in the sound- 
 ings ; but, on the contrary, in approaching the coast, we some- 
 times found that the depth of water, instead of diminishing, in- 
 creased : so that the true guide is the sight of the land, when 
 there is generally from 18 to 24 fathoms, as many navigators 
 have remarked. 
 
 There is not the smallest danger in approaching the Patago- 
 nian coast, which is every-where clean and safe, excepting only 
 in south latitude 43° 34', where there is a shoal lying live or 
 six leagues out from the shore. The two brothers Nodal, who 
 examined these seas in 16 J 9, and M. de Bougainville in 1764, 
 have both fixed its position, agreeing very nearly as to its lati- 
 tude ; so that there can be no doubt as to its existence. 
 
 From the time that we came into soundings we saw a prodi- 
 gious number of sea-fowl, as well as of whales, and sea-lions 
 or seals, which abound all over these seas. 
 
 On the 18th December at sunset, at last, we had the happi- 
 ness to obtain a sight of the land, five or six leagues off, in 
 south latitude 51°; but the horizon being dim, Ave could not 
 know precisely what part it was: only we concluded, from the 
 latitude, that it was the bay at the mouth of the river Santa 
 Cruz. We were then in 4.5 fathoms water, with brown and 
 black sand. All night we stood on along the coast, steering S. 
 and S. by W. sounding from time to lime, from 48 to 4S fathoms, 
 fine brown and black sand ; and, in the morning, observed 
 Cape de Barreras Blancas, called by Wallis and other foreign- 
 ers Cape Fair Weather. According to observations at noon, 
 this cape lies in south latitude 5i° 31'30''; and measuring the 
 difference of meridians between it and Cape de las Virgines, 
 afterwards correctly determined, its longitude is 6 l 2 Q 40' 30' 1 W. 
 from Cadiz. 
 
 To the southward of Cape Fair Weather we observed seven 
 little hills a good way up from the shore, but very near one to 
 another, and all about the same height, which, for these rea- 
 sons, we called Los Frayles (the Friars). 
 
 At 1 1 a.m. we got within sight of the long-looked-for Cape 
 de las Virgines. The wind had blown very strong all the day 
 from the iSW. ; but at 3 p.m. it fell calm, when, considering 
 that we might ride in safety under the shelter of the land, with- 
 out being driven to leeward, should the wind become more vio- 
 lent and contrary, we resolved here to wait for a favourable 
 opportunity for entering the Strait of Magellan, of which th© 
 
 c 2 
 
n 
 
 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 above cape forms the N. and E. point; and therefore came t<» 
 anchor in 28 fathoms fine sand, distant four leagues N. from 
 that cape, and one league and a half from the Patagoiiiah shore. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Occurrences in the Navigation of the Strait. 
 
 No sooner had we let go the anchor, and hoisted out the boar, 
 than, on the opposite shore, we perceived a number of fires 
 lighted up, indicating that it was inhabited ; and being ex- 
 tremely desirous of examining with our own eyes a country so 
 variously described by different travellers, we rowed in to the 
 
 J)art of the shore where the natives were assembled, and all ori 
 lorseback, to receive us, showing however some apprehension 
 of danger from us. We made signs of friendly intentions, pre- 
 senting them with some trifles, and soon gained their confidence 
 so far that they accepted our invitation to go on-board the 
 frigate. The carelessness with which they left their compa- 
 nions on the shore, their horses, and other things which were 
 not wanted, while they went on-board, gave a convincing 
 proof ol the probity and good faith which subsist among them : 
 One of those that embarked spoke a few words of Spanish ; 
 from which circumstance we concluded that he must have had 
 considerable intercourse with the Spanish settlements on the 
 northern parts of the coast. He mentioned the names of seve- 
 ral Spaniards, particularly Captain x\ntonio Viedma, and the 
 pilot Bernardo Tafor. He wore a sort of cloak passed over his 
 head, made of the cloth manufactured by our settlers in the 
 province of Kio de la Plata. In short, his whole dress resem- 
 bled that of the Creoles of South Ameriea, with the addition 
 only of a sort of cloak of the skins of the lama or guanaco 
 Stitched together, and precisely like those which are made for 
 sale by the Indians of that province. Mis name he said A\as 
 Irancisco Xavier, and was of the ordinary size of men. He 
 seemed to have complete authority over his companion, whose 
 overgrown figure, being six feet eleven inches and a half Spa- 
 nish measure in height, could not fail to excite much surprise 
 in us inhabitants of the old continent. Francisco's attention 
 seemed to be chiefly fixed on a sabre he wore, and which, after 
 sundry applications, he suffered us to examine. It was in the 
 scabbard,- and on the blade were the following words, For el 
 Jiey Carlos HI, (for King Charles III,) They were both pro- 
 

 cf the Strait. 1$ 
 
 vided with spears and bows, arms well known in the province 
 of Buenos Ayrcs. 
 
 That he might, conciliate our goodwill, Francisco showed the 
 greatest desire to gratify our curiosity. Having observed that 
 we were surprised at the appearance of his companion, who had 
 circular marks painted about his eyes, red in the upper part 
 and black iri the lower, he directed him to remove it, which lie 
 immediately did, wiping it off with the corner of his skin-cloak. 
 
 They both conducted themselves with great frankness ami 
 cordiality, showing that they entertained no apprehensions of 
 injury from us. They smoked tobacco, they sat down to the 
 table, making dexterous use of the knife and fork, and spoon ; 
 but they positively refused to drink any wine or brandy: and 
 Francisco having been prevailed on to taste a little of the 
 brandy, immediately rejected it, and warned his companion not 
 to touch it, giving us to know, at the same time, that he was 
 not ignorant of the hurtful effects of these liquors. 
 
 We provided beds for them, where they slept ; and, in the 
 mornin" - , carried them on shore, seemingly much pleased with 
 their excursion. On their landing, they signified to the boat's 
 crew that they wished them to wait until they should bring a 
 present of lama's flesh and skins ; but having been ordered to re- 
 turn to the frigate without delay, they were obliged to decline 
 the obliging proposal. 
 
 We continued in this anchorage till the 22d in the morning', 
 having at times very fresh gales from the SW. quarter; at 
 other times, it was quite calm: but this day the wind being brisk 
 from N. and N\V\, we set sail for Cape de las Virgeiics, keep- 
 ing our launch a little way before us, to make signals of the depth 
 of water. At three p.m. we got to the mouth of the strait ; and 
 at five p.m. finding the tide to be against u^, we came to an- 
 chor in 28 fathoms coral bottom, being about one mile from the 
 north shore, and two leagues within the strait. 
 
 At eight p.m., finding the tide to be on the turn, and the 
 weather quite calm, we weighed anchor, in order to get into a 
 better situation ; and, being towed by the launch and another 
 boat with the help or the tide, now favourable, we continued 
 making way till eleven p.m., when we again came to anchor in 
 -15 fathoms mud and sand. 
 
 We perceived no change in the currents until about Z\ a.m. 
 of the 23d, when we lay with our head to N W. by W., and at 
 five a.m. their force was directed towards SE. 
 
 Tlie Patagonians, who had remained all the preceding day oil 
 the shore opposite to the vessei, but had retired at sunset to 
 sOme hollow~broken grounds back from the sea, returned to the 
 4>each at break of clay in greater numbers than- before, all oh 
 
nBMH 
 
 14 
 
 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 horseback, and attended by their dogs. Many of them alighted, 
 and began to dance and leap about, in token of their friendly- 
 dispositions. 
 
 As the safety of our vessel required that we should find more 
 .proper anchorage than that where we lay* we weighed at eight 
 a.m. observing the tide to be on the turn, and steered for Pos- 
 session Bay, sending on the launch before us, to make signals 
 of the depth of water and quality of the bottom, that the frigate 
 might be the less exposed to accidents. Having stood for two 
 hours on a tack to the northward, till we got into seven fathoms 
 fine brown sand, we began to put about for the southward ; 
 but the vessel, having little way, was so long in stays, that be- 
 fore she got round, we were in less than four fathoms water, 
 and only a little more than a cable's length from the shore, 
 where we heard distinctly the natives repeating the sounds of 
 the seamen on board the frigate, — a strong proof of the acute- 
 ness of their hearing, and of the great manageableness of their 
 organs of speech. 
 
 We continued, after this tacking, with easy winds from the 
 W. to the HW. till half-past two p.m., when wc began to lose 
 ground ; to avoid which, we came to anchor in 24 fathoms 
 dark-coloured sand, Cape Possession then bearing W. 18° N. 
 and the high land of Cape de las Virgenes N. 58° £. At half- 
 past four p.m. the wind changed to the E. still easy; and 
 although the wind was contrary, yet we hoped with that wind 
 to make way against it ; but, at six p.m. it again blew from the 
 W. ; nevertheless, we continued tacking till half-past eleven 
 p.m., when we again dropped anchor in 24 fathoms fine sand 
 and mud. 
 
 As the wind soon afterwards came to blow hard, wc became 
 alarmed for our launch, which w^is at some distance, and were 
 obliged to ply a good deal to windward before she could get 
 alongside. All this night we remained at anchor, the wind 
 blowing fresh from WSW. to W. At nine in the morning 
 we reefed our top-sails, to be ready to get under sail as soon as 
 the current should cease to be against us, which we executed at 
 noon ; and continued making tacks and sounding all the way, 
 carefully examining the bottom, till seven p.m., when we came 
 to anchor in 16 fathoms brown sand, Cape Possession bearingW. 
 22° N. and the hill Del Dinero N. 48° W. The wind was con- 
 stantly changing, so that it was still contrary on every tack we 
 made for the space of seven hours ; on which account we made 
 very little way, not having advanced four leagues in five days 
 of incessant exertion. 
 
 The current set to the SE. till half-past eleven p.m., when 
 we rode to the wind, which came on with heavy squalls. The 
 
of the Strait. 15 
 
 sky was cloudy and dark the whole night ; so that we had the 
 mortification of being prevented from observing the emersions of 
 the 1st and 2d satellites of Jupiter, by which we would have 
 been able to determine with accuracy the longitude of Cape de 
 Jas Virgenes. 
 
 All the 25th we remained at anchor, with the wind fresh, acV 
 companied by a heavy sea from SW.: the current was either 
 at a stand, or setting towards ESK. We made several expe- 
 riments to ascertain its rise and fall, but were never able to 
 satisfy ourselves, the vessel being as it were in a kind of whirl- 
 pool, from the continual shifting of the wind and currents : upon 
 the whole, however, we were of opinion that the rise and fall 
 of the water are very inconsiderable. 
 
 On the following day we had but little wind, but the current 
 continued to be almost always contrary to our course. In the 
 evening, the boat went on shore, for the purpose of making 
 some observations requisite for laying down the chart of the 
 strait. The Patagonians, who for some days past had not 
 appeared on the shore, but remained about a mile up the coun- 
 try, endeavouring to soften the rigour of the weather by keep- 
 ing up large fires, now came down, in number about thirty, all 
 men, to the place where the boat was to land, and received our 
 people with every mark of friendship and goodwill. We pre- 
 sented to them some glass trinkets, making them sit down, that 
 we might tie them round their necks with red ribbons ; and our 
 second captain gave to the allest among them a small plate of 
 metal, with his name and the date engraved on it. We invited 
 them to come on-board the frigate, which they declined doing 
 at that time, as night was coining on, when they regularly re- 
 turned to their place of abode; but promised to pay us a visit 
 on the morrow, or next sun, as they express it. 
 
 Having no kind of boats or ships themselves, they have con- 
 sequently no names for them ; they therefore called the frigate 
 the great waggon or cart, and the boat the little waggon. 
 
 On this occasion we had again an opportunity of remarking 
 the quiet temper and dispositions of these Patagonians, as well 
 as their manners and stature. Their continuing in that part of 
 the strait ;is long as we remained there, seemed to prove rather 
 their desire to acquire some European trinkets, jewels in their 
 eyes, than any wish for conversation or intercourse with us. 
 The tribe consisted of 300 or 400 persons, all men and boys, 
 for we saw not one woman among them, who no doubt remain- 
 ed at their habitations up the country, whither the men every 
 night retired. 
 
 All requisite operations for taking a survey of that part of the. 
 
■ 
 
 10 
 
 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 strait being performed to our satisfaction, the boat returned to . 
 the frigate. # 
 
 On the 27th the wind freshened from the SW. with terrible 
 squalls, the sea also growing furious, so that the vessel, which 
 had hitherto remained at single anchor, began to drive towards, 
 the land. In this situation it was resolved to let-go another 
 anchor, that we might neither lose the ground we had gained* 
 Dor expose the launch, which was a little way a-headj and 
 •which it was equally impossible to take on-board as it was im- 
 prudent to abandon to her fate. The weather continued in 
 this way till the 29th, at 41 p.m. when, after a furious gust ot" 
 •wind, one of our cables gave way, and the ship began to drive 
 on the other anchor: Ave immediately got out a third, which 
 brought her up. However, she had already driven so much, that 
 the point of Mi era remained behind us only about two miles oil, 
 and rioht across the direction of the wind. In this situation we 
 had only the alternative, either to depend on the resistance of 
 our two cables, or instantly to get under sail before, by driving 
 a little farther, it should be utterly out of our power so to do. 
 This last operation, in the present state of the vessel, considering 
 that the violence of the wind would not admit us to set mucli 
 sail, became equally difficult and dangerous. It was however 
 determined to attempt it, even at the hazard of losing our 
 launch. We therefore cut away the two anchors, and got under 
 sail, executing the whole with such alacrity and success, that, 
 by means of the current, and the good qualities of the vessel, 
 we got safely out of this most imminent danger, although at the 
 expense of the greatest sacrifices which in our circumstances 
 could be made. In this most unfortunate event we lost three 
 anchors, and more than four cables, which filled us with appre- 
 hensions for the final success of the enterprise. Iktt a slight 
 consideration of all circumstances will show, that the above 
 steps were indispensable; and that the fury of the wind, which, 
 occasioned our heavy loss, was little to be expected, especially 
 in a place wjiere the greatest part of former travellers had an- 
 chored before us. We now ran out of the strait, and imme- 
 diately stood out to the northward, until we got under the lee 
 or the land, to take in our launch, in which we fortunately suc- 
 ceeded, but not without much pains, in which the boat suffered 
 great damage, and was reduced to the worst condition. The 
 winds continued ail night from the westward with such fury, 
 that we were able only to set the mizen stay-sail ; so that in 
 the morning we had been driven above sixteen leagues from 
 the coast. 
 
 We had now remaining for performing our undertaking only 
 
^§$&§$mi 
 
 of the Strait. 17 
 
 three anchors, with two small onos, which might be joinedl to- 
 gether so as to make one, with two whole cables and two pieces 
 of others. Notwithstanding such slender provision of indis- 
 pensable articles, it was still unanimously resolved, by all the 
 officers on-board, to return to the Strait as soon as the wind 
 should permit : and it having- subsided considerably on the 
 morning of the 31st, but still blowing from WSVV. we bent 
 our course to the southward ; and, on the 1st of January, at 
 break of day, we again came in sight of Cape de las Virgenes, 
 distant about four leagues. At 8 a.m. we reached the mouth 
 of the Strait, and having turned to windward the whole day 
 to little advantage: in the evening, the west assuming again a 
 very threatening aspect, we thought it to be most prudent 
 once more to take refuge under the land to the northward of the 
 same cape, there to wait for more favourable weather. 
 
 The wind abating a little on the 2d, we entered the Strait a 
 third time ; and, having tacked all the morning to little pur- 
 pose, it fell calm about li P.M. when the current being against 
 us, we dropped one of our small anchors in 43 fa. fine sand 
 and shells, Cape de las Virgenes, bearing N. 31° E. 4 leagues. 
 At 3 pm. the wind sprung up from SW., and the force of the 
 current being weakened, we weighed ; and, notwithstanding 
 the approach of night, and the unfavourable appearance of the 
 heavens, continued under-sail, preferring rather to turn up to 
 windward, even in these dangerous parts, by night, than again 
 to hazard the loss of more cables and anchors. The night was 
 spent in tacking and sounding, putting about always when we 
 came into 14, 15, or 16 fathoms water. 
 
 The remark seems to be well founded, that, in these parts, 
 when the currents are very strong towards the E. but almost in- 
 sensible in their course to the westward, it is a sign that the 
 winds will be boisterous and squally from the W. ; for, in this, 
 our third attempt to enter the Strait, in which the winds had 
 neither been constant nor violent from the westward, we found 
 that the currents had been considerably in our favour. Not- 
 withstanding that it is not advisable to turn to windward 
 by night in such passages, yet, in the morning, wc found that 
 we had advanced more in the Strait than we had done in all the 
 days preceding ; and at I 1 a.m. we had reached Cape Possession, 
 although the wind had always blown from the westward. At 
 6 p.m. that cape bearing N. 25° E. and the hill called Aymon 
 W. 54° N. it being quite calm, and the current setting SE. 
 we anchored in 10 fathoms brown sand, and got out the h>oat, 
 to sound in the neighbourhood of the vessel; and to disccover 
 the channel which led to the first pass, or Pass of Nucstra 
 Seiora de la Esperanza. At 6| p.m. the current began to set 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5 } Vol, 11. d 
 

 18 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 to the SW. and, at 7y, went at the rate of two miles in 
 an hour in that direction. At 9 p.m. the boat returned, 
 informing us, that, in steering to the WNW. there was a suf- 
 ficiency of water, but that the entry of that pass had not been 
 observed. At 9f we got under-sail, in search of better an- 
 chorage; and at 1 Of p.m. again anchored in 23 fathoms sand 
 and stones, believing ourselves to be at no great distance from 
 the pass. The greatest force of the current here, that we 
 could discover, was about three miles an hour. 
 
 At 8 on the following morning, the current, which, since 
 2 A.m. had set towards the .NE. having lost much of its force, 
 we got under sail; and, at noon, being opposite to that pass, 
 the current setting westerly, carried us even against the wind, 
 until we reached the middle of the channel, when the wind 
 falling, and the current beginning again to return towards the 
 NE. we were obliged to come to anchor in 38 fathoms, lying 
 very close to the north shore of the pass. We immediately sent 
 the boat to land, in order to continue our geometrical opera- 
 tions, which returned at 8 p.m. every thing being performed 
 to our satisfaction, and brought a great quantity of shell-fish. 
 It was impossible to procure any lamas or guanacos, although 
 many were seen at a distance; and three zorillos, which were 
 shot, were obliged to be thrown into the sea, on account of the 
 abominable smell of their water, which might be perceived at a 
 great distance. 
 
 The strength of the current increased continually, until, at 
 7 P.M. it amounted to 7-f miles in an hour. Hence, if we sup- 
 pose that its greatest force must be in the middle of the channel 
 of this first pass, we may conclude it to be one of the most 
 rapid on the face of the globe. 
 
 In the evening of this day ceased, for the first time, the 
 reigning winds from the W. and for three hours together we 
 had them very fresh from N£. and N. Notwithstanding the 
 danger of night-navigation in these parts, we resolved to 
 take advantage of this wind, as well as of the current, which 
 would soon be in our favour. We therefore began to weigh, 
 and, after some difficulty, got the anchor a-peak. Being now 
 ready to set sail, in the hope of making some progress during 
 the night, we Avere far from imagining that, in this place, fresh 
 disasters awaited us. Neither the two capstans, nor any other 
 contrivance we could think of, were able to raise the anchor, 
 but all gave way, and the cable ran quite out to the end, made 
 fast to the mainmast ; so that it became now most difficult to 
 set sail in the dark, and in a current running SVV., first, at the 
 rate of 4-^- miles, and, afterwards, of G miles per hour. In this 
 situation, our distress was extreme ; for the vessel was running 
 
■■ 
 
 of the Strait. 19 
 
 up the Strait at the mere}' of the current. We therefore began 
 to sound, and tried to take advantage of a small breeze from the 
 SW. in order to keep, if possible, in the middle of the pass. 
 At length, when we had got-in the cable, we found that the 
 anchor was broken, the greatest part of it remaining in the sea. 
 
 How great this loss was to us, may easily be imagined, when 
 it is considered, that few or no resources were to be found in this 
 place, where the dangers to which we were continually exposed 
 rendered cables and anchors of indispensable necessity. Former 
 navigators had arrived at this part of the Strait of Magellan 
 without sustaining any loss whatever, or running any other 
 clanger than what arose from the neighbourhood or the shores, 
 all but very little known, united to the violence of winds 
 almost constantly unfavourable. The wind at this time was 
 very low ; but the current hurried us along the middle of the 
 channel, and at last brought us clear, and out at the west end of 
 the pass. At 2 a.m. a light breeze arose from the W. with 
 which, at 2§, we reached the north shore, and came to anchor in 
 the Bay of S. Gregorio, the cape of the same name bearing 
 S. 88° W. about two leagues distance ; having sailed seven 
 leagues during the night, carried along almost the whole way 
 by the force of the current. 
 
 At 9i a.m. we again weighed, to take advantage of the tide 
 or current, now in our favour, but without any wind, till llf, 
 when a small breeze from S. W. arose ; and, after a number of 
 tacks, we ran through the second pass of this strait ; at 3f- p.m. 
 reached its west end ; and used every effort to arrive at the an- 
 chorage of the Island St. Isabel, (Elizabeth,) notwithstanding 
 that the wind now blew fresh from SW. But, the tide begin- 
 ning to alter its direction, we were obliged to look out for a 
 proper situation where we might wait for its return in our 
 favour. As we were very unwilling to sacrifice the way we 
 had now gained, wc resolved to embrace the first opportunity- 
 for anchoring that should present itself on the north side of this 
 pass : we at last come to anchor in a place that afforded some 
 shelter, in five fathoms sand ; but the water falling off speedily 
 one fathom, we were obliged instantly to quit that place, know- 
 ing well the danger of such a situation ; and were fortunate 
 enough to be able to weigh the anchor quickly, although both 
 wind and tide were against us. It was in this place that Sar- 
 miento anchored, who, for a similar reason, was likewise obliged 
 to abandon it. He called the bay Santa Susanna. 
 
 From on-board the frigate we observed a shoal, about two 
 miles off, and a good way out from the north shore, which is not 
 mentioned in any charts or accounts of former navigators. Soon 
 after we got under- way, we discovered that it extended con- 
 
 D 2 
 
20 Occurrences m the Navigation 
 
 sitlerably in our direction; and, on the full of a wave, our helm 
 struck on a part of it, but without doing any material damage: 
 we therefore crowded sail until we got into deep water; and, 
 at night-fall, again returned to anchor in the Bay of St.Gregorio. 
 The violence of the winds from W. and SW. kept us in this 
 place till the morning of the 8th, during which time, we as- 
 certained, by observations, the latitude and longitude of Cape 
 St. Gregorio; but this day, the wind being fresh from the W. 
 and the heavens clear, we again set sail, to continue our course 
 to the westward. The cable which had served in this an- 
 chorage received considerable injury from the ship's bottom ; 
 whilst the tide, whose strength never exceeded four miles, was 
 contrary to the wind. 
 
 This circumstance added not a little to the wants of our vessel, 
 already too numerous : it was nevertheless determined, that we 
 should still continue in the discharge of the commission with 
 which we were intrusted. 
 
 We ran through the second pass of St. Simon with great ease, 
 favoured by the wind, which veered round by the NW. to 
 !NN1£. , and steered for the channel between the Island St. 
 Elizabeth and the little isles St. Magdalen and St. Martha, 
 which is the most difficult passage in the whole Strait of Ma- 
 gellan, on account of the many reefs of rocks which run out 
 from all these islands. In this situation fresh labours and dangers 
 were not wanting to us: the wind drew suddenly round to 
 "WSW. and drove us over the reefs running out from St. Mag- 
 dalen amongst the sea-weed, which is almost constantly found 
 on the shoals and sank rocks of this strait, known to the Spanish 
 seamen by the name of cachiyailo, but by naturalists called 
 fucus giganleus antarcticus. The squalls becoming more 
 furious than before, the heavens more obscured, the bottom 
 more rocky and stony, and the depth of water rapidly dimi- 
 nishing even to four fathoms on each side of the vessel, — all this 
 placed us in the most critical situation we had yet experienced. 
 It was necessary to carry a press of sail, to prevent us from 
 falling still farther on the shoal ; nor could we continue long on 
 any one tack, as the danger seemed to be alike on all hands ; so 
 that we were obliged to change our course repeatedly, — well 
 understanding the dreadful consequences that must attend the 
 loss of the frigate in such a situation. At last, fortunately, we 
 got into deeper water on to '20 fathoms; and, although in fol- 
 lowing the same taek, we fell again near to another shoal, for- 
 merly observed by Captain Walhs, we also got out of that 
 hazardous position, and soon discovered by the iead, that the 
 /depth was fast increasing. Alter this, we stood over to the 
 westward, to get in with tlje north shore of the Strait, meeting 
 
of the Strait. 21 
 
 frequently with furious blasts from the breaks in the mountains 
 of the continent ; and, towards night, came to anchor about 
 one mile from the land, and one league north from the point of 
 St. Maria; having received, in all this terrible day's work, but 
 inconsiderable damage; and being enabled, from our own ex- 
 perience, to recommend it most earnestly to all navigators in 
 these parts, to keep as close as they possibly can to the coast of 
 the continent, that they may escape the dangers with which 
 we had been so lately surrounded. 
 
 All the night the weather was cloudy, with showers of rain, 
 or rather snow : the wind continued with most furious blasts, 
 which, however, only effected one upper rigging, without reach- 
 ing the hull of the vessel, which was protected by the excellent 
 shelter of the land. The following day was employed in ex- 
 amining, with the boat, such parts of the coast as seemed to be 
 interesting, and making proper observations for constructing 
 the chart of the Strait, — a point, of which we never lost sight 
 on-board the frigate, not even in the moment of greatest 
 difficulty and danger, — sounding and making remarks as often 
 as possible, even when our course, and the situation of the ship, 
 did not require it. 
 
 The boat returned from this surve}-, bringing off five Indians 
 who had been met with on the beach, whose nuditj , loathsome- 
 ness, and stupidity, filled us with equal disgust and commisera- 
 tion, naturally excited at the sight of such unfortunate objects, 
 who exist in the utmost wretchedness, with which, however, 
 they appear to be contented, doubtless from the very con- 
 lined circle of their ideas ; for, being ignorant of such things 
 as they do not want, they are sensible of no privation. On 
 their return to the shore, they joined their companions, who 
 waited for them, and all together accompanied the frigate, by 
 land, on her way to Puerto de la Hambre (Port Famine). 
 
 On the 10th of January we sailed for that harbour, where we 
 anchored at 1 p.m. in «siS fathoms, after turning up against the 
 winds from WTslW. to WSW. the whole way. We ear- 
 nestly recommend it to navigators to have their top-sails reefed 
 in sailing near this coast : otherwise they may meet with very 
 serious injury, from the sudden gusts of wind that break through 
 the rugged openings of the mountains. 
 
 Port Famine is so called from the wretched remains of the 
 settlement of San Felipe, visited by Cavendish, the English tra- 
 veller, in 1587, at the time they were perishing with cold, hun- 
 ger, and every other distress. This harbour furnished us with 
 die means of repairing some part of our damages; of providing 
 wood and water, fish, and some other articles of refreshment ; 
 of acquiring some knowledge of the inhabitants of that part of 
 the Strait, and of placing the frigate in some degree of safety 
 
22 
 
 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 ■whilst the boats were engaged in the necessary examinations of 
 both sides of the Strait. Here we completely re-htted our 
 Jaunch, which had so much suffered in the entrance: we formed 
 a stock to unite our two .small anchors, adapting to them a 
 Dutch fourteen-inch cable. We observed several meridian alti- 
 tudes of the sun, to determine the latitude of the harbour; we 
 examined the motions of our time-piece by observations of the 
 sun's absolute altitude, seeing that the state of the heavens 
 ■would not. admit of our taking corresponding altitudes ; and 
 lastly, here the use of wild parsley, with which the shores 
 abound, the opportunities of going on shore, the relief from 
 the constant labour and anxiety which we had so long under- 
 gone, were of infinite service to the people of the frigate, whose 
 steadiness, good-will, and general health, it was more easy to 
 admire than to describe. 
 
 When we had finished our survey of the harbour and exa- 
 mined the adjacent coasts, the boat proceeded on other expe- 
 ditions. We went along the shore as far as the west part of 
 French Bay (Bay of St. Nicholas), making a draught of it as 
 we went along : from thence we crossed over the Strait to the 
 Land del Fuego, when we discovered an excellent bay and 
 harbour, to which we gave the names of Bay of Valdes and 
 Port Antonio, in honour of S r - Don Antonio de Valdes, which 
 places were totally unnoticed by all former navigators. 
 
 The natives who had been on-board the frigate while we lay 
 near Point St. Maria, as was before observed, followed us along 
 the shore, accompanied by the rest of their tribe, amounting to 
 twenty-three persons, and remained in Port Famine during the 
 whole time we staid in that harbour. At first they lodged half 
 a league to the northward, upon the sea-side ; but, after some of 
 our people had paid them visits, and presented them with some 
 little articles, exchanging pieces of eloth, caps, &c. for their 
 arms and ornaments, we so far gained their confidence, that 
 they removed to some huts in the bottom of the harbour, of the 
 same kind with many others which we had seen along the 
 coast. 
 
 During our stay in Port Famine, the heavens were seldom 
 free from clouds ; the prevailing winds were from SW. to W. 
 and often very fresh : on the 1 9th, in the morning, there were 
 even some breezes from the N., but of short duration, nor did 
 they extend out into the channel of the Strait, as we learned 
 from our boat, which was at that time on her return from 
 Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 On the morning of the 20th of January we sailed from Port 
 Famine, with a clear sky and easy wind from VVSW., for Cape 
 St. Isidro. Soon alter we got under-weigh it fell calm, and 
 
 
■1 
 
 H $&k 
 
 of the Strait. 23 
 
 the vessel was driven back towards the shore b} r the current ; 
 but, by the help of our boats, we kept her at a proper distance 
 until o p.m., when a little wind springing up from the SE. 
 she soon got clear of the land. The wind afterwards kept 
 changing from SE. to S. which forced us to resume our usual 
 but painful employment of tacking; at night-fall, which had 
 but an indifferent aspect, we discovered a patch of sea-weed, 
 which always indicates a rocky bottom and shallow, or, at least, 
 unequal depths of water, a good way out from the shore of 
 Tierra del Fuego. 
 
 These circumstances proved how dangerous it was to con- 
 tinue under-sail during the night; we therefore resolved to 
 steer for the Bay of Varcarcel, which we had before examined. 
 In this project, however, we were disappointed; for it fell calm, 
 and the vessel was carried by the current near to a ledge of 
 rocks, so that we were obliged immediately to drop anchor in 
 15 fathoms. The bottom of the Strait is here so steep in some 
 places, that, having dragged the anchor a little over, it came 
 into 83 fathoms directly; but, getting out another, we kept the 
 vessel steady. 
 
 Next morning we weighed for the above bay, (Varcarcel,) 
 with very little wind from the SW. and, consequently, against 
 us: at length, however, we got to the bay, and anchored in it 
 in 40 fathoms, employing the remainder of the day in mooring 
 the frigate, which we were never able to do to our satisfaction, 
 notwithstanding the shelter it affords, on account of its narrow- 
 ness and the great depth of water. 
 
 The natives followed us hither, having travelled along the 
 shore eleven leagues, from the place where we first saw them. 
 It appeared to us, that their only motive for following us, was 
 their desire of increasing their wealth with the presents they 
 frequently received from us ; which, however trilling in our 
 opinion, were to them of great value. That curiosity had no 
 part in procuring to us their company, we were perfectly con- 
 vinced, from repeated observations ; for that passion which 
 seems inherent in rational and in many brute creatures, did not 
 appear to us ever to have entered the hearts of these men. 
 
 .All the evening and night of the 22d, were employed in as- 
 tronomical observations, to determine the position of Cape St. 
 Isidro, which forms the east point of the Bay of Varcarcel ; as 
 also to ascertain the difference at that place between the mag- 
 netic and the true meridians. 
 
 On the morning of the 23d, with the wind at N. and NE., 
 we set sail from this bay or harbour, but had scarcely reached 
 the middle of the channel when it fell quite calm. In the even- 
 ing there was a little wind from SW. to W., with which we 
 

 
 ■fl 
 
 24 Occurrences in the Navigation 
 
 tacked off and on, to make Capo Forward, which is the most 
 southerly extremity of the north coast of the Strait ; and is 
 formed by a hill of moderate height, called by Safmiento Ei 
 Mono de St. Agueda. 
 
 Towards night, the weather being easy, we resolved to con- 
 tinue under-sail, taking care to keep a good look out for the 
 shore on that side when we stood to the northward, because 
 the water is so deep close to the land, that we might have ran 
 on shore, before we had any suspicion of our danger. 
 
 The greatest part of the next day passed in calms; however, 
 partly by light airs of wind, partly by towing, we at last got 
 to Cape Forward, whose latitude we found, by a good observa- 
 tion at noon, to be 53° 55' south. 
 
 Although this position differs 10' or 12' from that laid down by 
 some other navigators, yet, we trust, it is nearest to the truth ; 
 for, having determined the longitude of the same cape by 
 Arnold's time-piece, No. 71, and the position of Port St. Joseph, 
 observing its latitude with the quarter circle, the situation Ave 
 assigned to Cape Forward, from a high mountain at that har- 
 bour, agreed exactly with the difference of latitude and longi- 
 tude between the two points of observation deduced from the 
 time-piece. 
 
 This day, whilst the frigate was under sail, we detached the 
 boat to both sides of the Strait, to examine the harbour and 
 roads ; and, having passed the night in the same manner, about 
 noon of the 25th we came to anchor in Port Solano, sufficiently 
 tired with the voyage of these three days, which was only eleven 
 or twelve leagues ; with keeping under sail for two nights with 
 some hazard, particularly in the second, when the wind, always 
 contrary, blew with considerable violence, and wiith a conti- 
 nual succession of tacks, in all which Ave experienced the ex- 
 cellent properties of our vessel. 
 
 In the Bay of Solano (called by the Engli§h, Wood's Bay) 
 Ave remained four days, during which, the weather Avas so dark 
 and cloudy, that we could make neither observation nor survey 
 beyond what was necessary for laying down the draught of the 
 port. The bay or port of Solano is defended from the winds 
 Irom ESK. to N. and SW., but entirely open to those from 
 the southward ; and is so much narrowed by a bar formed by a 
 river that fails into it, that a vessel at anchor has scarcely room 
 to turn. 
 
 This disadvantage we learned from experience ; for, during 
 all the time we lay there, we were never a moment at our 
 ease ; and, even during some severe gales from the S. our stern 
 came to be in 3| fathoms water. 
 
 The harbour is sheltered on the W. by a high mountain, 
 
/<>/////,// , y ■ l0V>/tJ,S Vl'/.Jl.Y I 
 
 
 ™^W..W,^,*,^ JP^^Q^ *. cPBr^ G^Brufr S^ Z<*»h,> 
 
 ytrrfr S-;' 
 


 of the Strait. 25 
 
 forming a peninsula resembling that of Gibraltar ; at the foot of 
 it are to be seen a number of large fragments of rock, composed 
 of petrified shells, which have fallen down a great while ago. 
 The trees which have sprung up on the upper part of many 
 of these fragments, may be considered as a most unequivocal 
 proof of their antiquity, in a country where vegetation must 
 make but very slow progress. 
 
 On the morning of the 29th, notwithstanding that the wind 
 was at WNW we sailed from Port Solano, in search of a bet- 
 ter situation, and made every exertion to arrive at the Bay of 
 Cape Galan. The cloudy weather, showers of rain and snow, 
 which had continued to succeed each other, at length disap- 
 peared ; and we took advantage of the wind that prevailed, of 
 moderate strength, to make several runs, by which means, at 
 night, we had readied within two short leagues of the desired 
 place pf anchorage. Our intention now was to continue under 
 sail all night, notwithstanding the dangerous navigation amongst 
 the shoals of that part of the strait : however, having done so 
 for a short time, at 9§ p.m. we suddenly fell into nine fathoms 
 sandy bottom, although we were still above a mile from the 
 shore, we therefore came to anchor, and sent out the boat, to 
 sound, and procure other information. The night, luckily, was 
 very quiet ; and, in the morning, we discovered that we had come 
 to, on a bank that runs out from the Bay of Gaston, but which 
 is not noticed in any former account of the strait. It may serve 
 for anchorage, either in calm weather, or to avoid being under 
 sail in the night time. 
 
 Early in the morning of the 30th, we observed coming out 
 of the Bay of Gaston (called also by the Dutch, De Corde's 
 Bay) seven canoes, containing, we reckoned, about 73 natives, 
 men, women, and children'. They approached us with loud 
 cries and shouts, one of the canoes, advancing before the others, 
 came within musket-shot, when the crew redoubled their noise, 
 repeating frequently the word pecheri, holding up their arms, 
 with feathers in their hands. We returned the most friendly 
 answer we could, showing them some pieces of cloth, on which 
 that canoe came alongside, and four of the stoutest of the crew 
 immediately mounted the deck without the least fear. One of 
 them, taking on himself the office of master of the ceremonies, 
 introduced the other three, and addressed himself to one of our 
 officers, making him understand that he wished to see our com- 
 mander ; and, being directed to him, again began his horrid vo- 
 ciferation, intimating, as we supposed, that he requested per- 
 mission for the other canoes also to approach. In reply, we 
 gave him some trifling present, on which he immediately made 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. e 
 
>M''^-^--^l^ 
 
 26 
 
 Cordova's Voy ige of Discovery 
 
 signals to his companions, who soon arrived; and, in a short 
 time, the ship was covered with Indians. 
 
 They resembled those we had seen in Port Famine, in lan- 
 guage, chess, and manners, but seemed to show more activity 
 and vigour in their actions than the others. They demonstrated 
 the utmost indifference at the sight of our vessel, and of so 
 many things entirely new to them ; and, from what we observed 
 at that time, as well as from what we learned during our resi- 
 dence in Port S. Joseph, we were more and more convinced cf 
 their miserable state of existence. 
 
 At 8f- X.m. on the turn of the tide, which till then had set 
 slowly to the SE. we set sail for Port S. Joseph. At 2 p.m. 
 the natives left us, who had remained until that time on-board, 
 perfectly quiet and contented ; and, having understood our di- 
 rection, they went on before us in their canoes. 
 
 From the time that we anchored on the N. of Point S. Maria, 
 six leagues to the northward of Point S. Anna, at Port Famine, 
 we had not perceived any considerable setting of the currents 
 or tides; so that our way hitherto had been made good merely 
 by force of tacking, and against the wind. 
 
 " At three p.m. of the 30th we succeeded in anchoring in the 
 bay or road of Cape Galan, that cape bearing S. 73° W. and 
 about half a mile from the east shore of the bay ; where we re- 
 mained, without any remarkable occurrence, until the 'id Fe- 
 bruary, employing the time in taking a draught of the bay, and 
 in adding to our stock of wood and water. At night, some 
 officers being on-shore with the launch making astronomical ob- 
 servations, the wind freshened so much, with dreadful squalls, 
 that we expected every moment to be driven from our anchors ; 
 we therefore immediately let go a second, in the firm determi- 
 nation to hazard all we had on-board sooner than to abandon 
 those who were on-shore; at the same time making ready to 
 get under sad, in case, as we expected, our cables should give 
 wav; although, in that event, it would have been next to im- 
 possible to have avoided falling on the rocks close to leeward, 
 on which we heard the waves dashing with fury, which, toge- 
 ther with the darkness of the night, increased the horror of so 
 cruel a situation. We can safely affirm, that the wind this night 
 was the most violent that we met with in these parts; and that 
 our cables must certainly have failed, had not the tide happened 
 to set in a different direction from that of the wind, which 
 came over the high mountains. This storm abated somewhat 
 at day-break; but, in a few hours afterwards, returned with 
 great fury, and so continued for two days together. This event 
 having taught us how much we were exposed while lying in the 
 4 
 
■■I m$ 
 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. $n 
 
 outer bay, considering the state of our anchors and cables, we 
 resolved to enter the inner harbour, called Port Galan or S. Jo- 
 seph, which promised entire protection, being completely 
 land-locked on all sides, with excellent bottom and convenient 
 depth of water, from four to five fathoms mud. That of the 
 bay is in general coral, with some spots of sand, of very small 
 extent, as we discovered after minute investigation ; conse- 
 quently, very improper for cables such as ours, which had already 
 been so severely treated. 
 
 The weather continued cloudy and foul all the remainder of 
 this month, (February,) the sun being visible only for some short 
 moments, and the wind constantly from WSW. to WNW. 
 but not always equally strong. 
 
 From our entering the inner harbour until the ]2th, the boat 
 was employed in examining the neighbouring shores of the con- 
 tinent, in order to carry on our chart of the strait, when we 
 bad an opportunity of surveying to our satisfaction the Port 
 of St. Miguel and Bay of Gaston. 
 
 From the earliest discovery of the Strait of Magellan, it has 
 always been an object of research, to find out some communi- 
 cation with the South or Pacific Ocean ; which, beino- free 
 from such dangers and difficulties as those which abound in the 
 •western part of the strait, might still permit navigators to enjoy 
 the benefit of the ports and refreshments furnished by its eastern 
 part. M. Froger, upon the informations of M. Marcand, and 
 since him, M. de Bougainville, have much recommended such 
 a channel of communication ; stating with great earnestness the 
 information they had collected, which might be assisting in the 
 enquiry. That we might co-operate in this business, we 
 ascended a high mountain in the neighbourhood of Port S. Jo- 
 seph, from whence we could discern a number of channels in- 
 tersecting the Tierra del Fuego; and, being provided with all 
 the notices handed down in the accounts of former travellers, 
 we set out with the boat on this voyage of discovery, leaving 
 directions with the officers, who remained behind, to take 
 charge of the frigate : that if the wind should become favour- 
 able, they should leave Port S. Joseph, and remove to Port 
 CandeJaria or Tuesday Bay. Our want of anchors and cables 
 was a very sufficient reason for not exposing that vessel, in such 
 intricate and unknown passages as those we were about to exa- 
 mine ; where either the opposition or the want of wind, joined 
 to great depth of water, and multitudes of dangerous eddies, 
 might bring her into such difficulties as we might never be able 
 to overcome. 
 
 We set off, then, in the boat on the 13th February, and coast- 
 ing along part of Tierra del Fuego, opposite to Port S. Joseph, 
 
 E 2 
 
28 Cordova s Voyage of Discovery 
 
 entered the great bay of S. Simon. Our course was in gene- 
 ral south, taking, as we passed, observations of bearings and 
 distances, and never omitting, when we found a place where 
 the boat could put in with safety, to ascend some hill or high 
 ground, in order to acquire a more distinct notion of the differ- 
 ent islands and channels which compose the archipelago or 
 groupe called by the general name of Tierra del Fuego. .Not- 
 withstanding that the excessive depth of water, and the bad 
 quality of the bottom, even close to these high precipitous 
 shores, announced to us early, that it would be impossible to 
 meet with a passage among them practicable for any vessel that 
 did not make use of oars, we still continued all the evening in 
 this labyrinth of islands, almost inaccessible on all parts, and 
 of which it would have been equally difficult, as useless, to 
 make an accurate survey. When night drew on, we turned to 
 the westward, to find a proper place of shelter for our boat, since 
 both the weather and want of light made it impracticable to 
 continue our investigations, and where we might enjoy some 
 repose. A cascade of water not far from us, an abundance of 
 excellent shell-fish, a short stretch of beach, where we might 
 draw up the boat and pitch our tents, all within a spacious bay, 
 not destitute of wood, with the entrance defended by some 
 small islands : these circumstances soon determined us there to 
 fix our abode for the night. We accordingly landed, and put 
 every thing in order; but, at half- past eleven at night, the tide, 
 for which we had not made sufficient allowance in pitching our 
 tent, came to interrupt our repose ; so that we were obliged 
 immediately to remove a little higher up, to a place where were 
 the ruins of two huts, placed in that situation by the natives, 
 well acquainted with the course of the tide. 
 
 Next morning we continued our researches in the boat; and, 
 as the wind was northerly, we directed our course to the south- 
 ward. The channels through which we passed, were, in gene- 
 ral, narrow, and of vast depth, excepting one, in which there 
 was no more than one and a half fathoms, and was besides wide 
 and open. To this cluster of islands we gave the name of our 
 commander, calling it the Labyrinth of Cordova. 
 
 From this station sundry channels presented themselves : in 
 one of which, that appeared the most free from embarrassment, 
 we proceeded for some hours, until we discovered another pas- 
 sage, which terminated in the Southern Ocean ; and which, 
 combining all the informations we had been able to collect, 
 seemed to be that through which Marcant had sailed, giving it 
 the name of his own ship, Channel of S. Barbara. 
 
 Having thus ascertained the communication outwardly, it 
 was next of importance to discover that in ward iy with the 
 
mkMiMMMM^Mgm HH 
 
 JJZ#£*12>M. 
 
 m 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 25) 
 
 strait ; for the channel we had followed, on entering this archi- 
 pelago, was, beyond doubt, impracticable for any vessel of event 
 moderate size. We therefore returned, and coasted along the 
 island of S. Cayetano; and, on arriving at its S. and W. point, 
 we found that what had appeared to us, from the mountains of 
 Port S. Joseph, to be a deep bay, was, in fact, the true en- 
 trance of the Channel of S. Barbara ; but that it was so crowded 
 with islands, great and small, that no vessel could prudently 
 attempt to go through it, especially considering the rapidity 
 and contrariety of the currents which prevail throughout it. 
 Thinking it useless to continue any longer our examinations of 
 this part of Tierra del Fucgo, we returned to Port Galan, 
 where we found the frigate precisely as we had left her, the N. 
 and NE. winds, which we had enjoyed in our excursion, not 
 having extended to her. 
 
 We shall not be accused of rashness in affirming, after this 
 enquiry, that there are many communications from the Strait 
 of Magellan to the Southern Ocean ; but that the navigation 
 through any of them will never deserve to be undertaken or 
 recommended, since the course of the winds, the currents, the 
 narrowness of the channels, and, above all, the difficulty of 
 anchorage in them, must always be insurmountable obstacles 
 iu the way of the navigator. 
 
 Agreeably to our purpose of surveying what remained unex- 
 plored of the Strait of Magellan, by means of our boats, with- 
 out any more hazarding the frigate, which had thriee attempted 
 , to advance to the westward, but had been as often driven back 
 by contrary and violent winds, running several times the great- 
 est risk of utter destruction, and considering the frail state of 
 our cables and anchors., and the unfavourable nature of the 
 greater part of the bays and roads to the westward, we again 
 sallied forth in the boats, in continuation of our labours, not in- 
 tending to return to Port Galan until we had finished our re- 
 marks on the whole strait. 
 
 For this purpose two launches were fitted-out, and manned 
 with several of the most experienced offieers and seamen of the 
 ships. Leaving Port Galan at 1 p.m. with a light air from the 
 WNYV. we took advantage of tiie current setting westward 
 along the north shore; although, in the middle of the strait, 
 it set to the eastward. On turning out of the bay, we came up 
 with a canoe and a party of Indians, employed in cutting-off 
 for food pieces of a whale, which they had fastened to the rucks. 
 In the evening, we set up our tents on a spot of beach where 
 were the ruins of some huts ; and, to guard against a surpirise, 
 kept a regular watch, as on ship-board. Setting oil next in orn- 
 iinrat 3 a.m. with alight breeze from SE. we entered the cihan- 
 
30 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 nel of San Gcronimo; determined to examine it completely ^ to 
 discover whether, as had been supposed, it communicated with 
 the opening called Buckley's Channel, farther to the westward. 
 That channel had never been examined by any navigator; and, 
 to ascertain its nature and communications, seemed to be an 
 object of importance in the geography of South America. 
 The tide was now setting westward; we therefore made con- 
 siderable way with our oars: but a heavy and incessant rain 
 greatly incommoded us. On entering the channel of San Gero- 
 ninio, we found it to extend NW. by N. having on the north 
 coast, five miles within the entrance, a spacious bav running 
 two miles into the land, and as much broad at the mouth. This 
 is called in the English charts the Bay of Isles, from some small 
 islands at the entrance. It is not however of importance; for 
 no small vessel will probably ever stretch so far into the channel, 
 which is there only one mile in breadth, — the. current setting to 
 the SE. with a rapidity of four miles an hour ; and its contact 
 with the counter current to the NW. along the north shore 
 produces some very troublesome eddies. Along that shore are 
 several other small bays, in all of which are streams of fresh 
 water, poured down from the surrounding mountains, covered 
 w-ith snow in the midst of summer. In one of those bays we 
 landed, to refresh the men, exhausted with many hours 1 hard la- 
 bour at the oar. There also we measured a base for deter- 
 mining the chart of the channel. The south shore consists of 
 lofty mountains, descending perpendicularly over the water, 
 and forming a straight line of inaccessible precipice five leagues 
 in extent from the entrance. The north shore, along which we 
 ran, is low, near the water, green, and wooded ; and the water 
 near it is shallow, when compared with that on the south shore, 
 where no bottom was found with a line of 40 fathoms. It was 
 low water when we put into the above cove; but the current 
 still set rapidly to the SE. in the mid-channel : high water we 
 found to happen at ]2|. Continuing our course up the chan- 
 nel, we found it enlarge considerably, forming a spacious bay, 
 opening into which were two channels pointing the one NNE 
 and the other W. In this spot the irregularity of the currents 
 was great and sudden. At the entrance of this open bay are 
 three islands, called in the English charts the Two Brothers, 
 because one of the three is only a bare rock, while the other 
 two are green and wooded. Proceeding still farther, we dis- 
 covered that the channel on the W. led into another bay, six 
 miles deep and five miles broad. From the north point of this 
 last bay the land trends ends northward to the mouth of the chan- 
 nel, which extended to the NNE., in which bay are some small 
 islands. The east coast of this channel is low, and verdant on 
 
Wm 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 31 
 
 the water, but the interior mountainous; the west coast is, on 
 the contrary, a continued range of lofty perpendicular cliffs, 
 As far as wc could see up this NNE. channel, it appeared 
 much broader than the external channel which opens into the 
 strait, and to extend to a great distance in the same direction, 
 agreeably to the course of the mountains. To follow that 
 channel towards the interior of Patagonia would be, doubtless, 
 very desirable ; but, besides that such an attempt, in our cir- 
 cumstances, would have been very hazardous, it would have 
 led us quite away from the peculiar object of our orders. We 
 therefore turned towards the bay on the west, in which we 
 imagined a passage might be found to Buckley Channel, or 
 some other part of the strait. Our rowers being fatigued, at 
 6l p.m. we put in to the north shore of the bay; but, finding 
 neither beach nor level where we could place our tents, were 
 obliged to pass the night, some in the boats, and others on the 
 rocks. 
 
 About three next morning, when our men were fast asleep, 
 the tide flowed up to those on shore, and forced them to em- 
 bark, drenched with the rain, which had poured down the whole 
 night. Perceiving in the bottom of the bay a passage of no 
 great breadth indeed, pointing WNW. we made towards it, 
 and found that it opened into what may be called a lagoon, 
 two leagues long and one mile broad. The water in it had no 
 sensible motion, and was much fresher than that on the outside. 
 The depth of water was considerable, excepting near the inner 
 end, where it shallowed gradually, corresponding to the gentle 
 slope of the adjoining land. In 'all other parts, the lake is en- 
 closed by high steep mountains. The lake was covered with 
 incredible numbers of penguins, of the same kind with those in 
 all other parts of the strait. It was now evident that no com- 
 munication existed, in that quarter, between the channel of 
 .S.iu Geronimo and the proper Strait of Magellan ; and that the 
 other branch extending NNE. led away in a very different 
 direction: when Sarmiento therefore affirmed such a communi- 
 cation to exist, he must have misunderstood the natives, from 
 whom he had his information. Being satisfied on this point, 
 we placed, in a projecting point, at the bottom of the lake, a 
 bottle, containing an inscription, which noticed our observations 
 on the spot. 
 
 Early next morning we departed with a fresh breeze at WNW. 
 a smooth sea, and a rapid current to the SE. But, when we 
 reached the W. end of the channel of San Geronimo,'the wind came 
 to blow so hard from the W. in addition to a current of three miles 
 an hour, that, seeing every appearance of an approaching violent 
 
32 Cordova's Voyage of Discover 1/ 
 
 gale, we made away for the cove where we had dined the day 
 before. There securing our boats, we pitched our tent on the 
 only spot which, by its elevation, seemed to be beyond the 
 reach of the tide. We lighted a fire, to dry and warm our- 
 selves; for we all suffered severely from the incessant rain and 
 cold, although on that spot Fahrenheit's thermometer indicated 
 a temperature of 50 degrees. There, nevertheless, we slept 
 till past midnight, when we were called up by the officer on 
 watch, because the tide had risen and entered the tent. Has- 
 tening to safe ground, we passed, in the open air, the most in- 
 clement night that wind, rain, and cold, combined, could well 
 produce. The spot we occupied was completely insulated by 
 the rising tide, but we were safely carried off by the boats. 
 
 The violence and the variety of the currents in San Gero- 
 riimo, are not less dangerous than surprising. In the middle, 
 and along the northern shore, they set almost continually to the 
 SE. ; but, on the southern shore, they alternate with the tides. 
 The meeting of these opposite streams at the mouth of the chan- 
 nel, is, at some periods, most dangerous for boats or small ves- 
 sels ; which, without a strong leading wind, will be unable to 
 keep their course. To the violence of these currents must iu 
 a great measure be ascribed the contradictory statements given 
 ot those in the Strait by navigators. The storm still continu- 
 ing, we erected our tent within a grove near the water ; -where, 
 by cutting and burning the brush-wood, we cleared a spot for 
 the purpose. We also availed ourselves of the position, to mea- 
 sure another base, and continue our survey. The ordinary rise 
 of the tide appeared to be from six to seven feet, but the westerly 
 winds then raised it to near nine feet. The difference of high- 
 water in a day was about 45 minutes, and, at full and change, it 
 flowed till near four o'clock. 
 
 Early next morning, with a light wind from the N. and an 
 ebbing tide, we cleared the channel of Sun Geronimo, and 
 turned westward into the strait itself, having to the south the 
 islands of Charles III. and Ulloa. They are both vast masses 
 of rocks piled together in disorder; the former lofty and preci- 
 pitous over the water, having on it a few stunted trees, sup- 
 ported among the rocks by the almo>t incessant rains and melted 
 snows ; its extent from SE, by E. to NW. by W. is 14 miles. 
 Ulloa's Island, of the same nature, contains besides some very 
 elevated summits : its extent from £SE. to WNW. is about the 
 same, and its distance from the former island two miles. Be- 
 tween these islands and Tierra del Fuego, is a passage called 
 Whale Channel ; but neither it, nor the islands, was it our busi- 
 ness to examine. Running therefore along the north shore of 
 
j$^$$m mm $$ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 S3 
 
 tire strait, we were obliged to take down our masts, for the 
 wind came away right against us from WNW., and put into 
 Langara's Bay, to rest and refresh our boats' company. 
 
 Scarcely had Ave left that place, when the wind again increased, 
 and the rain, which had not ceased for three hours in all since 
 we began our voyage, poured down in torrents ; so that with 
 great difficulty were our rowers able to gain another creek, only 
 a mile to the westward of that we had just left. Next day the 
 weather allowed us to keep sea for only three hours, and at five 
 on the following morning we arrived at Cape Notches, a very 
 remarkable object. It advances a good Avay into the strait, and 
 is well named ; for the south front is a lofty perpendicular face 
 of smooth rock, having before it a number of detached pinnacles, 
 separated by notches or clefts. From this point we observed 
 Cape Monday, on the south shore of the strait, to bear N. 55° 
 20' W. Continuing our course for some miles, we passed some 
 inlets, which had formerly been supposed to communicate with 
 the channel of San Geronimo ; a notion which our examination 
 of that branch of the strait proved to be erroneous. In the 
 course of the morning we perceived a fire on the south shore of 
 the strait, the only indication of inhabitants which had been 
 observed since we left our ship : and, indeed, the whole region 
 seemed fit for amphibious animals alone, and not for human 
 beings. At last we arrived in the Bay of Brown Beach (so 
 called by Sarmiento), a beautiful harbour, defended from all 
 winds of the SW. and NW. quarters. It is in breadth a mile, 
 and runs in about three miles NNW. The surrounding land is 
 mountainous and well wooded, terminating by gentle slopes at 
 a sandy beach, — a probable indication of good anchor-ground. 
 In front of the west point of the entrance is a remarkable trian- 
 gular island, about one mile and a half in extent, separated from 
 the point by a channel three cables wide. The English charts 
 make no mention of this bay, nor does it seem to have been 
 visited by any former navigators. The breadth of the strait 
 here does not exceed two leagues : both coasts consist of lofty 
 precipitous mountains, less elevated indeed than those inclosing- 
 Port St. Joseph, but still completely covered with snow, even 
 in the midst of the summer of that quarter of the globe. Upon 
 the whole, so dismal is the general appearance of that portion 
 of the strait, that it seems to be the result of some sudden, 
 powerful, and violent concussion of nature, and not of the gra- 
 dual operation of natural causes for ages together. Towards 
 noon we put into a small cove, half a mile to the westward 
 of the bay just described, where we refreshed ourselves, after 
 a hard morning's work. The air was clear, the wind light 
 from NE., but the heat of the atmosphere was not only unuc*. 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. f 
 
34 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 ceptable bat inconvenient; for the thermometer in the shade, 
 at noon, gave \1\° of R6aumur. Rowing still along the north 
 shore at 3f- P.M. being nearly opposite to Cape Monday, in 
 Tierra del Fuego, we availed ourselves of the wind, fresh at E. 
 to run across the strait for that cape. At 1 p. m. the wind fell, 
 and heavy clouds springing up in the W. Ave ran into a channel 
 three miles E. from the cape. The channel divided itself 
 into two branches, of which we took that which pointed 
 SSE. It was enclosed by lofty perpendicular mountains, and 
 seemed to preserve a breadth of one cable and a quarter ; but 
 the waters being very still, we concluded it had no opening with 
 the ocean to the southward. As it presented no beach or spot 
 for our tent, we returned to the other branch, which led us into 
 a harbour formed by a cluster of islands, where the water was 
 without motion. The land was less elevated than in the other 
 channel, but still we could discover neither beach nor level for 
 our tents ; we therefore had to pass the night in our boats. The 
 wind changed to W. and a heavy rain, from which we were but 
 poor! v defended by our tilt, poured down the whole night. It 
 will be sufficient warning to future navigators to state, that the 
 ground of this channel is rocky, and very uneven. 
 
 Setting out at seven next morning, we found the wind in the 
 strait blowing hard from WNW. with a heavy sea, both too 
 powerful for open boats like ours ; we therefore ran into a small 
 bay, of which Cape Monday forms the W. point. Here Ave had 
 fortunately an opportunity, at 9 a.m. of taking five altitudes of 
 the sun, by Avhich, according to Arnold's time-piece, Ave found 
 Cape Monday to be situated in longitude 5° 30' 0,5" W. from 
 the meridian of Cape Virgins: by other observations at noon, 
 the latitude of Cape Monday appeared to be 53° 9' 46" S. In 
 the evening, by dint of labour at the oars, we gained a little 
 more than a mile beyond Cape Monday, and discovered a very 
 valuable harbour, which;, by its uniform circular figure, and the 
 regularity of the amphitheatre of mountains by which it Avas en- 
 closed, seemed to be the Avork of art rather than of nature. 
 The mouth of the bay is divided by a small island into two 
 passes, of Avhich, that on the east is- Avide enough for boats only; 
 but that on the Avest is 27 fathoms English in breadth : and, in 
 the part next the island, the depth of water is between five and 
 six fathoms, on sand. Within the harbour the depth is from 
 eight to six fathoms, in all parts excepting along the shore, 
 where it is only four fathoms rock. The entrance is one mile 
 and a half W. from Cape Monday, bearing SW. from the VV. 
 point of the large island, lying in what is called Buckley Chan- 
 nel, on the north side of the strait. In taking the harbour, there 
 is no danger but what is above Avater, or pointed out by sea- 
 
W B BHi B i 
 
 3$S§ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 35 
 
 weed on the surface. This admirable spot is unnoticed by all 
 former navigators ; only Sarmiento mentions his having an- 
 chored in that quarter, in a place which he called Narrow Har- 
 bour. We examined and made a draught of the port, but 
 found both wind and sea too violent to suffer us to continue our 
 voyage; we therefore passed the night in a small cove on its west 
 side. We observed the: ebb and How of the tide, but were sin- 
 prised to see that, during both, the current on the outside con- 
 tinued still to the SE. In order to make the best use of our 
 time, we measured on the shore a base of 96 fathoms, which was 
 as much as the ground would allow ; and, by angles measured from 
 the extremities to objects at a distance, we obtained another base 
 of 378 fathoms, by which we calculated the bearings and dis- 
 tances of several remote objects, to carry on the series of trian- 
 gles necessary for our survey of the strait. 
 
 The gale still continuing, next morning we had, luckily, a 
 short view of the sun, by which and our chronometer (Arnold's) 
 Ave found the longitude of Cape Monday W. from Cape Vir- 
 gins perfectly to coincide with that previously calculated. We 
 at the same time observed the variation of the magnetic needle, 
 by a method not generally known, but first practised by the 
 eminent French astronomers Borda and Verdun. Two ob- 
 servers took at the same time, the one the sun's altitude, and 
 the other his angular distance from a remarkable object on the 
 north coast, of which the situation had been well ascertained. 
 We then measured the angular elevation of that object above 
 the horizon, and carefully marked its bearing by the compass : 
 we next, by the complements of both altitudes and the distance, 
 found the angle at the zenith formed by the verticals. By 
 the sun's altitude and his declination, and the latitude, we found 
 the azimuth, from which subtracting the first angle found, the 
 remainder gave the true bearing of the object observed on the 
 land. By this process, the variation of the needle came out to 
 be 22° 43' 56' E. of N. 
 
 The wind fell about 2 p.m. and we proceeded on our voyage. 
 Rowing about two miles, we landed on a small island, to take 
 the beatings and intersections of several objects before observed. 
 The wind suffered us only to gain a spacious bav to the east of 
 Cape San Ildefonso, called by the English Cape Upright. At 
 the east side of the mouth of the bay is a triangular island, one 
 mile and a half in length NE. by N. and SW. by S. ; having be- 
 tween it and the main of Tierra del Fuego a channel one mile 
 and a half broad, and three miles in depth, to the bottom of the 
 bay. The bay is in breadth two leagues, and in the bottom, 
 towards the east side, is a channel, running up S. by E. among 
 the mountains. Between the island and the cast coast we 
 
 F2 
 
36 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 thought there might be good anchor-ground, but we found no 
 bottom at 30 fathoms. The west point of this bay is low, 
 and beyond it is another bay, less broad, but as deep as the 
 former, being bounded on the. W. by Cape Upright: for this 
 reason Captain Wallis called it Upright Bay. He anchored on 
 the west side of the island just mentioned ; but that position is 
 by no means to be recommended, for the ship, on account of the 
 great depth of water, must be very close to the island, which will 
 then be under her lee in NW. winds, which are the most pre- 
 valent in that quarter : nor can a cable be made fast to the trees 
 on the island, which are all too small and weak for that purpose. 
 The wind still freshening from the NW., we resolved to run 
 tinder the east side of Cape Upright for the night, which we 
 passed in our boats, not finding a spot of beach or ground for 
 our tents. 
 
 About E. from the triangular island before noticed, appears, 
 on the northern continent, the mouth of Buckley Channel, for- 
 merly supposed to communicate with the channel of San Gero- 
 nimo ; which communication we had already found not to exist. 
 The breadth of the entrance, measured obliquely from N. to S. 
 seemed nearly four miles. In it are two islands, of which the 
 largest is high, precipitous, and hilly, destitute of all vegeta- 
 tion, being in length 2\ miles. The channel points £. by N., 
 and from the NW. point the coast of the continent extends 
 without any noticeable object, gradually falling off from the 
 south coast of the strait on to the projecting point called Cape 
 Providence. The breadth of the Strait of Magellan to the east 
 of Buckley Channel, is five miles ; from Cape Monday to the 
 island in that channel, it is four miles ; but, to the west of the 
 channel, the breadth is not less than 2\ leagues. The height of 
 the lands on both sides of the strait, is less than in the parts 
 towards the middle of the strait ; and nothing is to be seen but 
 naked rocks, which present a most melancholy prospect : nor 
 among the mountains are any observed of remarkable elevation 
 above the others; all are, nevertheless, crowned with snow, even 
 in the midst of summer. 
 
 In the morning after our arrival under Cape Upright, the 
 weather being favourable, we found the magnetic variation 
 22° 39' 40" E. of N. 
 
 Taking to our oars at 7 a.m. the weather becoming easier, 
 we soon arrived at Cape Upright, which is situated NW.by W. 
 4f leagues from Cape Monday. The cape runs a great way 
 out into the strait, and is composed of a chain of lofty rocks, 
 resembling on the summit a range of waves of the sea. The 
 north face runs Ei and W. two-thirds of a mile, lofty and per- 
 pendicular over the water, having, one mile E. by S. from it, a 
 
•>$$m§)M 
 
 Wa-aaocs keje&Wfr*w6At 
 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 37 
 
 large rock above water, surrounded by shoals and sunk rocks, 
 indicated by the sea-weed on the surface. On the north coast 
 of the strait, N. eight miles from Cape Upright, is Cape Provi- 
 dence, before noticed ; a remarkable head-land, consisting of 
 two eminences, and having on each side a spacious open bay. 
 To the west of Cape Upright the coast forms a deep bay to the 
 south, having in the east part a number of islands and rocks 
 under water : on the shore were seen some deserted huts of the 
 natives. In the bottom of the bay is an inlet, pointing SSE. 
 This is the Bay of Islands of Captain Wallis. Adjoining is 
 another open bay, bounded on the west by the low flat point of 
 Echenique, bearing WNW. ten miles from Cape Upright. The 
 wind and current were now strong from the NW. and our people 
 fatigued ; we therefore put into a creek on the east side of a 
 point in the middle of the bay, where we passed the night on- 
 board. In making for that place, we observed soms Indians, 
 who called to us; and scarcely had we secured our boats by the 
 shore, when a canoe, with eight men on-board, came up to us. 
 As they approached, they showed some symptoms of fear, and 
 made signs to one of our officers to land, which he did, and 
 then one of the natives did the same. This man seemed to be 
 a chief, for he wore a lofty white sugar-loaf cap, made of a 
 duck's-skin and feathers, by which he was distinguished from 
 his companions. He was a stout young man, well made, but 
 short ; and, when he came up to our officer, he pronounced, with 
 a voice and tone in which terror and courage were intermixed, 
 a long discourse, of which we were unable to make out a word. 
 Having received from us a few trifles, which he understood to 
 be marks of our good-will, he called to the other natives, who 
 all landed ; and, having also received presents, they staid by us 
 till night-fall. Their language we could perceive to resemble 
 that of other natives of the eastern parts of the strait ; and, al- 
 though better shaped, they were of similar features and stature : 
 their dress was also the same. They were delighted with our 
 presents of beads, ribbons, and looking-glasses, which seemed 
 to affect them as a child in Europe is pleased with a new play- 
 thing. 
 
 The wind continually increased, and the rain poured down 
 with such force, that our provisions, as well as ourselves, were 
 drenched, in spite of our tilts and awnings: nor was there a 
 spot on which we could land for shelter from the tempest. On 
 the following morning, the Indians returned, with a present of 
 ducks, which we remarked to be all wounded in the head, — a 
 proof of the dexterity with which the natives managed their 
 bow and arrows in hunting. They gave us also three arrows, 
 And strings of shells for necklaces and bracelets ; and all with- 
 
IWPSW*^!*^^ 
 
 38 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 out seeming to expect any thing in return. The construction 
 of their canoes displays a superiority over the workmanship of 
 the natives of the eastern parts of the strait. They are not 
 made of frail bark, and badly put together, like the others, but 
 of planks joined together by a strong cord haif an inch thick, 
 and the seams covered with a compound of leaves of some 
 plant and a very adhesive clay, which prevents the entrance 
 of the water. Each side of the canoe consists of two planks, 
 cut away so as to diminish regularly at stem and stern. The 
 bottom is a strong plank, broad in the middle, but sloped oil" 
 to each end, and joined to the side planks in the same way 
 as themselves. The sides are kept asunder by thwarts for 
 rowing. These canoes are not well adapted for swiftness,, but 
 they are strong and steady, and not apt to sink by the ad- 
 mission of the water. The natives row as we do in Europe, 
 and their oars are of a proper size ; showing the natives to know 
 the advantage of a long oar over the short paddles of the other 
 Indians. They however employ a paddle to steer with, par- 
 ticularly when the sea is rough. All these improvements in 
 their canoes show with what skill men, in all situations, adapt 
 their contrivances to their needs ; for, in the heavy seas and 
 gales of the western parts of the Strait of Magellan, the feeble 
 barks of the eastern and narrow parts would be wholly useless. 
 Having proceeded with one of our boats to survey the neigh- 
 bourhood of our station, we discovered, in the bottom of the 
 bay, the entrance of a harbour, nearly two cables in width. 
 We sounded over it, but found the ground, in general, rock, 
 with a little loose mud, and the depth to vary from 4| to 17 
 fathoms. On each side of the harbour the mountains spring 
 up very high and steep from the water's edge, near which are 
 a few stunted shrubs : its greatest extent is about half a mile. 
 The entrance lies S. 42° 30' W. from Cape Providence. 
 Within the harbour is abundance of fresh water, from the. 
 melting snows on the mountains, and a little fire-wood may be 
 procured: but we would not advise any vessel to enter it, on 
 account of the bad nature of the ground. We nevertheless made 
 a plan of the harbour, which the commander named, after one 
 of our officers, Port Uriarte. In the evening, the wind abated, 
 and, proceeding to a Jow spot on theE. of Point Echenique, we 
 then took the bearing of several objects, in particular of Cape 
 Tamar, on the north coast, distant four leagues. That cape is 
 a broad promontory of lofty rocks, advancing into the strait 
 farther than Cape Providence, and having on the summit two 
 slender peaks. The width of the strait, right across from Cape 
 Providence, is 3\ leagues : the north coast forms several spa- 
 cious bays ; but the south coast is a continued succession of 
 
jH 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 39 
 
 small curves, separated by projecting points of rocky cliff, 
 trending more towards the W. from Cape Upright than it did to 
 the eastward of that cape. Having been detained three lono- 
 days in the miserable corner already described, we at last ven- 
 tured out to sea ; the weather becoming moderate, although 
 the wind was at NW. We passed several deep inlets, sepa- 
 rated by islands and points; but the wind being contrary, 
 and the sea very heavy, we put into a small bay, which we 
 supposed to be that of Sa. Monica, so called by Sarmiento. 
 No circumstance of his description, however, corresponded to 
 that bay, which was surrounded by high land, and no bottom 
 was found at 43 fathoms. From these and other circumstances 
 we were convinced, that some error exists in the account of his 
 voyage through the strait, in the distance between the bay of 
 Sa. Monica and Cape Upright. In that most unfit situation for 
 our small vessel, we were overtaken by a most furious tempest 
 of squalls and rain, particularly during the night, which, by the 
 roaring of the winds among the mountains, and the dashing of 
 the waves against the steep cliffs around us, was the most 
 distressing of all our voyage. In the course of the two following 
 days, we heard a dull sort of noise, of short duration, which 
 we supposed to be thunder ; but we were afterwards inclined to 
 ascribe the noise to some explosion among the mountains, in 
 which we believed volcanos existed, although not in visible 
 conflagration. To this conclusion we were led, by havino- 
 found, on the summit of one which we ascended, masses of 
 scoria, or metallic cinders, perfected similar to those produced 
 in a smith's forge. On the last clay of our detention in that 
 wretched spot happened the new moon, and it was high water 
 at 5 minutes past 12 noon. The weather becoming more 
 moderate in the afternoon, we at last proceeded on our way, 
 and soon came to another harbour, small, but tolerably com- 
 modious ; for the ground is good, and the bay is sheltered from 
 the SW. and NW. quarters. The only defect is, that the sur- 
 rounding land is low ; but, being well wooded on those quarters, 
 vessels may lie in the bay very safely, especially as they may 
 be made fast to the trees, if necessary. The harbour runs in 
 to the west about half a mile; and the wood and verdure around 
 it, which are very uncommon in the western part of the strait, 
 together with the runs of fresh water from the snows of the 
 interior, make this harbour an object of value. From these 
 and other circumstances, it seems highly probable that this 
 is, in fact, the harbour of Sa. Monica: its distance is 14 
 miles about WNW. from Cape Upright, and SSVV. from Cape 
 Tamar. In this port we passed the night, having found there, 
 as in all the other parts of the strait, abundance of mussels ; 
 
40 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 and, early next morning, the wind being easy from the NE. 
 although the sea still set from NW. we put off' on our voyage. 
 As soon as we entered the strait, wc had the satisfaction, at lust, 
 to behold Cape Pillar, the western limit of the strait, and of our 
 dreary expedition. We marked also the position of Cape 
 Tamar and Sa. Anne's Island, lying in the bay on its east side ; 
 as also numerous other islands on the north coast towards the 
 mouth of the strait. 
 
 The motion of the boats was rather unfavourable to our 
 observations; but we were able to fix Cape Pillar N. 62° 20' W. 
 from Cape Upright, or S. Ildenfonso. We then made for a point 
 of land, to determine more accurately a number of positions 
 for completing the chart of the strait ; but the rain and thick 
 weather soon hid them from us. Leaving that point, we came 
 to a bay, in which are two harbours of good appearance, but in 
 neither could we find ground with 45 iathoms, excepting close 
 to the shore, where it was full of large stones, and of very un- 
 equal depth. A little farther, we came to two other harbours, of 
 which the one runs in W. by N. and the other SE. The 
 former is in length above three cables by nearly two in breadth, 
 having in it a beautiful cascade, remarkable for the body of 
 water and the noise of the fall. This harbour, afterwards 
 named from another officer, Port Churruca, lies SW. by S. 
 from Cape Tamar. The entrance is broad and clean, even 
 close to the shores : few navigators will, however, be tempted 
 to resort to it, except from necessity, when they can make fast 
 a cable to the rocks. 
 
 Havinglanded on the west point, to make farther observations, 
 we continued our course ; but the wind soon again grew strong 
 from the NW. and the sea much more formidable, in proportion 
 as we approached the entrance of the strait. The south coast 
 was all along lined with rocks and islands, some stretching out 
 one mile into the strait. Notwithstanding the dangers of such 
 a coast, the wind and the waves from the Pacific Ocean re- 
 bounding from the north coast, forced us to take shelter on a 
 small extent of beach in a corner defended from all winds, 
 where we remained all night. The weather was clear, which 
 was no small relief to us, who for so many days had never seen 
 the sun, and whose clothes and provisions were drenched with 
 almost incessant rains. On the following morning, the wind 
 had fallen, the sea was much abated, and the ebb-tide in our 
 favour, we therefore again put to sea. 
 
 Rowing westward, we passed a long succession of rocky 
 islands, till we came to a head-land, remarkable by its form 
 and situation, although it does not project much beyond the 
 general line of the coast. Its termination is bare and high, 
 
 1 
 
*.«/,w.-,».-.-;~ 
 
 'mm^tM^0^^ ■■§ ■■■ ■ M 
 
 ■ Sft^^ 
 
 £0 Me Strait of Magellan. 
 
 41 
 
 having the appearance of a hill sloping down to the north, and 
 as if detached from the land by some violent concussion ; 
 around it are seen enormous masses, of the same nature, 
 probably separated by the same cause. A distinguishing fea- 
 ture of this head-land, is a large black spot on the north face, 
 which appears, when nearer, to be a vast deep cavern, within 
 which the sea breaks with tremendous noise. On the west of 
 this cavern are others on the level of the sea, but smaller ; on 
 which account, we called the head Cape Caves. It is situated 
 S. by W. from the island on the north side of the strait, called, 
 from its general appearance, Westminster Hall, and 30f miles 
 westward from Cape Upright : Cape Tamar bears N. 86° 30' E, 
 About one league N. 43° 20' W. from Cape Caves, is another, 
 much more projecting; but of that cape, and the intermediate 
 bays or harbours, we shall speak more fully afterwards : for 
 we had, at this time, a singular combination of circumstances 
 favourable to our pushing on to the end of our voyage. The 
 air was perfectly calm, the heavens bright, and the w r ater 
 smooth ; such at least it might be tailed : for, although the 
 great swell from the Pacific still rolled into the strait, it gave us 
 no extraordinary trouble. So favourable a state of the weather 
 is not, perhaps, to be found in that region in the course of many 
 months ; we hastened therefore to avail ourselves of it, to ter- 
 minate our series of triangles for laying down our chart of the 
 strait, and, if possible, to take a meridian altitude of the sun at 
 Cape Pillar. The cape already mentioned, one league to the 
 NW. of Cape Caves, is noticeable by its elevation and pro- 
 jection, and by its north face, which appears as if cut down 
 perpendicularly with an instrument: from this circumstance we 
 called it Cape Cut-down. About \\ league westward from that 
 cape, is the bay or harbour of Misericordia, (Mercy,) so called 
 by Sarmiento, being the first place he entered after he came 
 into the strait from the ocean : but more of this harbour 
 afterwards. 
 
 On the west side of Cape Tamar the strait suddenly widens 
 considerably, by the falling-offof the north coast, which dis- 
 appears from the eye on the water. That cape forms the east 
 side of a spacious mouth of a channel, running NE. into the 
 continent; and, on the west side of that mouth, the strait is 
 somewhat more than five leagues in breadth, which gradually 
 increases, until, opposite to Cape Pillar, it is upwards of six 
 leagues. All along the north coast appear a succession of 
 openings, or channels ; but, in the interior of these openings, 
 "we thought we could perceive land. In that case, the spaces 
 which seemed to divide the openings are probably islands, 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. 11. g 
 
MRflHH 
 
 42 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 stretching along before the coast, which is low, and was very 
 hazy when we observed it : no dependance ought therefore to 
 be placed on our account of it. To the westward of the island 
 called Westminster Hall, are extensive groupes of islands, of 
 which the southernmost we laid down by accurate observation : 
 they were afterwards named, by our commander, Cevallos's 
 Islands. 
 
 The coast of the continent, on the west of Cape Tamar, 
 seemed to consist of bare precipices, destitute of vegetation ; 
 and, although both coasts of the strait are much lower than in 
 the middle quarters, still the north coast is much less elevated 
 than that on the south. Having the opportunity of a clear sky, 
 when off Cape Caves, by means of 5 altitudes of the sun about 
 8 1 a.m. and Arnold's chronometer, we found that point to be 
 in longitude 6° 45' 32" W. from Cape Virgins, and 1° 15' 7" W. 
 from Cape Monday. The latitude, at the same point, by an 
 observation at noon, was 52° 47' 21" S. 
 
 We cannot pass over in silence the singular occurrences of 
 that day, which was the second day in which, during our 
 voyage hitherto, the sun shone bright for some hours together. 
 This may appear to many persons a matter of no great im- 
 portance; but the effect of it on our minds is not to be de- 
 scribed. For eighteen days the rain had never ceased to pour 
 upon us, generally with great violence ; we slept constantly 
 wet, at one time in our confined boats, at another on the beach 
 or the rocks, almost in the open air : our voyage had been 
 greatly retarded by contrary winds, and the weather seldom 
 allowed us to make the necessary observations for our purpose. 
 We had besides been reduced to short allowance, by the injury 
 done to our provisions by the rain. Any one of these misfor- 
 tunes would have been enough to dishearten us; but all uniting 
 together, were sufficient to destroy the hardiest constitution, 
 and to overcome the most determined perseverance. But that 
 one day, serene and temperate, which carried us to the end of 
 our course, and enabled us to dry our clothes and stores, gave 
 new elasticity to our minds, by shewing that we had vanquished 
 obstacles which, had they been foreseen, would have discou- 
 raged us from engaging in the enterprise. At 3 p.m. having 
 rowed twenty miles in eleven hours, we arrived at last at the 
 point of Cape Pillar, the western extremity of the Strait of Ma- 
 gellan, on the coast of Tierra del Fuego ; and that fortunate 
 even;, we celebrated by hoisti 
 
 ing the Spanish flag, and saluting 
 save the Kins." The eagerness 
 
 and exertions of our seamen to reach the cape, which incessant 
 tempests had made us almost despair of ever attaining, are not 
 
i$p 
 
 flj 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 43 
 
 to be described; nor was their joyless, on accomplishing their 
 dreary task; so much so, that it was some time before they 
 could be prevailed on to take their necessary refreshment. 
 
 From Cape Cut-down to Cape Pillar, the south shore is so 
 clean, that no island, rock, or shoal, extends half a mile from 
 the land; it may therefore be run down without fear. The 
 north side, on the contrary, which Narborough very justly- 
 termed the desolation of the south, seems to be only the frag- 
 ments of a ruined world torn to pieces by violent earthquakes; 
 for, out before it lie a multitude of islands and rocks, extending 
 far from the shore ; so that no vessel ought, on any account, to 
 approach that side of the strait. It is at the same time to be re- 
 membered, that no one ought to run very close to the south 
 shore, unless the wind be fair and steady; for the heavy sea 
 from the Pacific from the NW. might, in such a case, be very 
 dangerous. 
 
 The famous Cape Pillar, remarkable for its position on the 
 south side of the west entrance into the Strait of Magellan, and 
 for its elevation over the water, is still more so, for two peaks 
 which rise on its summit, both inclining a little to the north- 
 west. That on the east, which is the highest, is connected 
 with a hill from which the cape itself projects ; the peak on the 
 west rises up like a great tower from a base on the edge of the 
 water, on the west of the cape: from the general resemblance 
 of that mass of rock to a rude pillar, when seen from the west, 
 the cape probably received its name. The union of the strait 
 with the great Southern Ocean, on the west of America, seems 
 to be bounded by rocks of the same nature ; for the quality and 
 distribution of the strata appeared, as far as we could compare 
 them, to be perfectly similar ; and their separation has evi- 
 dently been, originally, the effect of some violent convulsion ; 
 although it be also evident, that the sea has made, and is still 
 making, great inroads on both sides of the strait: for the 
 shores consist of high precipitous cliffs, before which lie, at 
 different distances from the land, multitudes of fragments, and 
 even rocky islands, of precisely the same appearance with the 
 present shores. That portion of Cape Pillar which is washed 
 by the waters of the strait, appears like the rounded summit of 
 a low hill ; but the opposite portion exposed to the ocean, is 
 excavated in many places by the action of the waves in the solid 
 rock. At the cape, the region called Tierra del Fuego bends 
 round to the 8SW. at least as far as we could observe from the 
 boats. Haifa mile in that direction from the cape, and close 
 under the land, are two small islands, which we named the 
 Spanish Long-boats; but we could not discover the cluster of 
 rocky islands called, from their number, the Twelve Apostles, 
 
 G 2 
 
44 
 
 Cordova s Voyage of Discovery 
 
 which must therefore lie farther out than is commonly supposed. 
 By observation, we calculated the height of the western peak 
 over the sea, to be 395 English yards, and the eastern 4^3 yards. 
 While we were at the cape the weather was perfectly calm \ but 
 the swell from the north-west was such, that it was absolutely im- 
 possible to land in any part of the point, or even in the neighbour- 
 hood, so powerful was the back-draught from the perpendicular 
 cliffs over the water. In the evening the weather grew hazy ; 
 so that, on the north shore, we could perceive only Cape Vic- 
 toria, the western extremity of the strait, which we ascertained 
 to bear N. 1° 20' W. and S. 7° 20' E. with Cape Pillar. Cape 
 Victoria appeared to us as a broad even point, of no great 
 height ; but, as we could see it distinctly from the water, 
 although at the distance of lj leagues, its real elevation must 
 be considerable : but we judged of it, by comparing its height 
 with that of two round hills to the eastward, from which the 
 cape seemed to proceed. 
 
 Having now arrived at the western limit of our expedition, 
 we prepared to avail ourselves of the calm, to return to the east- 
 ward ; for, as the coast from Cape Pillar offers no inlet or bend 
 to afford shelter, in case of necessity, on to Port Misericordia, 
 a distance of three miles, a change of weather, particularly in 
 the night-time, would probably have been fatal. A wind from 
 E. would have carried us out into the Pacific — from W. or N. 
 would have forced us to leeward on the rocks ; and the wind 
 from the S. or SW. would have sent us over towards the north 
 shore of the strait, six leagues off, but only known to be full of 
 danger. The favourable calm, however, continued ; and, when 
 we had rowed 2f miles, we landed on the largest of. the islands 
 at the west point of Misericordia, hoping to have a view of the 
 Four Evangelists, small islands in the middle of the entrance of 
 the strait. Although very distant, and the atmosphere was 
 cloudy, we were luckily able to discover them, and to mark 
 their position, and that of several other objects of importance in 
 our chart. Having finished our observations on the island, we 
 deposited on it a bottle containing a paper, denoting the period 
 and the object of our voyage, with the names of the officers in 
 the two boats. This Island of the Bottle, as we named it, is of 
 considerable elevation, consisting of layers of stone parallel 
 among themselves, but all inclined towards the strait, manifest- 
 ing their having been torn off from the adjoining precipices on 
 the land. On the highest part of the island we found a vast 
 quantity of sea-shells lying loose. They appeared to be all re- 
 cent, and all of one kind, that is, of a species of mussel frequent 
 along the coast. We could account for their assemblage in that 
 
HBH ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 45 
 
 spot only by supposing them to have been carried thither by 
 ttie sea-fowl. Leaving the island, we rowed into Port Miseri- 
 cordia, which we found to consist of a bay and two small creeks. 
 The points of the entrance lie ESE. and WNW. two-thirds of a 
 mile asunder, and the port runs in SW. one-third of a mile; it 
 then contracts, and forms a small harbour Q* 4 cables long to the 
 W. and about as broad in the middle, which terminates in an- 
 other, resembling a wet-dock, one cable long, and three-quarters 
 of a cable in its greatest breadth. In the outer bay is good an- 
 chorage towards the west shore, in from nine to eighteen fathoms 
 sand, excepting where sea-weed is seen, which always indicates 
 rock and stone, and generally shallow water. In the inner parts 
 the ground is the same, but the depth of water is 18 fathoms, 
 close to the shore. The port is excellent in its situation, for it 
 is sheltered from all prevailing winds and the heavy sea from 
 the W. : a number of vessels may be acommodated in it, and 
 the holding-ground is good. Being only three miles within 
 Cape Pillar, it may be of great service to ships driven into the 
 strait by the winds and currents from the Pacific, as it furnishes 
 fresh water in abundance, plenty of shell-fish, and fire- wood suf- 
 ficient for a long voyage. The entrance is clean and easy, there 
 being no danger but what is above water ; and the bay is easily- 
 known by its distance from Cape Pillar, and by the islands be- 
 fore its west point. By the time we had finished our remarks 
 on the harbour, we were overtaken by the night, which we passed 
 on-board, as we found no spot to pitch our tents. It rained the 
 whole night, and in the morning the NW. wind set in, when we 
 ran to the E. to survey the harbour on the east side of Cape 
 Cut-down, or Tuesday, of Captain Carteret. We found it to 
 afford an excellent station in westerly winds, for its points lie 
 NNW. and SSE. and it is enclosed on all sides by high land. 
 The opening is half a mile wide, and the harbour runs in W. to 
 a narrow pass, two cables over, when it turns WNW. widening 
 and lengthening for one mile and three-quarters. In the outer 
 harbour the north shore affords both shelter and good ground, 
 there, as well as in the middle, consisting of fine sand, and, in 
 parts, gravel : the depth of water from 12 to c 22 fathoms. Farther 
 in are several rocky shoals, but they are always known by the 
 sea-weed on them. In the middle of the great inner harbour the 
 ground is generally rocky, and the depth very unequal, from 22 
 to 4'2 fathoms: it will therefore be most advisable to come-to 
 in the outer harbour, under the north shore, for the wind is apt 
 to change there from WNW. and W. to NNW. and N. proba- 
 bly from the reflection from the north coast of the strait. The 
 most dangerous wind is that from the E. which is indeed not 
 
H 
 
 HSRRHiHJ 
 
 45 Cordovas Voyage, of Discovery 
 
 frequent : in such a case, a vessel ought instantly to get under 
 sail. In the harbour, wood and water may be procured in abund- 
 ance ; and, being only 8^ miles from Cape Pillar, and easily 
 known by Cape Cut-down on its west side, as also having a 
 clean easy entrance, Tuesday Harbour cannot fail to be of sin- 
 gular service to ships driven in from the westward. The east 
 point of this harbour is the west point of another spacious bay, 
 one mile and a half between the points bearing NW. and SE., 
 and half a mile deep, forming nearly a semicircle. In the bot- 
 tom, the bay contracts to half a mile, by points advancing on 
 each side, and situated N. by W. and S. by E. There begins 
 a well-defended haven, which runs into the land WSW. one mile 
 and a quarter, and terminating in two small coves. The bay 
 contains very deep water ; and it is only on the west side, near 
 the land, that proper soundings are found, — from seven to twelve 
 fathoms, sand and coral. Near the mouth of the inner harbour 
 the depth is greater, and the ground rock, in the inside are 
 some shoals, shown by the sea-weed ; but on none of them did 
 we find less than six fathoms. Fresh-water, wood, and shell- 
 fish, arc not wanting in this bay; but few vessels will, neverthe- 
 less, enter it, when they can take Tuesday Bay so near it, and 
 nearer the mouth of the strait. The outer bay was called Trux- 
 illo Bay, and the inner Port Rivero. 
 
 We had now completed our survey of the coast of Tierra del 
 Fuego, all the way to the westward from Cape Monday to Cape 
 Pillar, according to our instructions ; and we feel ourselves war- 
 ranted to assure all future navigators, that they may, without ap- 
 prehension, follow our remarks and counsels. Of the north 
 coast of the strait we had determined the situation of the most 
 remarkable points, which seemed to be all that was requisite in 
 a tract particularly exposed to the prevalent winds and currents 
 in that part of the strait; and which presents only a long suc- 
 cession of islands and rocks, which no navigator, excepting in 
 very peculiar circumstances, will ever approach. It was, besides, 
 specially enjoined us to confine our enquiries to the southern 
 coast alone. 
 
 Our commission being now terminated, we resolved to. take 
 advantage of a light breeze from the NW. to return to our ship ; 
 but, no sooner had we left the bay, than we met with a heavy 
 swell from the same quarter, accompanied by a quick succession 
 of calms and squalls. These sudden changes we ascribed to 
 our being near the land ; we therefore made off for the middle of 
 the strait, in the hope of having the wind more steady and mo- 
 derate. Steady indeed we found it to be, but so strong, that it 
 was with the utmost difficulty we could prevent our small open 
 
^HH| ^§0£Mi0 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 41 
 
 boats from oversetting. In this desperate situation, it being 
 impossible to run under either shore, we could only strive to 
 keep our boats before the wind, and so were driven for above 
 ten miles ; and at last, near four p.m., managed to get into an 
 open bay on the south coast, which we justly named the Bay of 
 Good Fortune, lying to theWSW. of Cape Tamar. Our pro- 
 visions were now greatly reduced, and our voyage had occupied 
 much more time than had been supposed to be necessary ; the 
 tempest had, however, scarcely abated, we therefore resolved 
 to remain all night in that fortunate station. Next morning, 
 notwithstanding that the sea and the wind continued as boister- 
 ous as before, with the addition of incessant rain, we left our 
 birth, and, in order to clear the rocks and shoals, stood out a 
 couple of miles from the land. Keeping our boats' heads as 
 much as possible before the wind and sea, we run down above 
 37 miles, and at last got under the lee on the east side of Cape 
 Monday, where we again observed several bearings of objects 
 on the opposite coast. Next morning the gale had abated, but 
 the swell continued ; we nevertheless managed to cross over to 
 the north shore, near Cape Quade, where we put in. for the 
 night, and on the following day had the unexpected happiness 
 to arrive in Port Galan, or St. Joseph, where our ship still lay, 
 and where our return began to be despaired of; our expedition 
 having lasted no less than 22 days. Notwithstanding the dura- 
 tion and hardships of our voyage, especially for men accustomed 
 to the very opposite climate of the south of Spain, only one of 
 our company was taken ill. This was a seaman, who, soon after 
 we Jeft the ship, was attacked by an ague, but who perfectly re- 
 covered his health, in the midst of our toils, without the use of 
 any remedy. 
 
 Whilst we lay in Port Galan or St. Joseph, we had considera- 
 ble intercourse with the natives, whom we called the Indians of 
 Tierra del luiego ; both because that tract of country seemed 
 to be their usual place of abode, and that Captain Cook found 
 the same nation established on the most southerly parts of it. 
 We never discovered in them any depravity of inclination ; not 
 even that which might be deemed so natural to men in their 
 situation, of making themselves masters of any thing belonging 
 to us, which could only be done by theft: but, far from attri- 
 buting this conduct to any sense of moral virtue inherent in 
 these men, we were rather inclined, after much attentive ob- 
 servation, to account for it on the ground, that nothing is capa- 
 ble of moving the torpid indolence of their hearts. 
 
 They often left us; at one time altogether, at another by 
 parties: at last, on the 21th February, they entirely forsook 
 
 1 
 
48 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 us, on account, as we supposed, of the death of one of their 
 boys ; for it is their practice to abandon those places where any 
 unfortunate accident has befallen them. Our chaplains pri- 
 vately administered baptism to this child, who, as the surgeons 
 thought, was under two years of age, giving him the names 
 Antonio Joseph Julian. We buried him in the point of low 
 land forming the west side of the entrance of the harbour; and, 
 in the interior of the wood, near the same place, we deposited 
 the body of a seaman, who, in consequence of an ague with 
 which he was attacked before we left Spain, died on the last day 
 of this month. 
 
 In one of our excursions to the mountains which surround 
 Port Galan, we found a bottle sealed up, containing a long 
 Latin inscription, and placed there by M. de Bougainville, as he 
 went this way, on his voyage round the world in 1768. In imi- 
 tation of his example, we left another of the same kind ; and 
 gave to the mountain on which these monuments were left, the 
 name of Cerro de la Cruz (Mountain of the Cross). 
 
 Winter already began (end of February) in this inhospitable 
 climate to give notice of its approach : our cables suffered 
 greatly from the hurricanes from VVNVV. to SW. which blew 
 with but little intermission ; so that we were much alarmed 
 for them ; which induced us speedily to come to some resolu- 
 tion respecting our future motions. A council of officers 
 was held, in which it was resolved, that, in this case, our 
 best way to conform to the orders of his Majesty, was di- 
 rectly to return to Europe, without exposing, by an ill-timed 
 and unnecessary temerity, the vessel and the people to fresh 
 disasters, and the public treasury to additional charges. 
 
 The ship's company, although greatly fatigued with the 
 constant and severe duty of the frigate in these tempestuous 
 regions, and with the various excursions in the boats, during 
 which they had but little relaxation from their toils, by night or 
 by day, still continued to enjoy good health, and was therefore 
 no inducement for us to embrace this resolution, notwithstand- 
 ing that we were in want of many necessary articles, particularly 
 for preserving the health of the men ; and that we were under 
 the necessity of diminishing, by one-fourth part, the daily al- 
 lowance of provisions, in order to ensure a sufficiency for our 
 consumption. 
 
 We had now only to wait until the wind should become 
 favourable to put our design in execution ; and, in the mean 
 time, set about examining the motions of our time-pieces, — 
 an operation as easy in itself as irksome in this climate, 
 when the heavens seem to be the declared enemies of astro- 
 
■ ■ feii &^^««i$$& 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 49 
 
 riomy, — it being no uncommon tiling, in this gloomy and horrid 
 region, even in the summer, to pass 15 or 20 days together, 
 without a sight of sun, moon, or stars. 
 
 At last, on the 1 Ith or' March, after a residence of thirty- 
 nine days in Port Galan or St. Joseph, with winds so con- 
 stantly unfavourable, that it would have been impossible for us 
 to have proceeded farther to the westward of the strait, we 
 set sail, on our return to the eastward, with a fresh gale from 
 SW. and, at noon, ratified our observations of the latitude of 
 Cape Forward, by which we confirmed other positions which 
 had been determined relatively to that point. The wind abated 
 much in the night ; however, we kept under way till next day, 
 when we had it from NNVV. to NW. which obliged us to 
 return to our usual exercise of tacking. It fell almost calm in 
 the morning, when we came to anchor about three leagues N. 
 from Point S. Maria, and half a mile from the land. The night 
 continued calm, with dark cloudy Aveather. 
 
 Soon after day-break we weighed, having a fine wind, but 
 unsteady from the VV\ : by it, however, we had the good fortune 
 to clear, without difficulty, the very dangerous pass between 
 Elizabeth Island and the Isles of S. Martha and Magdalen, on 
 the E. At 1 p.m., favoured more by the current than by the 
 wind, we ran through the narrow pass of S. Simon; and at half- 
 past four came to anchor in the Bay of S. Gregorio, having the 
 cape of that name S. 36° W. distant three or four miles. 
 
 Observing the beach to be lined with Patagonians, in great 
 numbers, all on horseback, and attended by multitudes of dogs, 
 some of our people went on-shore, and were received in their 
 wonted kind and friendly manner by these natives, who hap- 
 pened to be the same we had seen on our passage to the west- 
 ward. They brought seven of them on-board, who eat heartily 
 of what we set before them, showed much inclination to smoke 
 tobacco, and a vehement desire to obtain swords or hangers, 
 of which we exchanged a few with them for the skins of 
 lamas and zorillos. Some women had come down to the shore 
 with the men, but none of them chose to come off to the 
 frigate. 
 
 . On the; 14th we again set sail ; but, by a singular contrariety 
 of the winds, we found them now as much to oppose our going 
 out of the strait as they had formerly resisted our coming into 
 it. They began to blow from the NE. quarter, which forced 
 us to tack ; and, in standing over to the southward, we fell quite 
 unexpectedly into shallow water. As it was then 5 p.m. and 
 we saw ourselves surrounded almost with shoals and sand- 
 banks, we set about finding some good anchor-ground, which 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. J I. h 
 
50 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 we met with about two leagues S. 66 Q W. from the mouth of 
 the narrow pass of Esperanza, otherwise called the First Pass. 
 
 The wind, which had freshened in the fore part of the former 
 night, this day increased much ; and it being impossible to set 
 sail, as the tide was strong against us, our situation, for the 
 greatest part of the day, became extremely critical. The fate 
 of the frigate depended on the resistance of cables, already 
 severely handled, opposed to a furious wind, a heavy sea, and 
 to the current, of the tide, which, at 8 p.m. would take the 
 same direction with the wind. If our cable should give way, we 
 would remain in a narrow pass, between two mouths, engaged in 
 a small space, where it was impossible to tack in the dark, or in- 
 deed to take any other course for our safety, on account of the 
 shoals running out a long way from both shores, as well as of 
 the incalculable alteration in the situation of the ship, produced 
 by the current. To let go another anchor was useless, as its 
 cable, being single and le&s strong than that one already out, it 
 would certainly give way when the first should fail. But, most 
 fortunately, about 10 p.m. the wind abated, and we began to 
 conceive good hopes of at last being delivered from such terrible 
 situations. In the evening or the Ifjth, the wind being northerly, 
 but very feeble, we began to proceed out of the strait: how- 
 ever, it soon changed to the NE. which obliged us to turn up 
 against it,— an employment disagreeable enough in itself in 
 these parts, but particularly so now ; as we could perceive that 
 this cross wind did not extend much behind us to the westward. 
 This opposition in the direction of the winds happening 
 several times before we got out of the strait, showed that those 
 from the NE. however strong they may be at the entrance, 
 never extend far into that part, -where the westerly winds 
 seemed to have established their unrivalled dominion. 
 
 The tide was now setting towards the NE.: we ran through 
 the fir^t pass, and, at 7 p.m. we came into anchor in 7 fathoms 
 sand and stones, a little to the eastward of the mouth, and very 
 close to the shore of the continent on the north. Soon after 
 this, the tide changed its direction to the SW. and the water 
 rose to 9 fathoms ; but, continuing still to run in that direction, 
 at 12 it began to diminish, and, at 5, remained under 3j faths. 
 
 It will not be difficult to conceive our distress, on finding cur- 
 selves, in addition to all other unfavourable circumstances, now 
 in the midst of an unknown current, of whose duration we were 
 totally ignorant. However, notwithstanding there was a thick 
 fog, which prevented us from seeing the land, in a situation full 
 of dangers, which by land- marks alone can be avoided, we set 
 sail, and, by the help of the tide, and variable light winds, at 
 
iSS M^-*$M$. $S§ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. $\ 
 
 last escaped from these perils. We conducted ourselves now 
 wholly by the soundings: at first the depth increased, then it 
 diminished, and we came on a shoal of only 3| fathoms: we then 
 changed our course, involved in endless doubts, which were 
 rather augmented than removed by the line ; as it at one time 
 pointed out as favourable a direction which, at another, led 
 us into new dangers. 
 
 Easy winds and the tide had hitherto preserved us ; but, as it 
 would have been highly improper any longer to commit to 
 such conductors the fate of the frigate, and seeing the foo- grow- 
 ing every moment more dense, deprived of the sight of even 
 the nearest objects, we dropped anchor in 8 f fathoms, when 
 we waited for a better conjunction to continue our course, al- 
 though we were totally ignorant of our position ; so that, in 
 case of any accident, such as our cables giving way, we were as 
 likely to have taken a wrong direction as a right. 
 
 In the afternoon of the 17th the horizon cleared up a little ; 
 and, although the wind was from NE. but moderate, the cur- 
 rent being in our favour, we got under-sail, having at last got 
 a view of Cape Possession, within which bay we had lain ; and 
 all the rest of the morning we continued turning to windward, 
 with the tide still favouring us. It was not without trouble and 
 anxiety, that, after all, we got clear of the strait being obliged 
 to pass between the Cape de las Virgenes, and a shoal or sand- 
 bank, formerly discovered and pointed out by Sarmiento. The 
 wind had drawn round to the N. and NNW. and then all at 
 once passed to the SW. with great fury, attended by lightning 
 and rain. We were thus again reduced to the necessity of 
 sounding, and to drive under bare poles, for the violence of 
 the wind. At 9\ p.m. we had a glimpse through the dark 
 clouds of Cape de las Virgenes, which, at if in the morning 
 following, lay to the north of us. The wind now abated so 
 much that we were able to set some sail ; so that, about break 
 of day, on Saturday the 18th of March, we enjoyed the un- 
 hoped-for happiness of being entirely out of the Strait of 
 Magellan, and on our way for Spain. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Return to Cadiz. 
 
 It has been said, that, at \ past 1 in the morning of the 18th, 
 we were in the mouth of the Strait of Magellan, N. and S. with 
 Cape de las Virgenes. The high wind from SSW. which had 
 forced us to run out with such disorder, cleared the atmos- 
 
 H 2 
 
52 
 
 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 phere, and the moon being remarkably bright, we easily dis- 
 cerned the land, and were able to form our course, which, some 
 hours before, was a very difficult point, both on account of the 
 violent winds and the darkness of the night, and of the shoals 
 which Sarmiento lays down to the eastward of the mouth of the 
 strait. However, having escaped so many dangers as sur- 
 rounded us some time before, our situation in the mouth, which 
 was about 7 or 8 leagues over, did not appear to be so very 
 hazardous. 
 
 At 2\ a.m. being due E. from Cape de las Virgenes, 7 or 8 
 miles off, we found 25 fathoms tine sand, from which point we 
 steered away NE. 5° E. the wind having veered round from 
 W. toNW. byW. 
 
 The morning of the 18th was clear and delightful. It is 
 impossible to describe the joy which prevailed throughout the 
 ship's company, when they saw themselves at last delivered from 
 the imminent dangers with which, for the space of three months, 
 they had been surrounded, and from which they had scarcely 
 hoped ever to escape. 
 
 The seaman, who seldom cultivates his mind or elevates his 
 heart, by extending his views beyond the enjoyments and suf- 
 ferings of the present time, receives no consolation, in his la- 
 bours, from the consideration that, from them, may result assist- 
 ance and advantage to his fellow-creatures who may come into the 
 situations through which he passed. But this reflection afforded 
 great delight to our officers, who observed also, that the general 
 good health enjoyed by their men promised a successful voyage 
 to Europe. In the whole crew there was only one man whose 
 case required much attention, on account of a venereal com- 
 plaint he had contracted before w r e left Spain; for, although 
 there were five others indisposed, four of them with fevers, in 
 consequence of cold, and one with an attack on the Jungs, yet 
 their complaints were of little importance. 
 
 On the 19th and 20th, Ave saw vast numbers of whales, of 
 which, with proper implements and arrangements, many might 
 have been taken. 
 
 Till the 21st, we had a very heavy sea from the NE. to N. 
 drawing more and more to the latter point as we got farther 
 out from the land; from which we concluded, that the NE. 
 winds Ave had met Avith in the Strait of Magellan had been part 
 of the strong north gales so frequently found in this part of 
 the Ocean. This day, at 9 p.m. Ave saw a meteor, Avhich much 
 surprised us ; for the Aveather Avas not of that kind that we 
 should expect lightning. It ran along parallel to the horizon, 
 throwing a greater light than the brightest flash, and lasted 
 about four or five seconds. 
 
■■■■^H 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 53 
 
 On the 23d, after some hours of calm weather, a NE. wind 
 set in ; and then veering round by the E. it settled from SE. to 
 SSE., and blew very hard for tlhree days together. The hea- 
 vens were so overcast, that we could make no sort of astro- 
 nomical observations ; so that, if we had not considered the 
 vessel to be 80 or 90 leagues from land, we would have been 
 very uneasy. But, as we then were, such winds were of great 
 service to us, and greatly forwarded our voyage. 
 
 We now altered our course a little to NE. by E. in order to 
 pass about 100 leagues to the E. of the mouth of the River de 
 la Plata, and in this direction ran through the parallels of lati- 
 tude from 45° to 41° ; in crossing which, on our passage to the 
 strait, there had been so great an error in our reckoning, which 
 we accounted for by the setting of the water toM r ards the NE. 
 quarter. At present, however, we had no proper opportunity 
 of examining whether the same circumstances took place ; for 
 the wind was very inconstant, and the only altitudes we could 
 observe by the time-pieces were in S. latitude 47§° and 42°, in 
 which interval of three days the wind continued from tie SE. 
 The results of these observations, and of the altitudes at noon, 
 produced a difference of twenty-five miles to the NVV. by N. 
 with the reckoning. But this difference, which is very small 
 when compared with that discovered in our outward voyage, 
 between the parallels of 45° and 41°, cannot be depended on, 
 as the reckoning was verv uncertain ; and because trie error be- 
 tween latitude 45° and 42° was in some measure compensated 
 to the westward by the error observed between 47f°anc 46°. 
 From observations made from latitude 42° to 41° on the 25th 
 and 26th of March, we discovered a difference of thirty-six 
 miles inj the direction north-easterly, as in our former passage 
 thiough these parallels. 
 
 The wind died away entirely on the 26th, so that the swell 
 which remained became extremely troublesome ; for, had M\y 
 accidents happened to our masts, we must have run for luo de 
 la Plata, having no means of repairing the damage on-boa-d. 
 
 On the 27th, in the morning, we had the wind fresh from 
 NW. and, on the two following clays, we crossed the mouth of 
 that river, at the distance of about 100 leagues from the land, 
 steering NE. We perceived currents setting-in towards the 
 river, a.s we had before observed in passing from N. to S. 
 
 As we have not here set down the mean direction of the winds 
 and of our courses, which were all inserted in their proper Tables, 
 we will just notice, that the winds from the eastward obliged us 
 to keep close to them, standing to the northward for three or 
 four days; and, when they came from the NW. we stood 
 towards the NE. without being able to keep the direct course 
 
■mm 
 
 51 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 we had proposed, and employed four days in running down 
 from 25° to 24° S. lat. ; after which the wind set in from the 
 SE., and, on the 1 ith and 1 3th of April, we had a sight of the 
 island called Trinidad or Ascension. 
 
 In the French charts are laid down, in the parallel 20° 30' S., 
 two islands, the most easterly of which is called Trinidad or La 
 Trinit6, and the other Ascension ; with a remark at the same 
 time, that some navigators assert that the two are only one and 
 the same island, laid down in that distant quarter of the globe 
 according to several different accounts. 
 
 Admiral Don John de Langara, who, by order of his Catholic 
 Majesty, went to examine this point, determined that there was 
 but one island, to which he gave the name of Trinidad, because 
 there is another island called Ascension, in S. latitude 8°, and 
 placed it, agreeably to several series of lunar observations made 
 by himself and other officers of skill and accuracy, in S. latitude 
 20° 29|'and in longitude 24° 13' W. from Cadiz. According 
 to our position, laid down in the chart, as we lay with respect to 
 this island, we were, at noon of the 13th of April, in W. lon- 
 gitude 24° '20' 30", by our reckoning, in 23° IS', and, by the time- 
 piece, in ^2°o8f, which last was 1° 22' to the E. of our place on 
 the chart; on which account we suspected that some alteration 
 had taken place in the time-piece, and, on examining the results 
 indicated by it at noon for some days past, we discovered that, 
 in part, it had undergone some change in its motion. 
 
 In twenty-four hours, No. 16 of Berthoud had gained on No. 
 71 of Arnold l' 15§"; which, even supposing that No. 16 had 
 returned, now that we were in a warm climate, to its former 
 usual advance of 52£" on mean time, would indicate that No. 71 
 had gained in one day only 20', when we allowed it to gain 
 daily 26", or mean time. It thence followed, that No. 71, going 
 slower than we supposed , pointed out less time elapsed at Cadiz ; 
 consequently, as we were to the west of that meridian, it gave 
 less longitude than it ought, as we discovered, on comparison 
 with our plan on the chart. This was the greatest difference we 
 observed on comparing these time-pieces, hos. 16 and 71, in any- 
 one day ; those of the seven preceding days being much less. 
 Nos. \b and 1 6 of Berthoud had now returned to their respective 
 differences in those latitudes, which they preserved Avithout 
 variation for many days together,— another proof that the re- 
 markable alteration had taken place in No. 71 alone. 
 
 We had noticed for six days before very considerable dif- 
 ferences to the eastward, between our reckoning and our posi- 
 tion, as indicated by No. 71 > which had not occurred on our pas- 
 sage outward through the same latitudes. The heavens had 
 been very cloudy, excepting the four or five days immediately 
 
 l 
 
■ 
 
 s 8SS«i 
 
 ^0^^0(00^ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 55 
 
 following that of our departure for the Strait of Magellan; so 
 that we had not been able to make observations of lunar dis- 
 tances, in order to examine the state of that time-piece, — an in- 
 dispensable precaution for receiving satisfactory assistance from 
 such machines, which often alter their movements at the mo- 
 ment when it is least expected. 
 
 On the i4th, we were obliged to sail close by the wind, which 
 came away from N.E. to E. ; we were, nevertheless, able to 
 make our course good to the NNW. 5 P W. for five days to- 
 gether, until we got, on the 17th, into S. lat. 16°, in a position 
 which rendered it absolutely necessary either to sail N. by W., 
 or to make a tack to the eastward, in order to weather Cape St. 
 Augustine, or the coast of Brazil, — a thing which must have hap- 
 pened to few vessels that passed within sight of Trinidad. We 
 were persuaded that, in these latitudes, we should certainly meet 
 with the winds from the SE. quarter, as usually is trie case, 
 with clear pleasant weather; but the best judgments in such 
 cases, in these parts, even when best founded, are very uncertain. 
 The heavens continued to be very cloudy, with squalls and rain, 
 as if we had been in the proximity of the Line. On the 18th, how- 
 ever, the wind came round, as we desired, to the SE. quarter, 
 and the atmosphere began to clear up; and, although on the 
 19th it returned again to the NE., with squalls and showers, 
 yet it soon came back to the former point. On the (21st, breezes 
 set-in from the ESE. with a clear sky : the following day we 
 saw a small vessel, to which we gave chace ; but, observing that 
 we did not gain much upon her, and that we were driven out 
 of our course, we gave over the pursuit, and returned to our 
 former point. The sailors, who for a long time back had been 
 without tobacco, had flattered themselves that they would be 
 supplied from the first ship we should meet, especially if she 
 came from Brazil. 
 
 One of our officers, who, believing our expedition might last 
 a couple of years at least, had made large provision of Seville 
 snuff, had frequently relieved their wants with it, which they 
 used to wrap up in paper, having first moistened it, and to smoke 
 as if it had been tobacco in the leaf; but, as there remained of 
 his stock only what was requisite for himself for five or six 
 weeks, that resource was cut off. No sooner had we abandoned 
 the chace of the vessel, than we perceived how much these 
 poor fellows were mortified ; which, joined to their daily com- 
 plaints and impatience for some time past, made us feel that it 
 would be highly proper, especially in long voyages, to take on- 
 board a stock of tobacco on public account, to be distributed 
 among the seamen and marines, according to some fit regula- 
 tions. By this means, much contraband trade would be pre- 
 
56 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 vented, as well as the enormous extortion practised in the salt; 
 of that article on-board, it being impossible for the commander 
 or officers to put a stop to such abuses, as those very persons 
 who are the objects of such extortion, are always the last to 
 acknowlege that such things are done. Any one at all ac- 
 quainted with the character of a seaman, knows how much he 
 will sacrifice to the gratification of even the feeblest of his de- 
 sires and inclinations. 
 
 On the c 23d we had frequently heavy rains, with little wind ; 
 but a breeze coming away more to the southward, we were able 
 to steer NE. by N. in order to pass to the eastward of the island 
 of Fernando Norcno (Noronyo). 
 
 On the 24th, we succeeded in making good observations of 
 three series of distances of sun and moon. From the island Tri- 
 nidad we had counted our longitude by No. l(j, taking it lor 
 granted, that that island was correctly laid down by Admiral de 
 Langara, and estimating its daily advance on mean time to be 
 the same as when we left Cadiz, since its difference with No. 
 15 corresponded with what was observed in the same latitude on 
 our voyage eastwards ; but, taking the medium of the lunar dis- 
 tances from the sun, whose extreme did not differ half a degree 
 from each other, it resulted that we were now 47' to the east- 
 ward of No. 16, and, consequently, either that the island of Tri- 
 nidad is more to the east than was formerly stated, or that the 
 time-piece advanced much more than we imagined. In this 
 dilemma, we chose rather to attribute the error to No. 16, and 
 at the same time remarking, that No. 71 of Arnold had now re- 
 turned to the respective differences with the other two time- 
 pieces which it had maintained prior to the alteration in its 
 motion, we again resorted to it, giving it the preference over 
 the two others of Berthoud, and allowing it the same daily ad- 
 vance on mean time which had been formerly ascertained. The 
 experiment we made on this time-piece was, to calculate the 
 longitude by it, as if no alteration had taken place, and to com- 
 pare it with that deduced from the medium of lunar distances, 
 whence it appeared, that the latter was 1° 4' to the east of the 
 former, evidently showing that some change had happened in 
 the time-piece. It must however be mentioned, that this al- 
 teration was discovered only in consequence of comparisons 
 madeufter we came within sight of Trinidad. 
 
 These combinations were, no doubt, inexact, and might with- 
 out hesitation have been abandoned ; but our anxiety to arrive 
 at the truth, led us perhaps to assign to them an importance to 
 which they were not entitled. When time-pieces once come to 
 undergo alteration in their movement, it is impossible ever to 
 discover with precision their rate of motion, while we are con- 
 
■HHH| ll^^^ift 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan . 57 
 
 tinually changing place, and are destitute of a fixed point of 
 comparison. Besides, we were induced to keep an account by 
 the time-piece, because there had been a great difference west- 
 Avardly,for the last three days, between our reckoning and the 
 truth, as is experienced by perhaps every vessel within the 
 Torrid Zone, and in the neighbourhood of the Equinoctial. 
 
 At day-break of the 25th of April, being in S. latitude 4° 45', 
 and W. longitude 2.5° 40', happened the full-moon, when we 
 stood away NNE. 5° E. that before night we might reach the 
 parallel of the Island Fernando Noroiio. When it grew dark 
 Ave had seen no land; and, although we had not attained that 
 parallel, even with our glasses, we resolved to continue our 
 course, being satisfied in the accuracy of our calculations, as 
 well as of the position assigned to that island of Don John de 
 Langara and Captain Cook. The latter places it in 20° 18' W. 
 longitude from Cadiz, and in S. latitude 3° 53', referring his 
 observations to the highest hill of the island, which appears like 
 the steeple or toAver of a church; and Ave Avere then lull three 
 degrees to the eastAvard of its meridian. 
 
 Night came on very cloudy; however, in some intervals of 
 clear Aveather, we observed the meridian altitudes of some stars, 
 to discover if there Avas any remarkable error in our reckoning; 
 and, at \\\ p.m., concluding that Ave had passed the parallel of 
 the Island of Norono, Ave continued onr course in the former 
 direction. The clouds dispersed Avithout either squalls or rain, 
 so that this night Avas the finest Ave had seen since Ave were in 
 lat. -0 Q . 
 
 On the 27th, in the morning, Ave had squally rainy Aveather, 
 and we steered NNE. to make the most direct course. Next 
 day Ave had calms and gentle breezes, when Ave saw several 
 bonitoes, and caught three small ones, — a confirmation of the 
 common opinion that these fish are only to be seen in such 
 weather, 
 
 NotAvithstanding that the weather, since Ave left the Strait of 
 Magellan, had been so rainy and inimical to the health of our 
 people, who were almost constantly quite wet, yet, in our sick- 
 Avard there Avere only three patients ; of whom, the worst Avas 
 one with a venereal infection, who had been at the point of death 
 in the strait, and Avhose complaint, now complicated with 
 scurvy, rendered his recovery doubtful, at least, during the 
 voyage ; nevertheless, he stood it out. The other tAVO had 
 symptoms of the latter terrible malady. 
 
 During the 29th Ave had more calms and heavy falls of rain, 
 now beginning to experience the ordinary Aveather of the Line, 
 which did not last long ; but at noon sprung up a wind from 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. 11, 1 
 
5 8 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 SE. and, at 2 p.m., we crossed the Equinoctial, about 22 1° W. 
 from Cadiz, according to the time-piece No. 71 , for our reck- 
 oning was lj Q more to the eastward. This point was at least 4° 
 to the westward of what is laid down in most ships' reckonings ; 
 but the observations we made, on crossing the Line to the south- 
 ward, ought to have greater weight in this case, when the same 
 interruptions are not to be apprehended as in the other. Navi- 
 gators should therefore cross where they can, and not expose 
 themselves to be detained in these seas, which may be attended 
 with very dangerous consequences. 
 
 This night we were obliged to sail with great caution, on 
 account of the rock of San Pedro, whose situation is so uncer- 
 tain. We wished much to have passed it in the day-time, that 
 we might, by means of lunar distances, have ascertained its po- 
 sition. Many persons doubt even its existence ; but several of 
 our crew, amongst whom was one of our under-pilots, asserted 
 that they had seen it on former voyages. 
 
 On the 1st of May, at day-break, we descried a vessel to 
 windward coming down on us: at 8 a.m. she hoisted English 
 colours, to which we answered with the Spanish, and lay-to to 
 wait for her. At 10 a.m. an officer went on-board her, who 
 reported that she came from the coast of Angola in Africa, with 
 four hundred negroes, and was bound for Barbadoes. She was 
 called the Fanny of London, Thomas Smith, master, who 
 considered himself to be in 27° longitude W. from London, and 
 therefore two or three degrees to the eastward of us ; of which 
 we gave him notice. He could furnish none of the articles we 
 Avanted, only some tobacco, of which, with the greatest cheer- 
 fulness, he supplied us with fifteen or twenty pounds, which 
 was immediately distributed among the crew. We enquired if 
 he stood in need of any assistance from us, to which he an- 
 swered in the negative ; and proceeded on his course. When 
 night came on, he was no longer in sight. 
 
 We continued to stand to the northward, with the wind from 
 E. to NE. and NNE. At night the sky was very cloudy, with 
 constant rains and squalls of wind from time to time. The 
 iollowing day passed in calms and rain, until 9 p.m. after a 
 very heavy shower, when the wind set in from E. ; we there- 
 fore ran N. suiting our sail to this rainy squally weather. 
 
 On the 3d, towards evening, we saw a number of white 
 birds flying against the wind, but they were at too great a 
 distance for us to discover of what kind they were ; only we can 
 say, that they are not commonly met with in these parts of the 
 Ocean ; and, two days afterwards, another small bird alighted 
 on the ship, when we were in N. lat. 10°, and W. long. 2y°. 
 It had, no doubt, been forced off the land by the late violent 
 
 1 
 
■■■■■i '$$$$& #$«g HHI $i$i 
 
 to the Sir ail of Magellan. 
 
 50 
 
 winds ; and, to avoid its fate, had only the chance of going 
 along with us, or of making the islands or coast of Africa. 
 
 The medium of four series of distances of the sun and moon, 
 observed on the 6th and Sth days of May, whose extremes were 
 within eight minutes, being all that the weather had permitted 
 us to make in this quarter of the moon, placed the frigate l ( j' 
 to the E. of the position indicated by the time-piece; and three 
 series of distances of the moon from Regulus and Antares, ob- 
 served in the night of the 10th, gave twenty-six minutes in the 
 tame direction. 
 
 This evening we saw a bird resembling a pigeon, of an ash- 
 colour, having two forked feathers advancing much beyond the 
 rest of the tail. 
 
 In proportion as we advanced in the northern hemisphere, we 
 found the winds to draw round very slowly from NE. to E. ; 
 and, on the 12th, in N. lat. 20°, and W. long. 33°, we had them 
 for the first time from the SE. quarter, which enabled us to 
 amend our direction, steering NN£. 5°. N. 
 
 On the 14th of May, in Tat. 23°, and long. 32°, the winds 
 came from S. to SW.; which gave us the more pleasure, as 
 such winds, in this time of the year, could hardly be expected. 
 We then stood NE. by N. in order to pass to the W. and N. of 
 the Azores ; by that means making sure of our waj', and not 
 caring to sail to the S. and E. of those islands, although it was 
 a more direct course, lest we should fall into the calms which 
 in summer are generally found in that quarter. 
 
 As we were ignorant of the political state of Europe since our 
 departure from Spain, we made preparations for our defence, 
 in the event of any hostile rencounter, exercising the men, daily 
 to the use of the great guns. We were, in particular, anxious 
 to learn whether or not the truce lately concluded with Algiers 
 had been broken ; but the English vessel we spoke with in the 
 Line, could give no information on that head. 
 
 On the loth, and following days, we saw floating past us 
 several quantities of sea- weed, of a kind which, according to M. 
 Frezier, abounds on the coast of North America, different from 
 that which grows in the Canaries and east coasts of the Atlan- 
 tic ; from which appearance we inferred that the west winds 
 had prevailed in this quarter. 
 
 On the evening of the 16th Ave gave chase to a vessel a-head ; 
 and at 1I|p.m. got near enough to speak with her. It cost 
 some trouble to carry on the conversation; and all that we could 
 learn, the captain speaking nothing but English, was, that he 
 came from the coast of Atrica, out thirty days, and hound for 
 Liverpool. We soon outsailed her, and returned to our former 
 
 T 9 
 

 60 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 course, from which we a little deviated, in order to meet with 
 her. 
 
 The wind now coming away from the SW. quarter, forwarded 
 us so much, that, on the 17th, at noon, we were come to N. 
 lat. 27° £, and W. long. 30°, when they began to blow from 
 the northward ; and, in the night of the i9th, after we had been 
 becalmed almost the whole of the day, they sprang up from the 
 E. and so continued till the '23d. We then stood to the north- 
 ward, and came into lat. 34|°, and long. 29° 40'. After some 
 hours of calm, we had the wind from the SE. quarter ; which, 
 on the 24th, changed to the SW. when we again stood for the 
 N. This day we compared thirteen series of distances of the 
 sun and moon observed in this quarter of the moon, the medium 
 of which gave our longitude 36' more the eastward of the time- 
 piece, with which difference we corrected the account kept by 
 it. It appeared from these results, that No. 71 of Arnold had 
 very accurately pointed out the course we made good, and the 
 daily errors of our reckoning. 
 
 In taking these observations of the distances between the sun 
 and the moon, we made use of the circular instrument, or circle 
 of repetition, of the Chevalier Borda, which proved to be ex- 
 cellent in its kind, and whose properties are so well pointed 
 out by M. Jacinto Magellan (Magallanes), in one of the Me- 
 moires he has published on the use of astronomical instruments, 
 (Paris, 4to. 1775 ;) who, in the same work, mentions his 
 reasons for believing that he had employed similar instruments 
 a considerable time before he had heard any thing of the expe- 
 riments of that astronomer. 
 
 At 9 p.m. being then in N. lat. 37° 21', we ran to the E. in 
 order to keep clear of the Vigia, which, although it is laid 
 down by M. Verdun de la Crenne, in his chart of these seas, in 
 latitude 38° 13', he says also, that perhaps it ought to be placed 
 in 37° 30'; in which latitude he has laid it down a second time. 
 Had we trusted to our reckoning, we would not have taken this 
 course, which would afterwards have prevented us from passing 
 to the westward of the Azores with the winds which generally 
 blow from W. to NW. ; but, according to our observations for 
 determining the longitude, in which we placed greater confi- 
 dence than in our reckoning, we were still four degrees to the 
 W. of those islands. 
 
 The pilot of the ship Buen Consejo, on his return from Lima, 
 had some conversation at Fayal, in the island of Flores, one of 
 the Azores, with a Portuguese pilot of that island, who gave 
 him the following information: viz. lt The Vigia lies WsW. 
 from the island Flores 66f- leagues. An English vessel from 
 
 
H H HHI SSI $$$$ig& 
 
 to //j£ «ftra*7 of Magellan. 61 
 
 Madeira was lost upon it; and the crew in the long-boat steered 
 E\E. the above distance, which brought them to Fayal. This 
 pilot himself proceeded, in consequence of this information, to 
 examine the Vigia, and accordingly met with it, running back 
 the way the boat had come. It has two reefs of rocks, one 
 about 180 yards long on the WNW. part, and another of 100 
 yards to the south, with a cluster of rocks, covered at high 
 water, and a small sandy beach of forty yards long, to the 
 WNW. of these rocks." This information, which, notwith- 
 standing it is so circumstantial, seems to want authority, is 
 copied from a note* of one of the journals of our second captain. 
 
 As vessels coining from the south commonly pass in the 
 neighbourhood of this spot (la Vigia), whose situation is so un- 
 determined, they are obliged to be much on their guard, from 
 N. lat. 371° to 38y, lying-by for one or more nights together ; 
 ■ — a great hinderance to navigation, which demands that a point 
 so interesting to all maritime nations should no longer remain in 
 uncertainty. 
 
 On the 25th we had easy variable winds from the NE. quar- 
 ter, changing on the £6th to SW., which carried us into lat. 
 40°, and W. long. 28° ; from whence we steered eastwardly ; 
 and on the 2jjth, in the morning, came in sight of the island 
 Cuervo, one of the Azores. At noon, according to the latitude 
 of this island, laid down in the chart of Verdun, we were in W. 
 long. 24° 2</; according to the time-piece, No. 71, by which 
 we kept our account, in 24° 26'; but, by the reckoning, in 
 19° 18', and, consequently, 5* 1 1' to the E. of our place of 
 markation in the chart, — a space which, in this parallel of lati- 
 tude, is equal to seventy-nine leagues, 
 
 The time-piece differed, in three days, 52' to the W. of the 
 reckoning. Three bases measured by the log in the morning, 
 in order to calculate our distance from the island, produced re- 
 sults so distant from what they certainly ought to have been, 
 that we were convinced of the existence of a strong current, 
 whose direction and force explained the differences in our ac- 
 counts. 
 
 The night was calm, and next morning the wind set in from 
 S. to SE. with cloudy weather; which, continuing for five days 
 together, forced us, much against our inclination, to run to the 
 northward as far as latitude 43|° ; — a circumstance the more 
 painful to us, that, arriving now in a cold moist climate, the 
 scurvy began to make its appearance among the ship's company, 
 particularly in the commander, who, notwithstanding his great 
 spirit, was so ill as to be confined to his bed. 
 
 We were also by these winds driven into the parallel of the 
 
6-2 Cordova's Voyage qf Discovery 
 
 other Vigia, in latitude 42° SO'; — a danger we had before had 
 no thought of incurring. 
 
 As the heavens were in general overcast, with but few inter- 
 vals of clear weather, our time- piece was of great use in observ- 
 ing meridian altitudes of the sun, when we had calculated the 
 hour of his southing ; and by this means we had great confi- 
 dence in our calculations of the latitude, which, without such 
 helps, must have been very uncertain. The assistance to be 
 derived from those machines ought highly to increase their 
 value in the opinion of ail navigators. 
 
 On the 2d of June the wind began to draw towards the W. 
 which enabled us to improve our direction, and thereby to di- 
 minish our latitude. The following day we discovered a 
 vessel, and at f l\ p.m. were within speech of her. She proved 
 to be the Na. Sra. de la Antigua, from Brazil to Oporto, had 
 been ninety-eeveri days on her passage, and had not seen the 
 Azores. We set the captain right as to his position, in which 
 he was very much mistaken. 
 
 The night of the 4th was spent in calms, but in the morning 
 the wind sprung up from the eastward. We now began to 
 discover a number of vessels standing to the northward. The 
 meeting with them in this latitude, at such a distance from the 
 land, proved to us that the winds had blown from the N.E. 
 quarter for some time, as we afterwards were told had been the 
 case ; on which account we were glad that we had passed to 
 the W. and N. of the Azores. 
 
 In these two last days we took eight series of lunar distances 
 from the sun, the mean of which placed the frigate 6' 21" to the 
 eastward of the position given by the time-piece ; and, applying 
 this small correction to our account, we steered so as to fall in 
 fifteen or twenty leagues to the west of Cape St. Vincent, pay- 
 ing no attention to our reckoning, which, in these few days 
 past, had contracted an error of \{° to the E. ; which, had we 
 trusted to it, might have produced very disagreeable conse- 
 quences. 
 
 We continued our voyage until the gtb, without any remark- 
 able occurrence, only seeing sundry vessels from time to time ; 
 and, at 5 P.M., at last came within sight of the land. In half an 
 hour more we could discern it to be Cape St. Vincent; and at 
 10 p.m. by moon-light, we observed it to the N. 
 
 Our reckoning on to this period placed us in longitude 54' 
 W. from Cadiz, whereas that of the Cape is 2° 43'; so that the 
 error in the reckoning, after a run of eleven days from the 
 island Cuervo, had been \° 49', or twenty-nine leagues, more to 
 the eastward than the true position of the vessel. According 
 
g^PHBB 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 63 
 
 to the time-piece, the error of the reckoning was 1° o7f to the 
 E. ; therefore, the true position was bf, or two leagues and a 
 half, to the E. of the time-piece. 
 
 Although, when -night came on the 10th, we had not got 
 sight of Cadiz, nor could learn the exact point on which it lay 
 from the crew of a fishing-boat, which supplied us with a little 
 fresh bread and fish, we began to sound for the channel leading 
 to the bay, and at 10 p.m. we discovered the light-house of San 
 Sebastian; at 1 1 \ p.m. we came to anchor NVV. by W. from 
 that light- house, in twenty fathoms sand, &c. Next morn- 
 ing (the llth June) we moved into the Bay of Cadiz, and came 
 to anchor, after a voyage of eight months and two days, with- 
 out having lost a single individual of our company during the 
 whole expedition. The commander, and two of the crew, were 
 the only persons seriously ill, and other sixteen slightly affected 
 with scurvy; all of whom were in a short time perfectly re- 
 stored to their ordinary state of health. 
 
 We have already taken notice of the death of two seamen, one 
 on our way out, and the other in the strait; but we do not count 
 on them, as their complaints were contracted on land, before we 
 sailed, and were in no manner occasioned by the voyage. 
 
 Those only who return to their native country, after an ab- 
 sence, and such an absence as ours was, of eight months, can 
 conceive the pleasure we felt, at once more meeting with our 
 friends and countrymen at home; the commander and officers 
 rejoicing that they had so successfully accomplished their un- 
 dertaking,* and the seamen, who quickly forget their dangers 
 and toils, with the satisfactory reflection, that they had strength 
 and courage to resist and overcome all difficulties : — the expedi- 
 tion to the Strait of Magellan manifesting to all what the vigo,ur 
 and steadiness of the Spanish seaman are able to perform. 
 
 * From which some benefit to the world might arise. 
 
[ 64 } 
 
 PART II. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Description of the Strait of Magallanes. — Division of the Country 
 into high and low. — Temperature : Qualities of the Soil. — Pro- 
 ductions of the Strait : Herbs, Plants, Flowers, Shrubs, and 
 Trees. — Description of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and 
 Insects. 
 
 The opinion of the greatest part of naturalists is not impro- 
 bable, that this Strait has been formed by the earthquakes and 
 effects of the volcanos of" this part of the globe. M. Buffon, in 
 his *' Epoquesdela Nature" thinks that the high mountainous 
 part of the country is very ancient, and that the plains are 
 comparatively modern ; assigning as a reason for this opinion, 
 that the sea, agitated by the winds, constant and violent from 
 the west, gradually consuming the west coast of the conti- 
 nent of South America, has gained on the land, on that side, as 
 far as its power was able to prevail ; from which he infers, that 
 the land now seen on that west side must be very ancient ; and 
 also that, on the contrary, the sea loses ground, or falls off, on 
 the eastern coast, leaving uncovered and visible such low lands 
 as are now seen near Cape de las Virgines: so that the low 
 land extending north from Point de Micra to the ridge of hills 
 reaching behind Cape de las Virgines to Cape Possession, is all 
 very modern ; and that, in former times, the sea extended over 
 that low land up to the above ridge, which was then a high 
 steep shore. 
 
 We will, however, now leave these conjectures, and begin 
 to treat of such objects as have been observed ; and the first 
 thing to be noticed is, that the country in the vicinity of the 
 Strait of Magellan must be considered under two different points 
 of view, separating the low or plain part from the mountainous; 
 since there is a total difference, not only in their natural quali- 
 ties and productions, but also in their inhabitants. 
 
 The plains, or low country, occupy all that part of the 
 continent on the north side of the strait from Cape de las Vir- 
 gines westward to Cape Negro, but it is not easy to ascertain its 
 extent towards north and east; only we may be certain it 
 reaches a great way in that direction, and that it joins with the 
 

 ■ ^H w$$ 
 
 to /Ae Strait of Magellan. 65 
 
 vast plains (pampas) of the province of Buenos Ayresand the 
 Patagonian coast, from which it seems to have no sensible dif- 
 ference- 
 On the south side of the strait, the Tierra del Fuego extends 
 westward from Cape Espiritu Santo, as far as Cape San Valen- 
 tin, and to the south-east, according to the account of the Nodales, 
 as far as Cape de Pinas, where the ground begins to rise up, 
 and to become mountainous: so that that portion of Tierra 
 del Fucgo lying between the channel of St. Sebastian on the 
 south, and the Strait of Magellan and the channel of S. Maria 
 de la Cobeza on the north and west, may be considered as one 
 great field of low land, different in every respect from those 
 islands properly called the Tierra del Fuego.* 
 
 From the above-mentioned Cape Negro on the main land, on 
 to that of Victoria, at the west extremity of the strait, the con- 
 tinent presents only a group of barren mountains, with some 
 plain ground at their bottom, which are the beginning of the 
 famous Cordilleras (chain) of the Andes, which divide South 
 America into eastern and western, running through it, north 
 and south, for the distance of 1,700 leagues. 
 
 This cordillera begins at the most southerly point of the 
 north coast of the Strait of Magellan, which is the Moro de San 
 Agueda, otherwise called Cape Forward, which may be consi- 
 dered to be the southern extremity of that vast continent, whose 
 northern limits are still so uncertain. 
 
 Along the coast of Fuego also, from Cape San Valentin to 
 Cape Pilares, are seen pinnacles of prodigious height, whose 
 appearance is, if possible, still more horrid than that of the 
 mountains of the continent; and showing, at first view, that 
 that part of the country is nothing but a group of islands, — a 
 manifest proof of the revolutions which our globe has under- 
 gone. 
 
 The track of country which we distinguish by the appellation 
 plains, or low lands, is not so even as not to have sundry ine- 
 qualities formed by little hills, which occur so frequently, that 
 no considerable portion of the surface is free from heights and 
 hollows. In both these, the nature of the soil is of the same 
 quality, being a compound of darkish-coloured sandy earth; at 
 least, it is so on the surface, and we had no opportunities of 
 digging into it. Nevertheless, from what we saw, in such places 
 as the ground is cut into along the shore, there seems to be no 
 
 * This tract of South America was not so called, the Land of Fire, from airy 
 extraordinary heat experienced in its neighbourhood, but from the fiver- lighted 
 up along the coasts, when the first navigators were seen in those seas. 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. k 
 
PPPBH 
 
 66 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 other difference than only the addition of some small stones. 
 It appears also, that this soil contains a quantity of very acrid 
 salts, which oppose the vegetation of plants and trees ; there 
 being on it but very few of the former, and not the smallest 
 vestige of the latter. 
 
 As we had no occasion of visiting any part of the Tierra del 
 Fuego, we can only say what appeared to our view at a distance; 
 which is, that it seemed to be in all respects similar to the con- 
 tinent, with this difference only, that it is more broken and 
 uneven ; so that, in that point, it has more resemblance to the 
 Falkland Islands, and that, on that account, it is but probable 
 that the productions of both should be much alike. 
 
 So different from this plain country is the aspect and appear- 
 ance of the mountainous track to the westward, that it seems 
 impossible that nature, which, in her changes, generally preserves 
 a certain gradation, should here make so sudden an alteration. 
 
 It is but natural to suppose, that the lofty mountains which 
 occupy this tract are all of the same qualities ; but it is difficult 
 to ascertain the nature of the soil of which their sides, and the 
 narrow levels at their feet, are composed ; for these parts are 
 either entirely clothed with uncommonly thick forests, whose 
 dead trunks and branches, with other decayed vegetables and 
 shrubs, have formed a surface much raised above the true 
 ground, or they are covered with a kind of plant resembling 
 esparto, (a species of rush, greatly resembling bents, very com- 
 mon in Spain,) but much more brittle, from a palm to half a 
 yard in height ; and its colour, Avhen grown up, is like that of 
 esparto when dried, or dead. 
 
 The mountains are covered, in general, with trees, for two- 
 thirds of their height, and the remainder is nothing but a mass 
 of naked, barren, and rugged pinnacles, of a reddish colour ; 
 although there are some parts of a different nature, — that is, or" 
 common granite, called by naturalists saxum t which they con- 
 sider to he the heart, or primitive rock, of all mountains. The 
 upper parts of these ridges are commonly overspread with snow 
 and ice ; which, on account of the extreme humidity of the 
 other parts, is dissolved soon after it falls. We observed no- 
 thing particular on the summits of such mountains as we exa- 
 mined, and they appeared in all respects to correspond to the 
 description given by Don A. de UJloa of the Cordilleras, of 
 which these are a part. 
 
 Between Cape Kcdondo or San Isidro, and Cape Forward, 
 there is a hill very steep, and cut down perpendicularly over the 
 sea, with a depth of water upwards of fifty feet close to the 
 fobt of it, clothed with fair green trees all over the summit, 
 which seem to be entirely composed of shells and other petri- 
 
&&y Q^s 
 
 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■1 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. G7 
 
 fictl substances; on which account M. de Bougainville called it 
 Cape Remarkable. 
 
 The sole di (Terence between these mountains and those of the 
 Tierra del Fuego, is, that they are not so well covered with 
 wood ; nor are the trees there so large or vigorous, being also in 
 general much more loaded with snow. 
 
 Our utter unacquaintance with minerals may perhaps have 
 been the cause of our meeting with no traces of them in these 
 parts; yet the natives (Indians) often brought to us pieces of a 
 stone with which they light their fires, which they said were 
 found in the mountains ; which stones must, no doubt, con- 
 tain some kind of metal, as we imagined, from the specks 
 of a substance more hard and brilliant than the rest of 
 the stone. When it is struck with the steel, it gives fire, 
 and -smells like sulphur ; from which circumstance it is pro- 
 bable, that minerals of different kinds might be found in the 
 bowels of these mountains,* and that these vestiges indicate 
 the existence of volcanos, in former times, in this part of the 
 globe. 
 
 Although little rain fell during the fifteen days of our resi- 
 dence in the plain part of the strait, yet the dryness which we 
 noticed, seemed to be occasioned more by the sandy, and. con- 
 sequently uncompact, nature of the soil, than by the want of 
 rain or dew, which, when they fell, penetrated through it so 
 speedily, that, soon alter a shower, it could not be perceived to 
 have rained at all; to which must be added, that the prevailing 
 winds in that quarter are in themselves dry and violent, as might 
 be perceived from the plants, which are all laid over in the di- 
 rection of these winds: on which account, the soil does not 
 appear proper for the cultivation of any European grain, as has 
 been, after many trials, found to be the case in our settlements 
 in the Falkland Islands, of which the soil is of the same kind. 
 
 In ail this plain tract of country, we found no river or brook 
 deserving notice, only some trilling channel, almost without 
 water: but, on the other hand, there arc several ponds, or 
 small lakes of fresh water, which serve to supply the inhabit- 
 ants. Of its qualities we can say nothing, as we never used 
 any on-board, on account of the difficulty of procuring it in 
 any useful quantity. 
 
 It is not easy to ascertain the temperature of the climate of 
 this part of the strait, from the short stay we made in it; for, as 
 
 * Note 0/ the Original. — Pedro Sarmiento pretends tliat this stor.e is the ore 
 of silver or of gold de Veta, as it entirely resembles the curiouixo de porco del Peru : 
 These are his proper tenns. 
 
 K 2 
 
■ 
 
 G8 
 
 CordovcCs Voyage of Discovery 
 
 the sun was then about eighteen hours above the horizon, it 
 would be improper, from observations at that time, to infer 
 what it might be at others. However, even in this season, an 
 excellent English thermometer with mercury, graduated ac- 
 cording to the scale of Reaumur, exposed constantly to the air 
 in its case, never rose above nine degrees, and sometimes only 
 to five degrees; from which we may conclude, how cold it must 
 be in other times of the year, especially considering that the 
 winds from the W. and WSW. passing over mountains co- 
 vered with eternal snows, and thereby loaded with cold frozen 
 particles, must greatly enhance the severity of the cold. The 
 heavens are generally clear, and the atmosphere bright ; at 
 least, they were so on the two occasions of our passing that 
 way: but this must be understood particularly of the Cape de 
 las Virgines and its neighbourhood ; for, even so soon to the 
 westward as at the first pass of Esperanza, the proximity of the 
 mountains begins to be sensibly felt, the atmosphere there being 
 but rarely free from vapours. 
 
 The temperature of the mountainous track is different in dif- 
 ferent parts. From Cape Negro to Cape Forward it is the most 
 mild, and the appearance of the country the most agreeable. 
 From the latter point to the Cape of St. Geronimo, the climate 
 becomes more severe, and the face of the country more rude 
 and unpleasant. But, even this is nothing to be compared with 
 the remainder of the strait on its west point at Cape Vittoria; to 
 ■which last district, Narborough, with great reason, gave the 
 horrid appellation of the Desolation of the South. 
 
 In the midst of the summer of this part of the earth we ex- 
 perienced severe cold, and a singular inconstancy in the wea- 
 ther : very seldom did we enjoy a clear sky, and short were the 
 moments in which we perceived the heat of the sun. Not a 
 day passed without some ruin ; and, in general, it did not even 
 intermit to rain the whole day long. The thermometer stood 
 at 6° and 7°, and often it fell to zero. At the same time, it 
 must be remarked, that the mountains with which our vessel 
 was surrounded, must necessarily have diminished considerably 
 the cold, whose severit} 7 we found to be most intense, and al- 
 most insupportable on their summits. 
 
 It cannot he doubted that the steep, lofty, and barren, 
 rocks and pinnacles of this part of the strait, covered with 
 perpetual snows, presenting an aspect equally gloomy and 
 frightful, contribute much to the humidity and cold of the at- 
 mosphere ; for which reason the air is constantlv loaded with 
 vapours and logs so dense, that, often the most furious hurri- 
 canes are not able to dissipate them. If here, as in other parts 
 
Kb BIbihHH 
 
 MOM 
 
 fo Me Strait of Magellan. 69 
 
 of the world, the cold should increase proportionately in the 
 winter season, it must be next to intolerable. 
 
 We had no opportunity of experiencing this severity ; but 
 the Dutch, who were detained in this strait by contrary wea- 
 ther, being obliged to remain all the winter in the Bay des 
 Cor-des, lost no less than 80 persons out of their number by the 
 inclemency of the climate : although we need not have recourse 
 to foreign examples, when we reflect on the fate of the colonies 
 planted by Sarmiento, which were entirely destroyed by the 
 climate. 
 
 All authors agree, that the southern hemisphere is, in equal 
 latitudes, twice as cold as the northern. Some pretend, that 
 this arises from the greater space of the former which is occu- 
 pied by the waters of the Ocean; from whence it comes, that, 
 in certain seasons, banks and shoals of snow and ice are met 
 with in no very high latitudes ; and hence also proceed the 
 winds, which continually blow with violence from the west- 
 ward, which, passing over an immense extent of ocean, without 
 meeting any obstacles to interrupt or divert their course, gradu- 
 ally acquire such force, as to be capable of occasioning the 
 most dreadful effects ; in particular, rendering the passage from 
 the north and east, round Cape Horn, so painful and danger- 
 ous. In the Strait of Magellan we observed some variations in 
 the winds ; only, in general, we found that they followed the 
 direction of the channels amongst the islands and mountains; 
 and the impression produced by an atmosphere so loaded and 
 confined between such lofty mountains, contributed much to 
 form those furious gales, blasts, or hurricanes, which we some- 
 times experienced, and whose fury renders so tedious the pas- 
 sage through this strait. 
 
 It is impossible to conceive the moisture prevailing in all 
 these parts, and the multitudes of rivulets and falls of water 
 which, precipitating themselves from the higher parts of the 
 mountains, form a prospect, at first view most agreeable; but 
 which, on a nearer approach, soon produces very opposite 
 sensations. 
 
 These waters are very good when used immediately after 
 they are taken up; but we found that on board ship they did 
 not long remain so, soon acquiring a disagreeable flavour, — 
 a proof of their bad qualities. 
 
 Such being the soil, and such the climate, of the low or plain 
 part of the country bordering on the Strait of Magellan, it is 
 not wonderful that it should produce only the few pllants 
 which we are now going to describe ; observing, at the same 
 time, they are all found in the neighbourhood of the sea : for 
 we had not occasion to penetrate much into the country ; so that 
 

 70 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 it would be wrong either to assort or to believe, that there are 
 not in the interior other classes. 
 
 The whole of the district, we have described as so unfit for 
 vegetation, from the excessive want of moisture in the soil, is, 
 nevertheless, overrun with a species of plant resembling oat- 
 grass, and with another which grows in plenty in the Falk- 
 land Islands, and is there called paxonoL In the month 
 of December this was in its full vigour, the colour between 
 green and yellow, as then nearly ripe and drying up, when it 
 remains like straw. This is the substance with which the Pata- 
 gonians make their torches; and, as far as we saw, it fur- 
 nished good matter for the flame, being else, in ail appearance, 
 extremely fit for the use of cattle, as has been experienced in 
 the Falkland Islands. 
 
 1st. There is one plant, two feet in height, very thick and 
 bushy, its leaves like those of the cypress, and of the same co- 
 lour: at the extremity of each is found a small yellow flower ; 
 so that each little branch forms a sort of nosegay or bouquet of 
 flowers, which arc very small and of a strong aromatic smell, 
 stronger than thyme. The taste is very bitter and resinous. 
 This plant produces no prickles, nor fruit of any sort: its roots 
 are very much scattered, although they are but slender and 
 weak. When you rub the leaves against the hand, they leave 
 a very agreeable and refreshing odour. It resembles a little the 
 erica, or heath, of Spain ; but may rather be considered as a 
 species peculiar to this strait. 
 
 2d. The next plant has but few leaves, -which are small, and 
 covered with a down. It i* the shape of the palm of the hand ; 
 the colour of the upper surface a bright-green, and white and 
 more downy on the under surface : its taste is somewhat sub- 
 acid. The stalk is about \\ foot high, on which it sets out 
 some flowers, which are white in the leaves, but yellow in the 
 ,.npt rp n f thp mlvx re«embliner the marveold : these flowers 
 are always found in a cluster of three or lour together; the 
 stalk is al>o downy and slender; the root, which is white, is 
 from five to seven inches long : in some properties it resembles 
 the sorrel. 
 
 3d. The third is about one foot high ; the leaves smaller than 
 those of sage, being whitish, thick, and hairy ; theirsmell a little 
 aromatic, and taste bitter: it seems to be a species of canipitis, 
 or semper viva, of the fields. 
 
 4th. The fourth plant is a kind of shrub, little more than one 
 foot high, spreading over the ground for more than a yard in 
 circumference; the leaves round, shaped like the fruit of the 
 almond; the colour a dark -green ; its branches thick set with 
 
 4 
 
HH| HB IHH1 Hi £^$ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 71 
 
 prickles in such regular order, that, under each leaf, they form 
 a cross, on which the leaf rests; the taste is acid but disagreea- 
 ble, and it has a sensible smell : it bears a small round fruit, of 
 the same taste; but when we saw it, it was not ripe. 
 
 These four plants are all that deserve any description. The 
 Abbe Perneti, in his voyage to the Falkland Islands, makes 
 mention of some of these, besides several others, peculiar to 
 these islands. It is not improbable, that an experienced bota- 
 nist and naturalist might have discovered in this part of the 
 strait greater treasures, to increase the catalogue of plants 
 already known ; but in that, this tract of country will always 
 remain one of the most barren and unfit for the production of 
 necessaries for men, at least in the article of vegetables. 
 
 If this plain country were proper for the growth of trees, it 
 is but reasonable to suppose that we should have seen some on 
 it ; since the violent winds, blowing almost incessantly from 
 the westward, must, in all probability, on numberless occasions, 
 have conveyed hither the seeds of those with which the moun- 
 tainous tracts to the west are almost entirely covered. 
 
 This supposition is supported by the many and useless at- 
 tempts made by the French and English to raise trees on their 
 respective settlements in the Falkland Islands, transporting 
 them, with all possible precaution, from the Strait of Magellan, 
 which is at no great distance : but neither the one nor the other 
 have hitherto been successful. 
 
 When we (the Spaniards) got possession of these islands, in 
 1764, we also used the most strenuous exertions to the same 
 effect, carrying thither not only young plants, but even the 
 soil, from Buenos Ayrcs ; by which precaution we succeeded 
 in making them take root and live, but not to come to any per- 
 fection ; and even to procure a few cabbages and garden-stuff, 
 although not in perfect ripeness, which never is obtained, it is 
 necessary to sow them under the shelter of some slope or 
 rising ground, and to surround them with hurdles, to defend 
 them from the winds. The same precautions were employed in 
 raising trees; but no advantage was ever reaped from such ex- 
 pensive labour: all which proves the similarity of soil in these 
 islands with the country we are now describing at the mouth of 
 the strait. 
 
 We come now to treat of the quadrupeds of this country, on 
 which subject we must remark, that it appeared very strange, 
 that, in ah this tract, we should not meet with the least trace, 
 nor acquire the smallest information, of horned cattle, which 
 have so prodigiously increased ail over the territory of Buenos 
 Ayres. Perhaps these most useful animals have never arrived 
 at this southern extremity of South America, on account of the 
 
T2 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 large rivers, and other interruptions, which they have not been 
 able to. overcome. 
 
 The first animal that presented itself to our view, was the 
 guanaco Jamas or lama, of which we might have given a cir- 
 cumstantial description, were it not that such accounts arc 
 already common, in all treatises on natural history. We shall 
 therefore confine ourselves to some remarks on the peculiarities 
 of those animals which are found in the neighbourhood of the 
 strait. 
 
 The celebrated naturalist, M. dc BufTon, is of opinion, that 
 the lama only inhabits the coldest regions of the Cordilleras of the 
 .Andes; but this supposition cannot be reconciled with what is* 
 related of them by I). A. de Ulloa, in the Account of his Jour- 
 ney to Pern, nor with the great numbers of them to be found 
 along the Patagonian coast and the plain part of the Strait of 
 Magellan, where they constitute the chief article of the food, 
 and the wealth of the inhabitants. In all the different occasions 
 of our intercourse with the Patagonians, the lama was the only 
 article they presented to us, their abundance of these animals 
 exciting our wonder ; but, although we saw them so frequently 
 on the shore, we had no opportunity of killing any of them. 
 
 It is not to be wondered at, that they should inhabit a tract of 
 country so destitute of water as this is, since it is well known, 
 that they consume but a very small quantity of either food or 
 drink, and frequently quench their thirst by keeping their 
 mouths moist with their own saliva, with which they are fur- 
 nished in much greater abundance than any other kind of ani- 
 mals. 
 
 The Jama has often been carried to Spain, but has never 
 propagated, and has lived but a very short time ; showing that 
 that animal thrives only in the country from which it originally 
 comes. 
 
 The plains abound no Jess with zorillos (called izqurepatly). 
 whose fur is as pleasant to the eye and the touch, as the smell 
 of its urine is pestiferous, which may be perceived at a 
 very great distance. Our officers shot some of them, but 
 were obliged to throw them into the sea, to prevent the 
 vessel from being poisoned with their abominable smell. Great 
 care is requisite in depriving their fur of this most offensive 
 odour, "which would render them totally unserviceable; and, 
 even after they are properly prepared, they must be kept per- 
 fectly dry ; for, on the least communication with water, they 
 again revive their loathsome smell. 
 
 All naturalists agree, that this animal (the zorillo) is found 
 only in the New World ; and M. de BufTon has very properly 
 remarked a difference which subsists between those of the south 
 
BBS HBMHMp 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan, 73 
 
 parts of America, and those in the districts of Carthagena and 
 the river Orinoco [notOronoco], both in the size and the colour 
 of the skin, as also in the smell of its urine, which is still more 
 abominable than even that of the zorillo of Magellan. 
 
 We have but little to observe concerning the horse, of which 
 the Patagonians make such constant use, as it is well known 
 that the original Americans were totally unacquainted with that 
 noble animal, and his usefulness in the purposes of civilized 
 life, until they had experienced the advantages derived from 
 them by the Europeans, who first transported them to this part 
 of the globe; by that means greatly facilitating their conquest of 
 America. 
 
 The perfect similarity proves manifestly that the Patagonians 
 have drawn, and still continue to receive, such horses as they 
 now possess in so great numbers, from the immense plains or 
 pampas of Buenos Ayres, where these animals have increased! 
 to a degree almost beyond conception or belief. 
 
 The author (Walter) of the Voyage of Commodore Ansori 
 round the World, asserts, that the natives of these parts prefer 
 the flesh of horses for food to that of any other animal ; 
 but, although we took a great deal of pains to discover the 
 truth of this assertion, we never were able to learn whether 
 the Patagonians do really follow that practice: on the con- 
 trary, Ave are inclined to think that it is at best extremely 
 doubtful. 
 
 Such faithful companions of these natives are their dogs, 
 that they are very seldom seen without a vast crowd of them. 
 Their race resembles that which at Buenos Ayres is called cimar- 
 rones, (wild, untamed, also spotted or speckled,) and from 
 whence, most probably, they originally received them, whi- 
 ther they were first carried by the Europeans; since it is cer- 
 tain, what is related by the histories of America, and which is 
 confirmed by Cook, in his first voyage to the South Seas, that 
 the indigenous animals of the canine race, in that country, ne- 
 ver bark ; whereas, those which accompanied the Patagonians 
 gave unequivocal proofs, and that even at a great distance, of 
 their being descended from ancestors natives of the Old Con- 
 tinent. 
 
 As the low parts of this strait are entirely destitute of trees, 
 it is not surprising that few birds should be met with; we shall 
 therefore omit the aquatic fowl, which are common to both, 
 parts of the strait, and observe, that we only saw some of those 
 large birds of this continent, which, from their general resem- 
 blance to the ostrich, have been distinguished by the same name; 
 but which, when carefully examined, are found to be essenti- 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. l 
 
74 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 ally different from the ostrich : on which account, several Spa- 
 nish naturalists, as well as Buffon, have reserved to the bird the 
 appellation tayn, by which it is known to the inhabitants of the 
 district in which it was first observed : so that the tuyu, which 
 is only found in America, ought not to be confounded with the 
 ostrich, which is a bird peculiar to Africa. 
 
 We also saw some birds of prey ; amongst others, a kind of 
 small eagle, called by the naturalists the little eagle or grey 
 falcon, which is so frequent in the Falkland Islands. 
 
 These are all the animals which are to be found at the en- 
 trance of the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 We met with no fish of any kind here, so that it must be far 
 from plentiful ; and the shores also seem to be destitute of shell- 
 fish. 
 
 We come now to the mountainous part of the Strait of Ma- 
 gellan, of whose temperature we have already made mention. 
 In the narrow plains and levels along the foot of the mountains 
 grow small round heaps, formed by a plant whose leaves arc 
 round, and so closely set and interwoven together, that each 
 plant forms a sort of carpet, extremely equal and even, having 
 on the inside nothing but the roots, which, in proportion as 
 they grow, continue to increase this heap of leaves, until it 
 assumes the appearance of a large round loaf. This plant is 
 called by botanists sedum minimum. 
 
 These heaps or loaves, as they may be called, are from one to 
 two feet high, and the same in diameter, and, when they are in 
 their vigour, are so strong as to bear the weight of a man ; but 
 we observed, that, when they began to decay, they easily gave 
 way, on placing the foot on them. When they are in a middle 
 state, that is, neither so green as to possess all their power of 
 resistance, nor so decayed as to have the roots putrid, they 
 raise and lower their surface, when one stands on them, with a 
 sort of elasticity or tremulous motion, produced by their own 
 strength, as also by the moss or green crust of the ground, 
 which grows up among them. 
 
 The surface or soil in which these loaf-shaped heaps grow, 
 is not the solid ground, but only the remains of other heaps of 
 the same kind, corrupted by the moisture ; so that the real soil 
 or earth is not met with for four, five, or six, feet lower down, 
 which must render extremely difficult, if not entirely abortive, 
 any attempt .to bring into a state of cultivation this ground, 
 which, in all probability, has lain in its present state from its 
 first formation. The proper soil consists of a kind of clay, 
 of a darkish colour, and light, with some small stones, and a 
 little fine sand \ so that, if the soil were not so beset with the 
 

 to Me Strait of Magellan. 75 
 
 above-mentioned plant and crust, it seems to be not unapt for 
 cultivation and agriculture, at least, as far as we may judge 
 by the abundance and vigour of all the vegetables which it pro- 
 duces. 
 
 The plant just described covers almost the whole surface; of 
 ■which we have thought it better to give the foregoing descrip- 
 tion, than to lose time in enquiring for a proper name for it, or 
 a correct assimilation to some other better known, which per- 
 haps would be so much labour thrown away; being convinced 
 that, from what has been related concerning it, experienced 
 botanists will be at no loss to distinguish it, and to arrange it 
 according to its proper class of vegetable productions. 
 
 There is another plant in great abundance, near two yards 
 high, very thick set with leaves from the root upwards, 
 which are of a bright-green, and arranged in the shape of a 
 cross ; the flowers are white and beautiful, the petals being 
 very small, grouped together like a nosegay. The natives eat 
 this plant, which is to them a great dainty. We had not the 
 good fortune to procure its seed in proper season, which con- 
 sists of a few square long grains in the flower. The taste of 
 this plant is subacid, with very little sweetness in it. 
 
 Another plant is frequently found, whose leaves are of the 
 shape and colour of the vine, but of the size of the ivy. Its 
 height is not quite three yards. In summer it sends out the 
 fruit, which consists of clusters of berries, about the size of a 
 large pea, very black, and sweet; of which our people ate 
 freely, without experiencing any inconvenience therefrom. 
 This plant is the uva ursa?, having the same figure and property 
 with others of the same kind that are well known. 
 
 Another species of the same shrub, of a yellow colour, is 
 also found here, with a smaller leaf than the former ; having on 
 its branches a fruit of the same taste and colour, but a different 
 shape : so that it may be considered as belonging to the same 
 kind of plant, and possessed of the same properties and virtues. 
 
 Intermingled with these shrubs is found, on the ground, 
 plants bearing a flower, which, even in Europe, the fair sex 
 might esteem handsome. This flower is bell-shaped, of a rose- 
 colour, growing on a kind of small myrtle. Also another plant, 
 with leaves like the myrtle, produces numbers of white flowers, 
 of delicious smell: this gives a reddish round fruit, like a pea, 
 having within it a stone like the plum. Besides which, there 
 are three other kinds of the same plant. The taste, far from 
 being agreeable, is dry and insipid; but the leaves are harsh 
 and astringent, so that they may be supposed to contain more 
 virtue than the fruit. 
 
 L2 
 
7$ Cordova's Voyage of Discovert/ 
 
 Near ibe rivulet* or streams of water, there is commonly 
 found in great abundance, on the ground, a plant, different 
 from the melon, but very much resembling it in the leaf: each 
 of which springs out of the ground by a separate pedicle, the 
 colour of an ordinary green ; the pedicle, or foot-stalk, red- 
 dish ; the taste of the leaf very bitter. We also found this plant 
 in the mountain de la Cruz, having in its calyx a small scarlet 
 berry, like an unripe mulberry ; the root is long, but not thick. 
 From the properties of this plant, we called it Malva Alagel- 
 lanica. 
 
 In one of the bogs we examined we found a great quantity of 
 fern, resembling that which grows in Spain; and, in various 
 other places, a species of maidenhair, but very different from 
 that which grows in moist situations. 
 
 There are also along the beach many plants, whose height 
 does not exceed two feet, with leaves as large as those of the 
 white beet. 
 
 On the trunks of trees, and beside the channels of water, is 
 found a kind of vetch, or knot-grass, which is a plant with 
 leaves as small as those of lentils ; its stalks very broad, and of a 
 dry insipid taste. 
 
 Also, along the sea-shore, we met with some shrubs, whose 
 leaves are very fine and delicate, resembling the willow, 
 of a bright-green colour; the flowers scarlet and bell-shaped, 
 having in the centre three small blue petals, enclosing the calyx, 
 altogether offering a very pleasant sight to the eye. The seed 
 lies in a small sheath, like a kernel, but more slender and 
 round ; the stem is very crooked, and in general covered 
 with a coat of moss ; but the wood is neither strong nor 
 heavy. 
 
 Near the beach is also found a large quantity of wild parsley, 
 or parsley of Macedonia, of a tolerably agreeable flavour. On 
 account of the antiscorbutic qualities of this plant, we made 
 constant use of it in our vessel ; the ship's company eating it, 
 with much advantage, both in soup and broth, and by way of 
 salad. 
 
 In the interior of the woods we met with some plants of anise, 
 but were not so fortunate as to find its grains or seed, notwith- 
 standing that we were in the strait during the season in which 
 it is ripe. 
 
 Great part of these woods is overrun with a plant very like 
 rosemary, but which is of a different kind : it is of various 
 heights, the tallest not being two yards; each plant being thick 
 and bushy from the ground upwards ; tne leaves of a bright- 
 green, whitish in the upper surfaces, and a little downy on the 
 
■H ■n^H^^^K 
 
 ^^H| H ^44" 
 
 ta </ȣ .SfraxV of Magellan. 77 
 
 interior ; their length about one inch, and greatest breadth one 
 quarter of an inch. It bears flowers on each branch of the 
 upper part of the shrub, of a white colour, but of very little 
 smell; the taste bitter, and somewhat insipid; but, when it is 
 burnt, it exhales a very pleasant odour. 
 
 The myrtle is the shrub which produces the fruit which 
 has been used by perhaps all the travellers who have passed 
 this strait, on account of its subacid sweetish taste, being 
 of a cooling quality, and extremely pleasant, when perfectly 
 ripe. Of this fruit there are many kinds; some being round, 
 others oblong, others heart-shaped. They vary also in their 
 colour ; some being black, others red, rose-colour, or entirely 
 white ; which last are the sweetest. 
 
 This plant, called by Sarmiento moniina, is of different sizes, 
 some being found from one foot to two yards, all producing 
 fruit in their season. The leaves are smallish, but long and 
 sharp-pointed ; so much so, that, in getting the fruit, they 
 prick the hands: the colour of all these leaves is a dark-green, 
 and insipid and astringent. This fruit constitutes a part of the 
 food of the Indians, and our crew also eat them abundantly. 
 
 Although we saw no more, it would be rash to assert, that the 
 Strait of Magellan produces no other plants than those we have 
 recapitulated, since it is but natural to imagine that it may fur- 
 nish many other kinds, especially in the mountainous track, of 
 which we examined but a very small portion. It was a fortu- 
 nate season for our enquiries, when we were in these parts, as 
 almost all the plants and shrubs were then in flower, and in 
 their greatest vigour, which much facilitated our procuring the 
 foregoing account of each sort. We now proceed to that of the 
 trees. 
 
 There are three kinds of trees found in the vast forests which 
 clothe almost the whole surface of the mountainous track of the 
 strait. The first, which is the least valuable, has some resem- 
 blance to the beech of the northern parts of the world, 
 but still differs very materially from that tree; for which reason, 
 it appears, that the celebrated Mr. Banks, (now Sir Joseph,) 
 "who accompanied Captain Cook in his first voyage to the South 
 Seas, gives it the name fagus antarcticus; at the same time ob- 
 serving, that he considered it to be peculiar to this country. 
 
 The height of this tree is prodigious ; but, in many that we 
 cut down, we found the heart damaged, so that it is not fit for 
 work : nor do its fibres possess that strength which might, from 
 its great size, be expected. 
 
 The second kind, which is more abundant, is called by natu- 
 ralists bclula antarctica, although it bears no resemblance to the 
 
 l 
 

 78 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 birch. These trees are found of all sizes ; some so large and 
 straight, that they might form masts, or any other part of the rig" 
 ging, of a ship, if the timber were not intrinsically so heavy. The 
 timber is of a white colour, and it cleaves or splits only from top 
 to bottom : when the moisture it contains has been dried off, it 
 must be excellent for any kind of carpenter's or joiner's work. 
 The leaves form groups or bunches of different sizes in the 
 branches : their colour a bright-green ; their size about that of 
 the nail of the thumb, of an oval shape, terminating in a point, 
 not quite sharp, and indented all round the edge. 
 
 The fruit is about the size of a large pea, covered with a very 
 aromatic resin or gum, affording a refreshing smell, when rub- 
 bed with the fingers. This resin likewise perspires through the 
 substance of the tree, between the coats of the fruit, and then, 
 hardening with the external cold, remains like a small button 
 or knob on each fruit. 
 
 The seed is small, black, and round, like a large pea, having 
 in the centre a black powder, necessary for its propagation and 
 fecundity, which is in great abundance. 
 
 The bark of these trees is proportioned to their size, having 
 seen that of some which were not less than thirty-five feet in cir- 
 cumference. It is easily separated from the wood, and the 
 Indians make use of it to form their canoes. 
 
 We carried on-board several of these resinous fruits, to see 
 whether any use could be made of their virtues ; and, by their 
 smell, the}' resembled gum copal. 
 
 The third kind of tree, which is the most valuable, and not the 
 least common, in this part of the strait, is that which, having 
 been discovered by Captain Winter, on the south and west parts 
 of Tierra del Fuego, has obtained his name : many botanists 
 call it laurus nobilis, and the bark Winter' s-bark. There are of 
 these trees all sizes. The leaves resemble entirely those of the 
 laurel or bav, ybout five inches long, and one inch and a half in 
 their greatest breadth ; their colour a dark-green. Both tho 
 leaves and the bark possess a very aromatic smell, perceived 
 when they are broken or rubbed in the hand. The bark, be- 
 sides, has a sharp biting taste, bearing some resemblance to 
 pimento, and sweetish, which remains some time in the mouth 
 after chewing it. 
 
 The thickness of this bark is proportioned to the size of the 
 tree itself, so that we gathered some pieces above an inch in 
 thickness. This bark consists of two coats closely united; the 
 outer of an ash-colour, and the inner coat, when fresh cut, is of 
 a dull white; but it soon turns reddish, and at lust becomes of 
 the colour of chocolate. 
 

 HH| HH »i^ H Ipl 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 79 
 
 The seed resembles pepper, containing each four or five 
 grains, black, longish, and semicircular; and their taste and 
 flavour like that of the bark, but much more pungent and ac- 
 tive. The seed forms clusters of five or six together. 
 
 We planted some young trees of this kind in the soil -where 
 we found them, of which we took the greatest care ; but they all 
 dried up when we got into the neighbourhood of the Equinoc- 
 tial ; so that, unless the seeds we brought home shall spring, we 
 shall be disappointed in our hopes of transplanting this valuable 
 tree in Spain. 
 
 The qualities of this bark show that it possesses a corroborat- 
 ing, antiscorbutic, stomachic, virtue. We made use of it as 
 spice or pepper in our soup and broth, which not only gave it an 
 agreeable flavour, but also an advantageous property. The 
 water that filtrates commonly through the roots of this tree, we 
 found acquired from it a digestive and laxative power : so that 
 it is proper to be cautious in the use of this bark in cold cli- 
 mates, or in winter season; for, even in summer and in warm 
 countries, so far from doing good, it might be hurtful, as it is 
 too irritating. 
 
 In the moist and marshy places we found a kind cf shrubs, or 
 small trees, resembling the cypress, growing up extremely 
 straight and even. They are covered with branches from the 
 very ground : their greatest height from four to five yards ; 
 the greatest thickness of the stem, or trunk, ten to twelve 
 inches. The leaves are like those of the cypress, and of the 
 same colour, and only differ from them in being four-cornered. 
 The fruit is small and black. When we saw them, they were 
 dry and hollow, with a seminal powder within them. The taste 
 of the leaves is excessively bitter, even surpassing that of 
 broom. 
 
 In the woods is seen a species of palm, whose stem is about 
 one yard high, and its thickness twenty inches. The hranches 
 are placed at the top, opposite to each other, in the manner of 
 the date-tree, but never forming a cluster : the largest of 
 them about one yard, having the leaves joined together, like 
 fern or polipody ; their colour bright-green, and of a disagree- 
 able taste. We did not find any fruit on these shrubs, which 
 abounded in the neighbourhood of streams of fresh water, and 
 which, from their general resemblance, may be considered as 
 belonging to the palms. 
 
 The amarillo (yellow tree or bush), or thorny tree, is in 
 height from two to three yards ; its leaves and branches ad I 
 beset with prickles and thorns; the leaves and branches of a 
 
SO Cordova? s Voyage of Discovery 
 
 dark-green on the outside, but within, and also in the stem, of 
 a deep-yellow. It produces a fruit like a mulberry when ripe, 
 of a feeble acid taste ; but stronger when unripe, and possessing 
 the same virtues. 
 
 The only quadrupeds observed in this mountainous district, 
 are the dogs, of the same race with those of the Patagonians, 
 from whom, most probably, the natives have drawn them ; and 
 a sort of deer, which we saw only at a distance, and therefore 
 cannot say precisely of what kind they were, as there are great 
 varieties in these animals. 
 
 Sarmiento, in his account of his Passage through this Strait, 
 mentions his having seen traces of tygers : on this wc can only 
 say, that we met with nothing of that kind ; neither does this 
 climate seem at all proper or suitable for such animals. 
 
 Much more numerous than the quadrupeds are the birds 
 which inhabit the woods; but the shortness of our time, and 
 the few opportunities we had of shooting or hunting, and the 
 difficulty of ascertaining the names of each kind, obliges us to 
 confine our remarks to those alone which most frequently pre- 
 sented themselves to our view. 
 
 It is a commonly-received opinion, that cold countries and 
 severe climates are but little abundant in birds; and that even 
 those they produce are not so beautiful, nor possess such variety 
 and brilliancy of colours, as those of the torrid zone: neverthe- 
 less, we saw in this part of the strait a kind of green ravens, 
 of the size of a pigeon, with some scarlet birds, like those of 
 Chili, of a very beautiful appearance. 
 
 More beautiful, however, is a little bird, about the size of a 
 sparrow, whose feathers are black as jet, and have a very 
 narrow golden stripe running lengthways, and a yellow beak. 
 This contrast of colours forms a whole of a very beautiful ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 The magpie is also met with, which differs little from that 
 of Spain. 
 
 Snipes or woodcocks (becasinus), are also very common, of 
 the same kind with those found in the Falkland islands, and of 
 an exquisite flavour. 
 
 We also saw very frequently a kind of bird resembling our 
 blackbirds (mains), but which is, without doubt, of a different 
 species. 
 
 What caused much astonishment to us, was to meet, 
 even on the mountains covered with snow, some small 
 birds, to which, on account of their resemblance to ours, 
 we called Magellanic swallows. Perhaps these are not, in 
 
HBHH 
 
 
 m^liSliM '$$% IH 
 
 to Me iVrajV o/* Magellan. 8 1 
 
 spite of appearances, of the same kind with those which, in 
 autumn, retire from Europe, to enjoy a more temperate climate 
 iii their native country. 
 
 The singing and voice of these birds, and of all the other 
 sorts, have nothing in them very agreeable ; so that our ears 
 were never much entertained by any sounds we heard to pro- 
 ceed from them. 
 
 The Indians presented to the commander, Don A. Cordova, a 
 small humming-bird, dead and dried up, but with almost all its 
 feathers, in every respect similar to those found in the hottest 
 climates. It is difficult to explain whether that class of birds can 
 exist in such a country, seemingly so opposite to their nature ; 
 but, as we saw only this single bird, and that one dead, we could 
 not determine whether it had been driven by some accident to 
 this part of America, where it perished, or whether the climate of 
 b%° S. latitude be in reality so contrary to its nature as has been 
 hitherto supposed. 
 
 Birds of prey are not wanting in this region, which live by the 
 plunder and destruction of the weaker classes ; but of them we 
 are unable to furnish any proper information. 
 
 Much more numerous, and considerable in point of utility, 
 are the aquatic birds. The geese, both the common and the 
 royal, are here found in great abundance, and are of an excel- 
 lent flavour. 
 
 Another kind of fowl, not less common, although their flesh 
 smells a little of shell-tish, but which is nevertheless tolerable 
 food, is found in the bays of the strait, and in the neighbour- 
 hood of the rivulets. The}' are smaller than the geese, their 
 feathers black-and-white ; the beak scarlet, and long. They 
 are always seen in pairs ; and, when pursued, utter a very sin- 
 gular ;ii)d particular kind of whistle. 
 
 There is also a prodigious number of another kind of geese, 
 called by our sailors bastards, because their flesh is abominable 
 and insupportable: their feathers black-and-white, the neck 
 long, the head of moderate size, the beak yellow, the tail very 
 short ; their flight not very rapid, and in general they fly in 
 large flocks. 
 
 The flesh-birds, or bone-breakers, as they are called, abound 
 in the strait; some of them extremely large. 
 
 The sea-gulls also are here in prodigious numbers, and 
 of many different sorts. The most beautiful is one not big- 
 ger than a large turtle: its head is black, the whole body 
 and wings of a dazzling whiteness, mixed with a few light black 
 strokes ; diamonds and rubies themselves do not equal the bril- 
 liancy of its eyes, round the pupils of which is a circle 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. 11. m 
 
8 2 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 coloured like carmine, which adds infinitely to the beauty of 
 this animal. 
 
 The penguins never flv ; but so rapid is their course over the 
 surface of the water, making use of their wings in place of oars, 
 that they leave behind them a track in the water like a ship's 
 Wake ; so that it is very difficult to take them : however, when 
 on the shore, they very seldom escape. M. l'Abbe Perneti, 
 in his very judicious History of the Falkland Islands, has treated 
 at sufficient length of all these birds. 
 
 In all the strait we met with no poisonous animal nor trou- 
 blesome insect ; in which observation we agree with all other 
 voyagers to this part of the globe. It is true that, within the 
 woods, are found a few mosquitos, but they neither bite nor in- 
 commode with their buzzing noise ; nor do they ever come out 
 of the shade of the trees, no doubt, on account of the severity of 
 the open air. There are also some butterflies and field-spi- 
 ders: a number of beetles are also seen, but a little different 
 from those to be found in Spain. 
 
 We have but little to say respecting the fish, which, contrary 
 to our expectations, is by no means abundant in this strait ; and 
 only in the neighbourhood of the rivers are any found, which 
 however, we must say, are of an excellent flavour. Neither 
 ■with the net nor the rod did we catch more than four kinds: 
 one called mullet, of all sizes, but the largest not exceeding six 
 or eight pounds. In the Falkland Islands this fish is called ba- 
 calao; for, when it is cured, it is not inferior to that brought 
 from Newfoundland. The next sort is the espcrcuro, which is 
 not so common. The third is very small, of a reddish gelati- 
 nous quality, whose tribe we do not know. And, lastly, the 
 fourth is the pexe Tcy (king-fish), some of which weighed 
 about half a pound ; well deserving the name they hear, if not 
 on account of their size, at least from their delicious flavour, for, 
 wheo fried, they are most exquisite. 
 
 We also saw some whales, porpoises, and sea-wolves or sea- 
 lions ; but it is needless here to say any thing concerning these 
 cetaceous animals, already so well known, and which are pre- 
 cisely of the same kinds with those which frequent the seas and 
 coasts of Spanish America. 
 
 But, to make up for the scarcity of fish, the shores of the 
 strait abound with most excellent shell-fish. The megillones 
 mussels, lempits, spouts, sea-snails or whelks, and sea hedge- 
 hog, constitute the chief nourishment of the Indians; but not 
 of the Patagonians, who draw no part of their food from the 
 sea; and were also the constant feast of our ship's company 
 jn the strait. The mussels, in particular, whose size is often 
 
|H H| ^^^i ^#fe* 
 
 fo Me «S7ra# of Magellan. 83 
 
 five or six inches, are not inferior in flavour to the richest 
 oysters; for which reason, to distinguish them from others, na- 
 turalists have given them the appellation of Magellanic mussels. 
 In many of them are found pearls, produced, according to the 
 general opinion, by a disease to which that shell-fish is subject. 
 The lempits are of an uncommon largeness, and the inner part 
 of the shell is a mother-of-pearl of great beauty ; but they are 
 neither so agreeable to the taste as the mussels, nor by far so 
 easily digested. 
 
 In our nets we used to bring up also a number of santozas 
 lobsters, and a kind of crab, of tolerable quality. 
 
 All these sorts of shell-fish feed, in general, on the juice of a 
 marine plant called cachiyuyo or cachiyullo ; but, by the natu- 
 ralists who accompanied Cook in his first voyage to the South 
 Seas, fucus giganteus anlar elicits, as being peculiar to this 
 southern hemisphere. The stalk of this plant extends to the 
 surface of the water, being in length from fifteen to twenty feet. 
 Cook indeed says, that there are some plants of sixty to seventy- 
 feet ; but, in the course of our voyage, we met with none of 
 such extraordinary length. The roots are attached to the rocks 
 and stones in the bottom of the sea, and are of the same colour 
 with the plant itself, which is of a dark-yellow, resembling that 
 of dead leaves of trees when they begin to dry; the stalk is 
 about the thickness of the finger ; it discharges a mucilaginous 
 slimy juice. From space to space are seen small longish blad- 
 ders, of little thickness, tilled with water, from which springs 
 the leaf, about two or two and a half feet long, and in its great- 
 est breadth from four to five inches. This leaf ends in a point, 
 being shaped like a very sharp-pointed almond ; it is not 
 smooth on the surface, Out neatly figured with longitudinal 
 lines, a little raised above the root, so that, at a distance, they 
 resemble the water-ribbons. From each root spring up five or 
 six of these stalks or branches, so closely set together as often 
 to cover entirely a large space of the sea, and so thick, that it 
 is with the greatest difficulty that a boat can pass over them. 
 
 The sight of this plant indicates always a rocky or stony 
 bottom; so that, if possible, navigators ought to avoid sailing- 
 near it, on account of the inequality of the depth of water 
 constantly found where it grows. In many parts, vast quan- 
 tities of cachiyuyo are found floating on the surface of the 
 sea, torn from their roots by the tide and force of the wind ; so 
 that the shores of the strait are generally covered with it. 
 
 Such is the soil and climate, and such are the productions and 
 animals, to be found in the Strait of Magellanes. This is the 
 whole stock furnished by nature to the inhabitants, of whom it 
 is now time to offer some information. 
 
 M 2 
 
84 
 
 Cordova's Vox/age of Discovery 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Of the Inhabitants of the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 The extreme moisture, and consequent unhealthiness, of this 
 climate, is the cause of the low state of population in this strait. 
 The inhabitants are composed of two races of men, different 
 from each other in every respect ; those who dwell in the 
 plains, and those who inhabit the mountains. The latter, in 
 particular, are in very small numbers; for, from Cape Negro 
 to Cape Forward, we only saw one tribe, consisting of forty or 
 fifty persons, who followed the frigate all the way to Cape Re- 
 dondo ; and we are even inclined to believe, that they do not 
 extend to the westward of Cape Forward, as they are in all ap- 
 pearance the same individuals that were met by Bougainville and 
 other French navigators, when they went to the strait to pro- 
 vide wood for their settlement in Falkland Islands. It is not so 
 easy to ascertain the number of the other inhabitants of the 
 Strait, since we only observed about seventy persons, but per- 
 haps there are many more. The plain country at the east and 
 is much better peopled ; but, as there is so striking a difference 
 between these two classes of Americans, we shall give separate 
 accounts of each class. 
 
 The inhabitants of the plain country on the east and north 
 part of the Strait of Magellan are the famous Patagonians, who, 
 under so many different appearances and accounts, have fur- 
 nished such ample room for the investigations and discussions 
 of the literati of Europe, and have for so long a time kept up a 
 high degree of uncertainty respecting the existence of a nation 
 of giants ; in favour of which notion they seemed to offer a most 
 convincing argument. 
 
 When the elegant and judicious Dr. Robertson v/rcle his 
 History of America, he remained undecided on this subject, on 
 account of the great diversity of opinions received in the world; 
 expressing his surprise, that, seeing all animals are found to 
 arrive at their highest perfection only in the temperate climates 
 of the earth, in which the necessaries for their sustenance and 
 preservation are found in the greatest abundance, nature should 
 have reserved for the ungrateful region of Magellan, and for a 
 tribe of wandering savages, to exhibit the highest honour of the 
 human race, distinguishing them by an increase of stature and 
 a vigour of body superior to those of all other men. 
 
 We will not enter on discussions foreign to our purpose, re- 
 specting the long-disputed stature and strength of the people 
 
W8m BSiWM ^WBWBB l 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 85 
 
 before the Flood ; or whether, by a particular exertion of her 
 powers, Nature has preserved in any corner of the globe a race 
 of gigantic size; but merely content ourselves with asserting, 
 that, in no respect whatever, can the Patagonians be called a 
 nation of giants. 
 
 The many and careful measurements and observations of the 
 officers of our frigate, exactly tallying with those made by 
 Messrs. Carteret, Ulloa, and Bougainville, correspond precisely 
 with the correct description left us of these men by the two 
 JSJodales, who passed this strait in 1618, viz. that the Patago- 
 nians were strong-limbed, well-personed men, (unos hombrcs 
 viembrud-os y a personation.) 
 
 It is impossible to avoid taking notice of the heavy char-re 
 brought against tlie first Spanish navigators and travellers, of lu.v- 
 ing given rise to the fable of the gigantic stature of tlie Patagoni- 
 ans, in order to render still more extraordinary the occurrences of 
 their voyages, which, for that purpose, certainly needed nothing 
 butasimpje relation of the truth. A great number of authors, w 10 
 iiave taken a share in this contest, all agree in affirming, that 
 Magellanes Loaisa, the brothers Nodales, and even Sanniei to 
 himself, all, with one accord, bear witness to the gigantic sta- 
 ture of the Patagonians. But we, who have bad-access to, aid 
 carefully examined, the original journals of these celebrated 
 navigators, have found in them nothing in the least supporting 
 such an opinion. 
 
 The Journal of Alvo, which alone remains of all tho^e male 
 in the expedition of Magellanes, does not even make mention of 
 the Patagonians. Urduneta, in mentioning that he had inter- 
 course with them, calls them grandes y feos, (large and ugly.) 
 The MS. of Meri, although it treats particularly of these na- 
 tives of South America, takes not the least notice of their sta- 
 ture. The same may be said of Camargo. Ladrilleros affirms, 
 that the people of the strait are well-bodied men, stout and 
 stately, and of great strength. The inhabitants of the month, 
 towards the north, have large bodies, both men and women ;. 
 the men being of great strength, and very alert and active. 
 Sarmiento, in his first voyage, says only, that ten men could 
 hardly hold one Patagonian ; and, without expressing their 
 size, calls them in general giants, saying, that, to the east end of 
 the river San Juan de la Possession in Port Famine, begins the 
 race of big men. In his second voyage, he adds, that the In- 
 dians of the strait were large and tall, and their captain or chief 
 the biggest and tallest: and he always distinguishes the inha- 
 bitants of the north mouth by the epithet, the Great People; 
 teyU>g, that one he took on-bourd was of large limbs. Her- 
 
86 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 nando Tome, the Spanish seaman who was delivered by 
 Cavendish, in his passage through the strait, affirms, in his decla- 
 ration, that the Indians with whom the colony of Sarmiento had 
 intercourse were of gigantic size ; and, in another place, that 
 they were very bulky and ugly, or unshapely. We have al- 
 ready mentioned the opinion of the Nod ales; so that, upon the 
 whole, it is evident, that not one of the first Spanish navigators 
 attributes to the Patagonians that prodigious stature, nor the 
 other extraordinary circumstances spread abroad to the world, 
 by authors who, even down to Seixas, in l()yO, have written 
 multitudes of inventions and falsehoods. 
 
 The Italian Pagifeta, in the romance which he published, as 
 a History of Magellanes' Expedition, is the first who gave to 
 the Patagonians a stature of more than four )-ards ; but, ab- 
 stracting from the little credit due to this author, on account of 
 the absurdities and falsehoods scattered over his work, in the 
 circumstance of their size he is so inconsistent, that, alter hav- 
 ing furnished them with heads of a monstrous size, he says 
 that Magellanes, amongst other presents, gave to one of them 
 his own cap, which the other immediately put on and wore, 
 although Magellanes was himself far from being a giant. So 
 fond was Pagifeta of such prodigies, that he has even planted 
 giants on the banks of the Puo de la Plata. 
 
 Maximilian Transilvanus, who in his work only translated 
 Pagifeta's book, repeats the same absurd story, and even em- 
 bellishes it with some improbabilities of his own invention. 
 
 As these two were the only works which had general circula- 
 tion in the world, they fell into the hands of authors of more 
 simplicity than discernment, such as Gonzaio Fernandez Oviedo, 
 Avho translated the above and many other fables into his General 
 and Natural History of the Indies ; enlarging much on the 
 Patagonians, confiding in the information he received from the 
 clergyman Arizega, who, wantonly abusing his credulity, told 
 him many things which do not appear in the formal declaration 
 he afterwards made, and which are totally undeserving of cre- 
 dit: such as, that even a tall man could not reach with his 
 hand to the waist of a Patagonian; that these people devoured 
 a couple of pounds of raw Hcsh at a mouthful ; that they drank, 
 off six or seven arrobas (18 or c 20 gallons) of water at a draught, 
 and other ridiculous exaggerations, to be seen in the above 
 history. 
 
 When this opinion came to be published by Oviedo, a co- 
 temporary author, it is not to be wondered at tnat it began to 
 gain credit, and was adopted by Gomara, Argensela, and other 
 writers, who, w ? ith excessive credulity, committed to writing 
 
^ i^^^^^H #&?&$>& H $pf 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan* 87 
 
 whatever they heard of these remote regions. Gomara not 
 only copied Pagifeta, but added many other absurdities, col- 
 lected from other quarters. 
 
 Nothing can be farther from our intention than to wish to bring 
 into ridicule these historians of acknowledged merit ; we only 
 mention these things, to show how easily thev might be induced 
 to give credit to the gigantic stature of the Patagonians. Who- 
 ever is at all acquainted with the writers of the. sixteenth cen- 
 tury, knows well that that was not the age of philosophy. Eru- 
 dition, indeed, abounded in it ; but criticism arose in the fol- 
 lowing century. Notwithstanding, those authors who possessed 
 a superior degree of judgment and discrimination, did not em- 
 brace that opinion, as was the case with Acosta ; who, although 
 he repeats the stories of the giants said to have been found in 
 various parts of America, does not mention the Patagonians as 
 such, although it came within the limits of his history: and though 
 he has allotted a separate chapter of his work to give an account 
 of the Strait of Magellan. The famous Camoens likewise, who 
 might, in his poem, with such propriety, have represented that 
 nation as of prodigious stature, has, however, simply related 
 the matter-of-fact. 
 
 It is also highly noticeable, that, of the great number of writers 
 who gave credit to this fable, not one Spanish mariner or navi- 
 gator is to be found, who, as an eye-witness, has given the 
 smallest support to such an imposition. 
 
 The English traveller Cavendish is the first who, with other 
 falsehoods, allowed 18 inches to the foot of the Patagonians, in 
 which he is followed by Hawkins and Knivet. But those who 
 have added the most to their bulk, were the Dutch navigators * 
 and Sebaldus Veert even goes so far as to say, that they were of 
 a height to fill men with horror; that they used to pluck up 
 whole trees by the roots, &c. &c. : and he has been followed, 
 but with some moderation, by Noort, Spilberg, and JLe 
 Maire. The adventurers of St. M aloes likewise bear testi- 
 mony to the tallness of the Patagonians; but other travellers, 
 and those undoubtedlj r of more credit, such as the English 
 Winter and Narborough, the Dutch admiral S. Hermite, and 
 the French M. Froger, have refuted these impostures ; and also 
 such as have made no mention at all of that people, are evidently 
 against the vulgar opinion, as ihcy never would have omitted a 
 matter of such note and singularity. But, after all, the great 
 stature of the Patagonians remained problematical, having 
 many supporters on each side ; although the assertors of the 
 gigantic size of that people were far from being agreed amongst 
 
83 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 themselves, fluctuating in their imaginary measurements from 
 ]0 to 13 feet; until the latest and repeated expeditions of the 
 English, the French, and the Spaniards, in our own times, under 
 the command of officers of distinction, judgment, and veracity, 
 have for ever overturned and destroyed those fables and false- 
 hoods, and reduced the Patagonians to their true and proper 
 stature and appearance. 
 
 This however, it is true, has not been effected without some 
 opposition ; for, prior to the publication of the journal of Com- 
 modore Byron, and the Letter from Captain P. Carteret, in the 
 Philosophical Transactions, a person who called himself an offi- 
 cer belonging to the Dolphin, Byron's ship, published his ac- 
 count, insisting much on the extraordinary size of the Patago- 
 nians, and other circumstances equally unfounded. And as this 
 Journal, unfortunately, fell into the hands of Dr. Ortega, ©f 
 Madrid, he translated it into Spanish ; and, in his introduction, 
 overpowered with this authority, and also by his own mistake in 
 believing that almost all navigators that have passed the Strait of 
 Magellan are of the some opinion, he finds himself obliged, 
 in some measure, to conceal his own opinion in a matter 
 of such nicety. We, however, who are determined not to 
 conceal our real sentiments on the subject, have already shown 
 what it is ; and also how much the world was imposed on by 
 that English author, who relates many things entirely omitted 
 by his commander himself, in the very judicious account of his 
 voyage he afterwards published. 
 
 As so many falsehoods have been circulated respecting these 
 Patagonians, it shall be our business now to state the little cer- 
 tain information we have been able to collect concerning them; 
 for we must observe, that, although we had various opportunities 
 of intercourse with them from our first arrival at the strait, we 
 are still unable to say much concerning their government, cus- 
 toms, and manner of life. 
 
 The Patagonians, so called by Magellanes, and not by Ca- 
 vendish, as is said by the first editor ot Byron's Voyage, are a 
 collection of wandering savages, who occupy all that vast tract 
 of country extending from the Rio de la Plata about S. latitude 
 37°, to the Strait of Magellan in S. latitude 52° 20'. Their 
 most settled habitations are in the interior of the country ; but, 
 in the hunting-season, they approach the strait, where naviga- 
 tors have met with them. 
 
 Their statute, so much disputed, exceeds, in general, that of Eu- 
 ropeans. Some of them being measured accurately, ue found that 
 the tallest did not exceed IJcct \~ inches, Burgos measure; anal 
 
ii'?iiS:< %fryJ^*}'$Mx?'4fc 
 
 IHHBHHHbIHHHI 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 89 
 
 that the common size was from 6$ to! feet.* But even thia 
 height is not so striking as their corpulence, or rather bulkiness, 
 some of them measuring 4 feet 4 inches round the breast; but 
 their feet and hands are not in due proportion to their other 
 parts. They all give evident signs of strength of body : they 
 are full of flesh, but cannot properly be called fat. The size 
 and tension of their muscles evinces their strength; and their 
 figure, on the whole, is not disagreeable, although the head is 
 large, even in proportion to the body : the face broad and 
 flattish, the eyes lively, and the teeth extremely white, but too 
 long. Their complexion, like that of other Americans, is 
 cetrino (pale-yellow), or rather verging on a copper-colour. 
 They wear thin black straight hair, tied on the top of the 
 head with a piece of thong, or ribbon, brought round their 
 forehead, having the head entirely uncovered. We observed 
 some with beards, but which were neither thick nor long. 
 
 Their dress adds much to the effect of their size, being 
 composed of a kind of cloak made of the skins of lamas or 
 zorillos, arranged with seme skill, with stripes of different co- 
 lours in the inside. They wear it fastened round the waist, so 
 that it covers them below the calf of the leg, letting that 
 part commonly hang down which is intended for covering 
 the shoulders ; and when the cold, or other cause, induces them 
 to put it over them, they hold the upper part of it with the hand, 
 and so cover themselves entirely with this cloak. 
 
 Some also, besides this skin-cloak or mantle, wear pone hones, 
 and breeches or drawers, of the same r.hape and sort with those 
 worn by the Creoles of Chili and Eueno!.-. Ayre:;. The poncho is 
 a piece of strong cloth striped with various colours, about three 
 yards long and two broad, having an opening in the middle, 
 made for the purpose of passing it over the head: a piece of 
 dress extremely proper for riding on horseback, as it covers and 
 defends the arms, at the same time leaving them in perfect 
 liberty for any exertion. Some had ponchos made of the stuffs 
 manufactured by our settlers in Buenos Ayres. The breeches, 
 or drawers, are very like those worn in Europe ; but their boots 
 are very different, being formed of the skin cf the legs of the 
 
 • The vara, or yard, of Burgos, the standard of Spain, contain* 33'061.~3 inches, 
 or two feet nine inches and one-sixteenth, English ; the tallest Patagoiaan, there-* 
 fore, did not exceed six feet 6tx inches and one-third, English; and those of the 
 common size were from five feet eleven IncheB and two-thirds to six feet five inches 
 and one-seventh, English. It is, however., to be remembered, that Spmiar&m* 
 not in general tall men, and that a seamen is seldom among the tallest of hii coun- 
 trymen : to them, therefore, the Patagoniari; might appear .giants. — It may be as 
 well to mention ueze, in explanation, (vide p. 12,) that six feet eleven iuches and 
 a half, Spanish, is about six feet four inches and a (matter, English.— Ste the Tu&te 
 cf lAneal Measures. 
 
 Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. n 
 
NHHH1 
 
 90 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 horse, taken off whole, without cutting them open, and sewed 
 up at one end. 
 
 There were, however, few Patagonians who enjoyed all these 
 conveniences. The far greater number were almost naked, 
 having only their skin-cloak, with a sort of leather purse hang- 
 ing by a thong fixed round the waist, and fastened between the 
 legs with one or two thongs, to the former round the waist. 
 
 With a piece of skin or leather fastened round the foot, they 
 make a kind of shoe, and fix to it, behind, two little bits of tim- 
 ber, forming a sort of fork, which serve them for a spur ; but 
 they leave off this part of their dress when they have no in- 
 tention to go on horseback, which, however, happens very 
 seldom. 
 
 It is a very general practice among them to paint the face 
 with white, black, and red, akind of ornament contributing very 
 little indeed to the agreeableness of their appearance. 
 
 Their equipage, or horse-furniture, consists of a kind of 
 covering formed of several skins of lamas, one over the other, 
 and rolled up a little both before and behind, so that at first 
 sight they have some resemblance to a saddle ; the whole 
 fastened on with strong leather thongs or straps, instead of 
 girths. The stirrup is formed with a piece of wood four inches 
 long, supported at each end by a small thong, connected with 
 another which is fastened above to the girth. The other parts 
 of their furniture resemble entirely those used by the Indians of 
 Buenos Ayres, with this difference alone, that the bit is made 
 of very hard solid wood. 
 
 As the Patagonians have neither iron nor cordage, they sup- 
 ply their place with solid timber, and straps and thongs of skin 
 or leather. 
 
 We saw one among them having a complete European saddle 
 and bridle, but could not learn by what means he had acquired 
 them- 
 
 Although we saw these people in troops of 300 or 400 toge- 
 ther, yet we can give no intormation concerning their women, 
 who never came near enough to permit our examination : only 
 an officer, who was on shore in the Bay of St. Gregorio, assured 
 us that their stature was somewhat shorter than that of the men, 
 and that they differed very little from the men in their dress. 
 
 The children, even in their tender years, show that they 
 are descended from parents of extraordinary size; and, by 
 the largeness of their features, indicate to what they will arrive, 
 when nature shall have attained its full vigour, and their mem- 
 bers shall be properly developed. 
 
 As the Patagonians draw no part whatever of their nourish- 
 ment from the sea, they have established their dwellings in the 
 
HUH $*$# Wim. ®m* 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 9] 
 
 interior of the country, in the valleys near to some rivulet or 
 pond of fresh water, and in the neighbourhood of some moun- 
 tain, to shelter themselves from the fury of the winds, so that 
 we could have no opportunity of seeing their manner of lodging 
 and living, having only, now-and-then, on-board the frigate, 
 had a distant view, from which we were not enabled to remark 
 many particulars. Nevertheless, since we know that they lead 
 a wandering life, like the Arabs, abandoning the tracts that 
 fail spontaneously to furnish them food, it is natural to sup- 
 pose that their huts are constructed without design or solidity. 
 As a proof that they lead an unsettled wandering life, we can 
 alledge, that, during our voyage, we met with the same tribe 
 established in two different parts of the strait. 
 
 It is difficult to speak with certainty of their temper and 
 dispositions, considering we had so few occasions of inter- 
 course with them ; only, we can affirm, that they are nei- 
 ther barbarous nor cruel, and that it is an atrocious injustice 
 done to them by Cavendish and M. Gennes, who, in their 
 journals, attribute to them the horrible practice of eating human 
 flesh; and that, in this way, they destroyed and devoured the 
 unhappy Spaniards of Sartniento's colonies in the strait; — 
 an imposture of which it is not easy to discover the origin, 
 as the Spanish authors who have written concerning these 
 settlements, are totally silent on such a subject. Their 
 peaceable orderly behaviour ought not to be attributed to 
 want of sense, courage, or spirit; for the objects of their most 
 anxious desire were our arms, — a proof of their brave and 
 warlike dispositions; so that, knowing their own superiority in 
 strength over the other classes of Indians their neighbours, it 
 is but natural to suppose, that they are not wanting in the 
 means of gratifying their vengeance : but this does not con- 
 tradict their general peaceable demeanour ; for we never could 
 discover in them any marks of evil intention in their dealings 
 with us. 
 
 It has formerly been observed, that they used to leave their 
 horses, arms, &c. on the shore, when they came on-board our 
 ship, which proves the reciprocal good Faith existing among 
 them; and the frankness and readiness with which they put 
 themselves unarmed into our hands, demonstrates evidently 
 that, unconscious of treachery in themselves, they are not apt 
 to suspect it in others. 
 
 We saw them entrusting to each other, on merely lying 
 down on the beach, their most valuable articles, in order to 
 embark, sure of finding them again, on their return to the shore ; 
 and so much are the rights of property respected among them, 
 that the ribbons, presented to them by Byron, not being in suf- 
 
 x 2 
 
RH HH 
 
 94 CoTdova't Voyage of ZHscdvery 
 
 ficient quantity to be distributed to every one, those who did 
 not receive any share of the present, showed no kind of* dis- 
 satisfaction, nor once attempted to disturb the joy expressed 
 bv their more fortunate companions. 
 
 ".Nor is the idea of commerce a stranger to these men ; at least, 
 such as it was in the earliest times, before the multitude of com- 
 modities rendered it so complicate, as no longer to be confined 
 to the simple barter or exchange of articles. Some of our 
 officers exchanged swords and cutlasses with them for their 
 furs, in which the Patagonians manifested the strictest honesty 
 and sincerity. That they arc extremely sober and temperate, 
 is known from their constant refusal to taste wine or any other 
 strong liquors, of whose pernicious effects we soon discovered 
 that they were not ignorant. But this does not prevent them 
 from requiring a large supply of food, proportioned to their 
 uncommon bulk, to satisfy the demands of their appetite. 
 They are also no strangers to the generous virtue of gratitude ; 
 for every time that our boat carried them back to the land, they 
 always made signs for our people to wait, until they should go 
 to procure some presents and refreshments for them. 
 
 They seem to acknowledge some kind of subordination among 
 themselves ; for the seaman Hernendez Thom6, who was 
 brought off by Cavendish, relates, that a Patagonian fell into 
 a violent passion, on being made to understand that Sarmiento 
 was the captain or chief; and, giving himself several blows on 
 the breast, asserted that he himself was the capitano. It was also 
 observed, that the generality of one tribe paid obedience to one 
 of more than ordinary size among them, intimating that he was 
 their capitavo,—* word whose signification they seemed per- 
 fectly to comprehend. It is, however, totally unknown how 
 far this power extends, or whether the same persons always 
 live in the same community ; whether their numbers are great 
 „„ , m _n or t „ what br>un^* thev extend their peregrinations : 
 what sort of religion, or if any, they profess; having on this 
 head only remarked, that, before the sun went down, they 
 constantly retired from the sea-shore to their habitations up 
 the country, showing a sort of veneration for that beneficent 
 celestial body. 
 
 It cannot be doubted , that the greater part of these Pata- 
 gonians b-.ve frequent intercourse with the Spanish settlements 
 in Buenos Ayres and Chili, particularly with those lately es- 
 tablished on the Patagonian coast; ior they all were well 
 acquainted with the use of tobacco, which they begged of us 
 with great earnestness, and showed themselves to be dextrous 
 in the art of smoaking. Besides, to be thoroughly convinced 
 
^^■■■■■■■■1 ^mm m 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. <)3 
 
 of this intercourse, it is easy to hear them pronounce many- 
 Spanish words, of whose meaning, however, thev were generalJy 
 ignorant; and to observe, that they possessed several articles 
 or' furniture and arms of Spanish manufacture. 
 
 The Patagonians possess most uncommon facility in repeat- 
 ing any word they hear pronounced, and even retain it in. 
 their memory. The seaman brought away by Cavendish, 
 says, in his declaration, that he often heard them pronounce 
 the words Jesus Santa Maria, looking up at the same time 
 to heaven ; and that they made the Spanish settlers understand 
 that, up the country, there were other men with beards and 
 boots, and other children like those of the settlers. This 
 faculty of retaining words and phrases of different languages, 
 has been constantly remarked and admired by all travellers in 
 these seas. Captain Wallis mentions, that he taught some of 
 them to repeat distinctly the English phrase " Englishmen, 
 come on shore ;" which, on his meeting with them many days 
 afterwards, in another place, they correctly repeated. This 
 power seems to proceed from their not having any harsh, nor 
 indeed any peculiar, accent in their own language, from their 
 acute hearing, and from their extreme volubility and pliable- 
 ness of tongue, and other organs of speech. There is nothing 
 either particularly harsh nor sweet in their language, which 
 is very full of' vowels, and its pronunciation somewhat 
 guttural. 
 
 We proposed to several of them to carry them home with us 
 to Spain, promising to bring them back again to their native 
 country, but all answered, that they did not desire to leave their 
 comrades ; so that we did not deem it either reasonable or just 
 in itself to take advantage of our superiority, to drag these 
 men, against their will, from the bosom of their country and 
 families, — to them so valuable and dear; especially as no other 
 fruit could be reaped from such a step, than merely the satisfy- 
 ing idle curiosity with the sight of men whose stature exceeds 
 that of the ordinary race of mortals, but which does not exceed, 
 nor indeed even reach, that of particular individuals who have 
 frequently been exhibited in Europe as preternatural produc- 
 tions of tne powers of nature. 
 
 If ignorance of those things which it most imports man to 
 know, and of the comforts and security of civilized life, which 
 seem to be so congenial to man's nature, were not, in our 
 opinion, insurmountable obstacles in the way of happiness, 
 few men could be in a situation to render them more con- 
 tented and happy than these Patagonians. They enjoy all 
 the essential benefits of society, without being subjected to 
 
94 Cordova's Voyage of Discover 
 
 the infinite multitude of pains and uneasiness which too high 
 a state of refinement never fails to produce. They enjoy 
 strength and health, the fruit of their temperance; and 
 they are ignorant of the baneful effects of luxury. They 
 possess a wide field for the satisfaction of their limited desires, 
 which are in proportion to the scanty and confined state of 
 their ideas. As the soil they inhabit produces spontaneously 
 their necessary food, they are relieved from numberless and 
 ■various labours, passing their days in tranquillity, indolence, 
 and repose, the Jove of which seems to be their ruling passion, 
 and the certain result of all circumstances attending their state 
 of lite, and by no means that of natural stupidity, or inapt- 
 ncss for exertion, as many have asserted, but of which we 
 discovered no proof : for the philosopher will not attribute 
 to stupidity the high value they set on a string of glass beads, 
 or other trifles of the same sort ; but rather to the desire im- 
 planted by nature in the human mind, of ornamenting himself, 
 that he may become more agreeable in the eyes of those 
 around him: which desire, when well considered, is much more 
 excusable in these Patagonians than in the European is that of 
 diamonds and pearls, and other precious jewels, which are only 
 acquired often by immense labours and dangers; whereas the 
 Patagonian, without any toil or hazard, procures his ornaments 
 when they fall in bis way, by exchanging for them the surplus 
 of those things which he already possesses, but which he does 
 not immediately want. 
 
 The happy situation of these Patagonians is still greatly en- 
 hanced, in our opinion, when we compare them with their 
 neighbours, the inhabitants of the mountainous parts of the 
 strait, on whom we now proceed to make some remarks. 
 
 Of the Indians of the Strait of Magellanes. 
 
 The other class of inhabitants of this strait consists of a very 
 small number of men, who, according to all accounts, can be 
 compared only with the wretched beings who dwell on the 
 western shores of New Holland. 
 
 Notwithstanding our long and continual intercourse with 
 these natives, both in Port Famine and in Port Galan, Ave 
 were not able to collect any certain information respecting the 
 religion or civil constitution of the different tribes or families 
 which we examined; for, instead of fixing their attention on 
 the signs we directed to them expressive of our desires, they 
 only, by Avay of answer, repeated back to us the very same 
 
Wm®M mmM 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 9.5 
 
 signs and sounds; so that, after a very long conversation of this 
 kind, both parties remained just as ignorant as at the beginning 
 of it.* 
 
 Their manner of life being so little elevated above that of the 
 brute creation, and their societies so limited in number, it was 
 impossible for us to learn any thing more concerning them than 
 what fell under our own observation, — that is, their figure, food, 
 arms, navigation, and arts, if such we may call the manufac- 
 ture of the few rude utensils they possess. 
 
 Before we arrived at Port Famine, our boat having been on- 
 shore, brought off five of these Indians, found on the beach, 
 whose nakedness, stupidity, and insupportable stench, filled us 
 with equal horror and commiseration ; tor they seemed to live 
 in the utmost wretchedness. When sent back to land, they 
 joined their companions who had been left behind them; and, 
 all together, followed the vessel all the way along the coast to 
 that port. 
 
 It is impossible to describe bow offensive and loathsome these 
 men are from the filth of their persons as well as of their huts, 
 constantly covered with the shells of shell-fish, and the re- 
 mains of their ordinary food. 
 
 It seems to be beyond a doubt, that sometimes, though pro- 
 bably seldom, they have communication with the Patagonians ; 
 as was evident, from the perfect similarity of their dogs and 
 lama skins, which they procure in exchange for some produc- 
 tions, but what we know not, peculiar to their country. How- 
 ever, their striking inferiority in bodily strength, as well as in 
 mental powers, will naturally induce them to avoid much fami- 
 liarity with their eastern neighbours, from whom the)' are to- 
 tally different, but entirely resembling the natives of Tierra 
 del Fuego. 
 
 They are of the ordinary size, rather inclining to middle 
 stature; their limbs are well-proportioned, and the) 7 are very 
 agile, notwithstanding they use very little exercise ; their com- 
 plexion pale-yellow, inclining to a copper-colour, but some of 
 them darker than others. There is nothing either remarkably 
 disgusting nor pleasing in their features. Their hair seems to 
 be rather like that of horses and cattle than that of human 
 creatures, which is probably occasioned by their having the 
 
 * Note of Original. — Our officers, who, for a space of" two months and a half, 
 kept up a continual intercourse with these Indians, notwithstanding their utmost 
 exertions, were able to collect only the scanty hints contained in the folio wins 
 pages; and were not a little inclined to admire the facility with which other tra- 
 vellers have been able, in the course of only a lew days, to acquire an intimate 
 acquaintance with their customs, laws, religion, and even their language! 
 
96 Cordova 's Very age of Discovery 
 
 head constantly uncovered, so that, if it were properly taken 
 care of, it would become fine and long ; its colour is black. 
 Some among them had beards; but they were very thin, and 
 far from common. 
 
 The women are somewhat shorter than the men, and have 
 nothing characteristic in their countenance ; but evince an ex- 
 treme care in covering what nature dictates to be concealed, 
 as well as their breasts, which are generally large and hanging 
 low down. So sharp and delicate is the voice of the women, as to 
 differ from that of the men much more than is observed between 
 the sexes in any other place with which we are acquainted. 
 
 The principal ornament of these Indians is a cap or bonnet of 
 feathers, worn only hy the eldest among the men ; they also 
 paint the face, legs, and other limbs, with various stripes, 
 ■white, red, and black, which only render their appearance 
 more disagreeable ; they take vast pains in this part of their 
 ornament, as we could observe, particularly when they were 
 to come on-board our frigate. The skin of a sea-wolf, or a 
 seal, thrown over the shoulders, and descending as low as the 
 middle of the leg, which they fasten to the waist with a cord 
 made of the entrails of fish, is all they use for dress and to 
 defend them from the weather, except a sort of apron made 
 of feathers, which hangs before them : sometimes they wore on 
 their feet a piece of the same skin, fastened and drawn round 
 the ancle like a purse. The women wore this skin-cloak not 
 only fastened round the Avaist, but they also brought it round 
 under their arms, securing it round the neck, so as entirely to 
 cover the bosom. 
 
 One part of dress, peculiar to women of all ages, is to wear 
 round the wrist a sort of bracelet made of the entrails of fish ; 
 the same they also piace round the small of the leg above the 
 heel. 
 
 Beth men and women have a cord tied round the head like a 
 coronet, which, in some measure, confines and keeps up the 
 hair. Round the neck some of them wore strings of beads, 
 as they may be called, made of small shells tolerably well pre- 
 pared ; or else many turns of a small cord made in form of a 
 necklace, made of entrails offish. 
 
 Children of both sexes are commonly quite naked ; and we 
 could not help wondering at the great bulk of their bellies, 
 which, however, return to their proper size, in proportion as 
 they grow up. This appearance is perhaps owing to their 
 never using any kind of bandages or swaddling clothes; for 
 when their children arc born, they are laid lightly on some 
 skins of young seals, and the mothers commonly carry thcin 
 
■■^■■■■iB ■■■■ 
 
 to the Strait of JSIagellan. 
 
 97 
 
 about with them to all places, placing them in a kind of bag, 
 which is itself placed within the skin which covers their shoul- 
 ders. It is not uncommon to see some of these women with 
 two children, one older than the other, situated in this manner, 
 without being at all hindered, by this double though precious 
 load, from performing the services to which they are destined. 
 There is no doubt that the principal food of these Indians is 
 shell-fish, which is found in great abundance all over their 
 shores; and the wandering unsettled life they lead, is caused by 
 the necessity they are under of changing their place of abode, 
 when the stock is consumed ; that nature, providing for their 
 wants, may have time again to produce those very shell-fish in 
 the places where they are become too scarce to afford them an 
 useful supply. 
 
 The deer which are met with in this region of the 
 strait fall sometimes into the hands of these Indians, as we per- 
 ceived, not only by their skins, but by pieces of flesh which 
 could have belonged to no other animal. As they possess a 
 great number of dogs, they probably use them in the hunting 
 of deer ; which, however, are not often seen ; so that they are 
 but seldom taken, as we observed that they seldom penetrated 
 into the thickest of the woods. It is probable that the natives 
 wait for these animals near the river-sides, whither they are 
 used to repair, and there, with the help of their dogs, and with 
 sticks arid stones, are enabled to kill some of them ; for their 
 arrows and other arms are by no means proper for such sort of 
 hunting. We could not be sure whether they eat this flesh raw, 
 as they do the shell-hsh, or if they put it on the fire ; but it is 
 probable tliat they do not take that trouble, as they have neither 
 instruments nor vessels fit for preparing their food. 
 
 The different feathers we saw in their possession showed 
 that the birds do not always escape their darts ; and, as they are 
 very dexterous in the use of the bow and sling, it is most pro- 
 bable, that they make use of one or other of these ways to obtain 
 their end ; however, they do not seem much addicted to this 
 practice, as we never saw but a few birds together in their 
 Lands : and we are of opinion, they do not eat their flesh, as we 
 never observed in their hovels any marks of such food. 
 
 Much more common than hunting of any kind, with them, is 
 fishing, in which they are more dexterous. Although we are 
 ignorant of their mode of fishing, we know they are much 
 given to it ; and they even came twice with a good quantity of 
 fresh fish to sell on-board our vessel. 
 
 They possess neither nets nor fishing-hooks ; only we re- 
 marked that, at low-water, they used to fix sharp-pointed. 
 Voyages and Travels, No, 5, Vol. II. o 
 
93 
 
 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 stakes in certain parts of thcshore, forming a kind of fish- weir ; 
 we are not sure, however, that by this method they catch the 
 fish. They also take along with them, in their canoes, several 
 long sharp-pointed stakes or poles, with which we imagined 
 they struck and killed their prey, having on the end a sort 
 of bait, tied on with a piece of cord. It was impossible to 
 make them comprehend that we wished to learn their mode 
 of fishing; neither did we ever happen to witness their contri- 
 vances and management for that purpose. 
 
 We imagine that, when these Indians pass over from the con- 
 tinent to the Tierra del Fuego, their chief object is the catching 
 of tunnies, seals, and whales, which seldom visit the northern 
 shores of the strait. They eat raw the flesh of these most 
 indigestible animals, even when putrid and stinking, and of the 
 fat make a sort of oil, with which they continually anoint them- 
 selves; on which account, it is easy to be sensible of their ap- 
 proach a long way off, as their smell is insupportable. 
 
 They also eat, and for that purpose keep in their huts and 
 canoes baskets filled with, wild fruits. When they saw our 
 men eating wild parsley, they pointed out to them several other 
 plants and roots on which they feed, roasting them like po- 
 tatoes. Of all the things presented to them on-board, fat and 
 suet, or tallow alone, seemed really to please their palate : 
 they rejected bread, oil, and vinegar, and never could be in- 
 duced to taste wine. 
 
 Their dogs also live on shell and other fish, and herbs, which 
 proves that the change of climate, and the necessity of obtain- 
 ing some kind of food, has entirely altered the appetite of these 
 animals ; they however with their appetites have not changed 
 their proper good qualities, and are still the most faithful 
 guardians of their masters. 
 
 The habitations of these Indians consist in some miserable huts 
 of a round form, composed of branches of trees, with the thick 
 end fastened in the ground, and the small one upwards and in- 
 clining over the middle of the hut, connected together with 
 ropes made of rushes or grass. The circumference of their 
 largest huts is not above eight yards, and the height two. 
 The only opening or door is low, and in width about the 
 eighth part of the circumference. When they reside in their 
 huts, they cover them all round with seal-skins, just as they 
 come off the animal, for they know not how to dress them 
 for any purpose, leaving uncovered the middle of the up- 
 per part, to let out the smoke of the fire they constantly 
 keep up, and which is placed in the centre of the hut, 
 round which they place boards or benches covered with straw 
 
 4 
 
&m 
 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 99 
 
 or rather dried grass, which serve at once for chairs and 
 beds. When their fire is extinguished, they kindle it again 
 with a flint; and, for tinder, make use of the feathers of birds. 
 
 Their furniture and utensils consist of several skins of seals, 
 deer, and a few of the lama or guanacos, which they cer- 
 tainly obtain from the Patagonians, as none of these animals 
 are found in this part of the strait ; a number of baskets made 
 of rushes, and others of a species of sparto ; several jars 
 of one foot and one and a half foot in circumference, made of 
 the same bark with which they construct their canoes, having 
 the bottoms sewed in, in the same way : they arc worked with 
 some skill and neatness, and capable of holding any liquid, 
 ■without its running through. They likewise possess some small 
 bags made of skins or of guts of fish, in which they keep their 
 different powders for painting themselves, where we may no- 
 tice that scarlet is their favourite colour ; the strings of beads or 
 necklaces made of small shells or bones ; the stones from 
 which they extract fire ; and other little articles of this nature. 
 
 Such are the contemptible goods of these ill-fated mortals, 
 which they carry about with them, when they change their 
 place of abode. 
 
 Their boats or canoes are made of the bark of the 
 tree producing resin, whose greatest thickness does not ex- 
 ceed one inch. They are formed of three pieces; one in 
 the middle, forming the bottom and the keel, and the 
 other two pieces the sides. Their patience and application are 
 admirable in stripping the bark of those trees, having for the 
 purpose no other instrument than a flint somewhat shaped and 
 sharpened, with which they make an incision round the trunk 
 at each end, and then another lengthways, to join them ; after- 
 wards, with vast patience and management, they strip off the 
 Avhole bark of the tree in one entire piece, of the proper 
 length for the intended canoe, which, in some, including the 
 bend of the middle-piece, which forms the stem and stern as 
 well as the keel and bottom, is from 30 to 32 feet ; and the true 
 length of this frail boat, when finished, is from 24 to 26 feet; 
 the greatest breadth four feet, and the depth from two to 
 three feet. 
 
 In order to make this bark acquire the proper curvature and 
 shape, and lose what it has on the tree, they lay it on the 
 ground, with the inside downwards, and on each end place a 
 heap of stones, leaving it so for two or three days, in which 
 time it dries and becomes fit for being employed. Then they 
 place the side-pieces almost perpendicular to that in the middl. 
 joining them together with scams of dry rushes, and caulki' 
 
 o 2 
 
100 Cordovas Voyage of Discovery 
 
 or filling up the interstices with dried grass and clay or mud, as 
 much as possible to prevent the entrance of the water. To give 
 some strength and resistance to the sides, they lay across the ca- 
 noe pieces of wood resembling pipe-staves, one by the side of 
 another, all along the length of the canoe, giving it the shape of 
 asemiellipsoid, and make the ledge or gunwale of two strong 
 poles, well joined together at each end, and in them are fixed 
 the ends of the cross-pieces, which serve as ribs or timbers; 
 the whole being tied and sowed together with rushes ; placing 
 also crosswise trom time to time, some pieces of wood, that an- 
 swer the purpose of benches or thwarts to sit on. 
 
 When the canoe is in this state, they line almost the whole of 
 the inside with pieces of the same bark, about one foot broad, 
 ]aid across, and having the ends made fast in the gunwale on 
 each side. In order to give these pieces the requisite bend, 
 they heat them by the fire, and, when they are half dried, apply 
 them to their proper situations. Besides this, they form a kind 
 of floor from the fourth part from stem and stern, placing it 
 about half a foot from the bottom, leaving an opening in the 
 middle, to throw out the water. This sort of floor consists of 
 boards laid lengthwise over others placed crosswise ; and, as 
 well as all the rest of the canoe, is covered with bark. 
 
 Such is the construction of their boats, which, although but 
 rudely wrought, do not fail to cost these Indians much time 
 and labour, for want of instruments and tools proper for such 
 works, which, indeed, are the only ones in which they show any 
 ability. They were not ignorant of the advantages to be drawn 
 from knives, hatchets, and nails; and soon showed us that they 
 preferred these tools to any other contrivance. Some of them 
 procured such instruments, and even tried to imitate them with 
 pieces of pipe-staves. 
 
 Many of these canoes are capable of containing nine or ten 
 Indians : they are moved along with a sort of paddies, and 
 rowing them is the ordinary empJoyment of the women. 
 When they enter on a long voyage, which is always either in a 
 calm or with a (air wind, they set up a pole as a mast in the 
 bow of the canoe, and across it another like a yard, having 
 fixed to it the skin of a seal, and keep the lower parts of it 
 steady with their hands: and this scanty sail relieves them from 
 the fatigue of rowing. In the middle of the canoe are some 
 stones, with heaps of shells and sand, en which sort of hearth 
 they make their fire, keeping it up with branches and sticks. 
 
 Belonging to each canoe also are several jars, such as those 
 before described, which serve to throw out the water which 
 makes its way into it. Besides, each has several ropes or 
 
^^^wl^pjl 
 
 ^^^H 
 
 
 S'iffis 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 1 1 
 
 cables made of rush and esparto, of various lengths and 
 thickness, much like the small ones made of the same materials 
 in Spain. 
 
 It appears impossible that in such frail vessels they should 
 undertake voyages along and across the strait, in a climate so 
 inconstant, and so subject to sudden changes from calms to 
 furious squalls. Nevertheless it is certain, that they very fre- 
 ouentl}' cross the channel, and even make long courses in the 
 strait, of which we had sundry proofs ; for instance, that of the 
 family that followed us from Cape Neijro to Cape Redonclo ; 
 and that in the mouth of the channel of S. Geronimo we met 
 with many of those Indians we had before seen in Port Galan. 
 In these canoes they also transport their whole furniture, and 
 other property, when they migrate from one part of the coast 
 to another. 
 
 The boldness with which they run such hazards, may perhaps 
 be attributed to their intimate acquaintance with the strait ; but 
 which, on many occasions, cannot prevent them from falling 
 victims to their rashness and imprudence. 
 
 Their aims consist of the bow and arrows ; the bow being 
 roughly made of wood, with a cord of entrails of fish, with 
 which they give it the requisite curvature. The arrow is made 
 of a smooth stick, of the length of two or three feet, having at 
 one end a piece of flint worked down and shaped like a heart ; 
 and, at the other end, two small portions of feathers, fastened 
 to it with a very fine cord. No very considerable efforts ought 
 to be expected from this weapon : however, they are extremely 
 dexterous in the use of it, and we observed that they fixed the 
 arrow easily in a tree, the flint separating itself from the wooden 
 part. 
 
 The sling is applied to two very different purposes: one is 
 to discharge stones, and the other to fasten their skin mantle 
 round the waist. The stone is situated in a piece of skin or 
 leather, and the cord or string is, as usual, of the entrails of 
 fish. 
 
 They also carry sometimes a stick of two and a half feet in 
 length, and as thick as the finger, having a stone or flint, of the 
 same shape as that of the arrow, fixed at the end of it, two 
 inches long, and of proportional thickness : this they employ 
 two javelin, throwing it with the hand. 
 
 On many of these Indians we also observed a sort of dagger or 
 dirk made of bone, and very sharp, of various shapes. They 
 tie them fast to a pole or staff two yards long, and use them, we 
 believe, to kill seals, whales, &c. as they have some resemblance 
 to our harpoons ; and, when near their prey, they may inflict no 
 less mortal wounds. 
 
102 Cordova's Voyage of Discovery 
 
 Amongst the natives we saw at Port Galan, were some 
 who possessed small pieces of iron fixed in wooden handles, in 
 imitation of our hatchets, chisels, and augres, which, without 
 doubt, have remained in their hands since the last visits of 
 English and French travellers, on whose tools they set a high 
 value, on account of the great assistance they furnished in faci- 
 litating their labours. 
 
 The skill and dexterity with which they manage their differ- 
 ent weapons, and the. scars visible on many of these natives, 
 show that, on some occasions, they have quarrels and wars 
 amongst themselves; but we can affirm that they arc not conti- 
 nually engaged in hostilities against their neighbours, and that 
 those of Tierra del Fuego are not at all times enemies to those 
 of the continent, as we have seen them reciprocally paying vi- 
 sits to each other ; and therefore it is only on some transient oc- 
 casions, that their differences break out, which, however, are 
 soon brought to a proper termination. 
 
 It is extremely difficult to ascertain the numbers composing 
 one tribe or family, or to discover whether, when they unite 
 together to the number of 60 or 70, they consider themselves 
 to be all related, and to form but one single society. 
 
 We only remarked, that every eight or ten live together in 
 one hut; and that, although many more may reside at the same 
 time in one place, still each family is composed of the above 
 number of persons, and that each takes charge of providing its 
 proper food and fire, of the education of the children, and of 
 their own hut and canoe. 
 
 To the women is entrusted the care of gathering shell-fish, 
 fruits, and herbs, for the support of the family and inhabit- 
 ants of the hut to which they belong, as also to keep up the 
 stock of wood and water for daily use ; to keep the canoe dry 
 and clean, on which account they are often up to the middle in 
 the water: they likewise row when they are in the canoe; and, 
 lastly, have the entire charge of rearing their children, — in 
 doing which, they employ the most anxious care to preserve 
 them from diseases and accidents common to the state of 
 infancy, which, among those Indians, seems to be of shorter 
 duration than in civilized societies. 
 
 The men, far from taking any share in the labours of their wo- 
 men, reserve themselves entirely for certain other occupations ; 
 such as constructing of canoes, building of huts, making of arms, 
 and employing them in hunting and fishing. But their labours 
 are neither so severe nor so continued as those of the poor 
 women; you therefore see them,' for the most part, sitting on 
 their hams, their favourite attitude, round the lire, cr stretched 
 
iV^^'^^t'^ 
 
 to the Strait of Magellan. 103 
 
 out along the beach, whilst the females are engaged in unremit- 
 ting toils and anxiety for the support of the family. What a dif- 
 ference between the practice of this country and that of other parts 
 of his Catholic Majesty's dominions I Perhaps in both there is an 
 excess. Although these Indians seem to set but little value on 
 their women, beholding them with much indifference, and 
 being little if ever visited by the terrible passion of jealousy, 
 yet they did not much relish the attentions paid to them by any 
 of our people. 
 
 We could obtain no information respecting their marriages; 
 whether one woman is common to two or three men, or what de- 
 gree of consanguinity they observe informing those connections: 
 only we were struck with the vast disproportion between the 
 numbers of both sexes ; for in every family or tribe that we exa- 
 mined, there seemed to be at least three men to one woman. 
 Our notions of this nation are too imperfect to enable us to ex- 
 plain this disproportion, which must certainly be one chief 
 cause of the smallness of their numbers. 
 
 Their language is difficult, and to all our ship's company 
 was totally unintelligible : it seems not to be abundant in ex- 
 pression, and the pronunciation is almost entirely guttural, so 
 that the same word uttered by different Indians seemed to be- 
 come almost a different word. On this account, we never 
 came to comprehend any part of what they said, nor even to 
 be able to repeat their sounds; whereas they, on the contrary, 
 repeated with great ease and readiness whatever they heard us 
 say. A favourite word, which they pronounced almost every 
 instant, was pecheri, which we explain as equivalent to 
 friend. M. de Bougainville has given the name of pec fieri to 
 these Indians, merely from the circumstance of their inces- 
 santly using that word in their conversation. 
 
 Their dispositions seemed to be peaceable and not ill inclined: 
 they never attempted to purloin any thing from us, notwith- 
 standing that the sight of our instruments, utensils, and tools, 
 must have created in them a vehement desire to possess them, 
 even at any hazard ; but perhaps this moderation and orderly 
 behaviour, on their part, proceeded more from a sense of their 
 own inferiority, when compared with us, than from any mo- 
 ral principle or sense of the injustice of appropriating to them- 
 selves the property of others. 
 
 To this quiet demeanour of these poor men, and the extreme 
 care bestowed by our commander, L). A. de Cordova, we must 
 attribute the perfect harmony and good understanding which 
 uninterruptedly prevailed between them and us, during the 
 whole time we were amongst them. We must, nevertheless, 
 acknowledge that, among themselves, we never discovered the 
 
104 Cordova's Voyage to the Strait of Magellan. 
 
 smallest dispute, nor the faintest symptoms of anger or revenue. 
 All these virtues may, however, be the natural effect of the su- 
 preme indolence and laziness which predominate in their hearts ; 
 and which must, no doubt, account for the inconsiderable ad- 
 vances they have made in society and civilization. 
 
 Whether or not this evil is more to be considered than the ami- 
 cable enjoyment of peace and concord, which is its consequence, 
 is a question which we leave to the decision of the philosopher. 
 
 Curiosity, which seems to he an essential and universal cha- 
 racteristic of the human race, has not hitherto made any pro- 
 gress in the hearts of the inhabitants of the Strait of Magellan.* 
 Nothing we presented to their view excited in them the feeblest 
 admiration or wonder, nor even a desire to be better acquainted 
 with it. In order to be capable of admiring the productions of 
 art, it is indispensable to possess, at least, elementary ideas of 
 these productions; but these men beheld the most delicate and 
 complicated works of men as they do the laws and phenomena 
 of nature itself; and made no difference, in their estimation, be- 
 tween the composition of the mast of our frigate, and the natu- 
 ral trees which spring up in their forests. The haughty Eu- 
 ropean, who, after exposing himself to numberless dangers to 
 arrive at their abode, thinks he humbles himself much even in 
 holding intercourse with these unfortunate beings, must be not 
 a little mortified at perceiving the supreme indifference with 
 which they survey the recent productions of his industry and 
 talents. 
 
 • The length of the Strait of Magellan is nearly 10? leagues. AH former navi- 
 gators have allowed it 12 or 1 6 leagues more ; but, in our support we can say, that 
 Cook, although he did not pass through the strait, observed this excess, by the 
 difference of the longitude which he observed of its mouth west from the Strait 
 of La Maire, and that of (his place, as recorded iu Aiuon's Voyage, calculated 
 from Cape de las Virgines. 
 
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