their, fo as to make a cloak, which reached to their knees; but the greatest part of them had but one fkin, which scarcely covered their fhoulders, and all their lower parts were quite naked. The women are clothed no better than the men,

except that they cover their nakedness with a feal-fkin flap. They are inured from their infancy to cold and hardships, for we saw some young children at the breaft, entirely naked. They remained all the time in their canoes, having their bows and arrows with them, and harpoons, made of bone, with which they ftrike and kill fifh.

They all departed before dinner, nor did we believe any one invited them to partake of our Chriftmas cheer, which confifted of geefe, roaft and boiled, goosepye, &c. a treat little known to us; and which was heightened by Madeira wine, the only article of our provifions that was mended by keeping. We called this place Christmas Sound, in honour of the day, and the joyful festival we had celebrated here.

On the 27th, every thing on fhore was ordered on board. The weather being-fine and pleafent, a party of us went round by the fouth-fide of Goofe-ifland, and picked up 31 of these birds. When we returned on board, we found all the work done, and the launch in, so that we now only waited for a fair wind to put to fea.

On the 28th, we failed from this found, with a light breeze at N. W. At noon Point Nativity, being eaft part of the found, bore N. half W. diftant one league and a half. We fteered S. E. by E. and E. S. E. when we hauled to the S. for the fake of a view of St. Idenfonfo. At half paft five o'clock, we had a good fight of the ifles. They are fituated about fix leagues from the main, in lat. 55 deg. 53 min. S. and in 69 deg. 41 min. W. long.

On

On the goth, we were driven by the current to Staten land; but a breeze fpringing up at N. N. W. we stood over for Succefs Bay, We hoifted our colours, and firing two guns, we perceived a smoke rife out of the woods, made by the natives above the fouth point of the bay. A party was fent into Succefs Bay, in order to discover if any traces of the Adventure were to be seen there but they returned without having found any.

When Mr. Pickersgill landed, the natives received him and his affociates with great courtefy. They were clothed in feal-fkins, had bracelets on their arms, and appeared to be the fame kind of people we had seen in Ghriftmas Sound. The bracelets were made of filver wire, wrought fomewhat like the hilt of a sword, and, no doubt, the workmanship of an European. According to Mr. Pickerfgill's account, the bay was full of whales and feals, and we had obferved the fame in the ftrait, particularly on the Terra del Fuego fide, where the whales are exceeding numerous.

On the 31ft, we bore up for the east end of Staten Land. The weather being hazy, who could only now and then get fight of the coaft; but as we advanced to the eaft, feveral iflands were seen of unequal extent. As we continued our course, we saw on one of the islands a great number of feals and birds, a strong temptation to our people who were in want of fresh provifions; and in hauling round it, we had a strong race of a currant, like unbroken At length, after fifhing for the best ground, caft anchor in 21 fathoms water, about a mile from the island.

water.

In the afternoon, a large party of us landed, fome to kill feals, and others birds or fifh. The illand was fo ftocked with the former, which made fuch a

continual

continual bleating, that we might have thought ourfelves in Effex, or any other country where cows and calves are in abundance. Upon examination, we found these animals different from feals, though they resemble them in fhape and motion. The male having a great likeness to a lion, we called them on that account lions. We alfo found of the fame kind as the New Zealand feals, and these we named fea bears. We hot fome of the large ones, not thinking it safe to go near them; thought in general, they were fo tame, that we knocked fome down with our fticks. Here were a few geese and ducks, and abundance of penguins and fhags; the latter of which had young ones, almoft fledged, confequently just to our tafte. In the evening our party returned, fufficiently laden with provifions of various forts.

On the ft of Jan. 1775. Mr. Gilbert was fent out to Staten Land, in fearch of a good harbour, nothing more being wanting, in the opinion of the captain, to make this place a good port for fhips to touch at for refreshments. Another party went to bring on board the beafts we had killed the preceding day. The old lions and bears, were good for nothing but their blubber, of which we made oil; but the flesh of the young ones we liked very well; even the flesh of the old lioneffes was not much amifs; but that of the old males was abominable.

This day Capt. Cook took an observation of the fun's meridian altitude (his height at noon) at the N. E. end of this ifland, which determined its latitude at 44 deg, 40. min. 5 fec. S. Having hot a few geefe, fome other birds, and fupplied ourselves plentifully with young fhags, returned on board in the evening.

About

About ten the party returned from Staten Land, where they found a good port, in the direction of N. a little eafterly, from the N. E. end of the eastern ifland, and distant three leagues to the well ward of Cape St. John. The marks whereby it may be known, are fome fmall iflands lying in the entrance. The channel, which is on the east-side of these iflands, is half a mile broad. The course is in S. W. by S. turning gradually to W. by S. and W. The harbour is almoft two miles long, and near one broad. The bottom is a mixture of mud and fand, and has in it from 10 to 50 fathoms water. Here are several streams of fresh water, with good wood for fuel.

On this island are an innumerable number of feagulis, the air was quite darkened with them, upon being disturbed by our people: and when they rofe up, we were almoft fuffocated with their dung, which they seemed to emit by way of defence; and it ftunk worse than what is vulgarly called devil's dung.

On the gd, we weighed, and food for Cape St. John, which in the evening, bore N. by E. diftant four miles. This point being the eastern point of Staten Land, is a rock of confiderable height, fituated in lat. 53 deg. 46 min. S. and in 64 deg. 7 min. W. long. having a rocky iflot lying clofe under the north point of it. To the westward of the cape is an inlet, which feemed to communicate with the fea to the fouth; and between this and the cape is a bay. Having doubled the cape, we hauled up along the fouth coaft. At noon cape St. John bore N. 20 deg. E. diftant about three leagues; cape St. Bartholomew, or the S. W. point of Staten Land, S. 83 deg. W. two high detached rocks N. 80 deg. W. By obfervation our lat. was found to be 54 deg.

56

56 min. S. We now judged this land to have been fufficiently explored; but before we leave it, think it neceffary to make a few obfervations on this and its neighbouring islands.

The S. W. coaft of Terra del Fuego, with refpect to inlets and iflands, may be compared to the coaft of Norway; for we believe within the extent of three leagues there is an inlet or harbour, which will receive and shelter the first rate fhips; but, till these are better known, every navigator muft fish for anchorage and to this, there are feveral rocks on the coaft; though, as none lie far from land, the approach of them may be known by founding, if they cannot be feen; fo that, upon the whole, we cannot think this the dangerous coaft it has been reprefented by other voyagers.

Staten Land is 30 miles in length, and near 12 broad. Its furface confifts of craggy hills, touring up to a vaft height, especially near the weft end, and the coaft is rocky. The greatest part of the hills, their fummits excepted, is covered with trees, fhrubs, and herbage. We cannot fay any thing, that navigators may depand on, concerning the tides and currents on these coafts; but we obferved, that in Strait Le Maire, the foutherly tide, or current, begins to act at the new and full moon about four o'clock. It may also be of use to commanders to remarke, that if bound round Cape Horn to the W. and not in want of any thing to oblige them to put into port, we would advise them not to come near land; as by keeping out to fea, they would avoid the currents, which, we are convinced, lofe their force 12 leagues. from land; and at a greater diftance they would find none to impede their courfe.

All the animals of this ifland live in perfect harmony, and feem careful not to difturb each other's

tranquility,