the next afternoon, he again got sight of
Cape Virgin, when he made sail in order to double it, at about a league
and a half or two leagues distance. In his opinion, it was improper to
sail nearer, as a bank lies off it, over the tail of which he thought he
passed even at that distance; for between two soundings made by his own
vessel, one of twenty-four, and the other of seventeen fathom, the
Etoile, which sailed in his wake, found no more at one time than eight
fathom, but immediately afterwards deepened her water. On the night of
the 5th, he got Cape Virgin to bear N., but as there was a fresh breeze,
and the night was gloomy, threatening a storm, he kept off and on till
day-break, when having unreefed his top-sails, he run to W.N.W. He
continued plying to windward, under courses and top-sails, for the whole
of the 6th, during which he discovered Cape Possession on the continent
coast, and also got sight of Terra del Fuego. By noon on the 7th,
however, he found himself still at Cape Possession, as, besides his
never going more than three leagues from the northern shore, which,
obliged him to sound continually, he lost as much by the tides as he
ever gained by them. About this time the wind shifting favourably, he
continued his voyage, and got to the entrance of the first gut about
half after two o'clock; but now with all his sails set, and aided by a
fine breeze, he could not stem the tide, which ran six knots an hour
against him, and carried him astern. It was in vain to strive; and
fearing, as the wind was unsteady, that he might be becalmed in the gut,
and therefore exposed to danger on the ledges off the capes forming the
entrance, especially a long one on the Terra del Fuego side, he was at
last constrained to turn in search of anchorage in the bottom of
Possession Bay, for which he steered N. by E. This he found at seven in
the evening, about two leagues from the land, in twenty fathom, having a
mud and sand ground, with black and white gravel. He was more successful
in his exertions the following morning, when having stemmed a contrary
tide, the current set to windward, and carried him, tacking frequently
to avoid both coasts, through the first gut, in spite of the wind which
blew hard against him. It was noon before he accomplished this, after
which he made sail, as the wind had veered to S., and the tide still ran
to windward; both, however, failing about three o'clock, he anchored in
Boucalt Bay on the contin