s is particularly related in our account of Cook's
voyage, vol. xii. p. 397.]

On the following day, a greater storm came on than had been yet
experienced. The sea ran mountains high in the channel, and often
exhibited waves striking in contrary directions against each other. A
clap of thunder was heard at noon, the only one they had ever noticed in
this strait, and it seemed to be a signal for an increased violence of
the wind. They dragged their anchor in the storm, and were obliged to
let go the sheet-anchor, and to strike their lower yards and top-masts.
Some intervals between the bad weather occurred on the 18th and 19th,
and allowed them, among other things, to send the Etoile's barge, which
was in peculiar good condition, to view the channel of _Sainte Barbe_,
about which, however, his information was so scanty and apparently
incorrect, at least imperfect, as to prove of little utility in his
present situation. This he the more regretted, as, in his opinion, the
perfect knowledge of it would have considerably shortened the passage of
the straits. It requires little time, he remarks, to get to Port
Gallant, the chief difficulty being to double Cape Forward, which, he
says, is rendered easier by the discovery he made of three ports on the
Terra del Fuego side; and when once that port is gained, even though the
winds should prevent a vessel taking the ordinary course, this channel
is open, and may be gone through in twenty-four hours, so as to reach
the South Sea. He could not perfectly demonstrate the truth of this
opinion he entertained, as the bad weather prevented the examination of
some points as he had projected.

The storm and bad weather continued with little intermission till the
24th, when a calm and some sun-shine induced him to make another attempt
to proceed. Since re-entering Port Gallant, he had taken in several tons
of ballast, and altered his stowage, by which he succeeded in getting
the frigate to sail better than it did before. On the whole, however, he
remarks, it will always be found very difficult to manage so long a
vessel as a frigate usually is, in the midst of currents. Captain Cook,
perhaps, had contemplated such a difficulty, when he assigned his
reasons for preferring a vessel like the Endeavour, for the purposes of
discovery.

On the 25th, at one in the morning, they unmoored, weighed at three, the
breeze being northerly, but settling in the east at half-past five, when
they got top-