outh, distant fourteen or fifteen
leagues.

At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making
short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning made sail,
and steered S.E. by S., with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather
somewhat hazy. At this time the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended
from N. by E. to N.E. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E.
by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is
known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the
W.N.W. shews a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will
always distinguish the one from the other.

At half past seven, we passed this famous _cape_, and entered the
southern Atlantic ocean. It is the very same point of land I took for
the cape, when I passed it in 1769, which at that time I was doubtful
of. It is the most southern extremity on a group of islands of unequal
extent, lying before Nassau Bay, known by the name of Hermite Islands,
and is situated in the latitude of 55 deg. 58', and in the longitude of 68 deg.
13' W.; according to the observations made of it in 1769. But the
observations which we had in Christmas Sound, and reduced to the cape by
the watch, and others which we had afterwards, and reduced back to it by
the same means, place it in 67 deg. 19'. It is most probable that a mean
between the two, viz. 67 deg. 46', will be nearest the truth. On the N.W.
side of the cape are two peaked rocks, like sugar-loaves: They lie N.W.
by N., and S.E. by S., by compass, of each other. Some other straggling
low rocks lie west of the cape, and one south of it; but they are all
near the shore. From Christmas Sound to Cape Horn the course is E.S.E
1/4 E., distant thirty-one leagues. In the direction of E.N.E., three
leagues from Cape Horn, is a rocky point, which I called Mistaken Cape,
and is the southern point of the easternmost of Hermite Isles. Between
these two capes there seemed to be a passage directly into Nassau Bay;
some small isles were seen in the passage; and the coast, on the west
side, had the appearance of forming good bays or harbours. In some
charts, Cape Horn is laid down as belonging to a small island. This was
neither confirmed, nor can it be contradicted by us; for several
breakers appeared on the coast, both to the east and west of it; and the
hazy weather rendered every object indistinct. The summits of some of
the hills were rocky, but the sides and vall