captain's mind was relieved with regard to her, he
still feared that some disaster had occurred to another vessel along the
coast. He probably was, as usual, on his guard, and careful in
preventing any causes of dispute between his people and the natives, or
he himself might have had to experience the effects of New Zealand
treachery.

On November 10 the Resolution left Queen Charlotte's Sound for the last
time, and steered south-by-east, with a fine wind, Cook's intention
being to get into latitude 54 degrees or 55 degrees, and to cross the
ocean nearly in those parallels, thus to pass over those parts which
were left unexplored the previous summer.

On the evening of December 17 the west coast of Tierra del Fuego, near
the entrance of the Straits of Magalhaens, was made; and now Captain
Cook says that he had done with the South Pacific, but he had a sound
ship and a healthy crew, and he resolved to accomplish some more work
before returning home. Among other things, he made a survey of the
coasts he was now on. Nothing could be more desolate than those shores.
They seemed entirely composed of rocky mountains, without the least
appearance of vegetation, the mountains terminating in horrible
precipices, while their craggy summits shot up to a vast height. The
mountains seen inland were covered with snow, but those nearer the sea
coasts were free from it. The former were supposed to belong to the
mainland of Tierra del Fuego, while the latter were probably islands.

The ship at length was brought to an anchor, on December 20, in one of
the numerous harbours in which the otherwise inhospitable-looking coast
abounds. This was called Christmas Sound, as the ship remained at
anchor during Christmas Day. An abundance of wild-fowl were shot here,
so that the Christmas fare consisted of roast and boiled geese, goose
pie, goose stew, and goose in every form which could be thought of,
accompanied, in the cabin, by some Madeira, the only article of their
provisions which had improved by keeping.

Some natives made their appearance here in nine canoes. They were a
little, ugly, half-starved, beardless race. They were almost naked,
their clothing being merely two or three seal-skins, sewed together to
form a cloak reaching to the knee. Most of them had only one seal-skin,
and the women had a sort of apron, but in other respects were clothed
like the men. Some young children were seen entirely naked, so that
they must