-North-West, the first
part fresh Gales and Squally with some Rain; Middle, little wind with
Hail and Rain; latter, fresh Gales and Hazey, with Showers of Rain. At 8
p.m. the Island of Evouts North-West, distant 3 or 4 miles. Variation,
per morning Amplitude 21 degrees 16 minutes East. At 8 a.m. the
Southermost low point of land seen Yesterday Bore South 74 degrees West,
and a remarkable Peaked Hill to the Southward of it South-West; and soon
after we discovered that the land which we took Yesterday to be a part of
the Main or an Island, was three Islands, which I take to be Hermites. At
Noon the South Point of the Southermost Island bore North-West by West
distant 3 leagues, having then 58 fathoms Peble Stones. This Point is
pretty high and consists of Peaked Craggy rocks, and not far from it lay
several others high above Water. It lies in the Latitude of 55 degrees 53
minutes South and South-West 26 Leagues from Straits La Mair, and by some
on board thought to be Cape Horn; but I was of another Opinion, and with
good reason, because we saw land to the Southward of it about 3 or 4
leagues. It appeared not unlike an Island with a very high round Hummock
upon it; this I believe to be Cape Horn, for after we had stood about 3
Leagues the weather cleared up for about a quarter of an hour, which gave
us a sight of the land bearing West-South-West, but we could see no land
to the southward or Westward of it, and therefore conclude that it must
be the Cape, but whether it be an Island of itself, a part of the
Southermost of Hermits Islands, or a part of Terra del Fuego, I am not
able to determine. However, this is of very little Consequence to
Navigation: I only wished to be Certain whether or no it was the
Southermost Land on or near to Terra del Fuego; but the thick foggy
weather and the westerly winds which Carried us from the land prevented
me from satisfying my Curiosity in this point, but from its Latitude and
the reasons before given I think it must, and if so it must be Cape Horn,
and lies in the latitude of 55 degrees 53 minutes South and Longitude 68
degrees 13 minutes West from the Meridian of Greenwich,* (* No doubt this
was Cape Horn, but it lies in 55 degrees 58 minutes South, 67 degrees 16
minutes West.) being the Mean result of Several Observations of the sun
and moon made the day after we left the land, and which agreed with those
made at Straits Le Mair, allowing for the distance between one place and
the othe