notwithstanding an alteration which had been made in her
rudder, she steered and worked so ill, that every time they got under
way they were apprehensive that she could never safely be brought to an
anchor again; I was therefore requested, in the name of the captain, to
consider that she could be of very little service to the expedition, and
to direct what I thought would be best for the service. I answered, that
as the Lords of the Admiralty had appointed her to accompany the
Dolphin, she must continue to do it as long as it was possible; that as
her condition rendered her a bad sailer, I would wait her time, and
attend her motions; and that if any disaster should happen to either of
us, the other should be ready to afford such assistance as might be in
her power.

We continued here eight days, during which time we completed our wood
and water, dried our sails, and sent great part of the ship's company on
shore, to wash their clothes and stretch their legs, which was the more
necessary, as the cold, snowy, and tempestuous weather had confined them
too much below. We caught mussels and limpets, and gathered celery and
nettles in great abundance. The mussels were the largest we had ever
seen, many of them being from five to six inches long: We caught also
great plenty of fine, firm, red fish, not unlike a gurnet, most of which
were from four to five pounds weight. At the same time we made it part
of the employment of every day to try the current, which we found
constantly setting to the eastward.

The master having been sent out to look for anchoring-places, returned
with an account that he could find no shelter, except near the shore,
where it should not be sought but in cases of the most pressing
necessity. He landed upon a large island on the north side of Snow
Sound, and being almost perished with cold, the first thing he did was
to make a large fire, with some small trees which he found upon the
spot. He then climbed one of the rocky mountains, with Mr Pickersgill, a
midshipman, and one of the seamen, to take a view of the streight, and
the dismal regions that surround it. He found the entrance of the sound
to be full as broad as several parts of the streight, and to grow but
very little narrower, for several miles inland on the Terra del Fuego
side. The country on the south of it was still more dreary and horrid
than any he had yet seen: It consisted of craggy mountains, much higher
than the clouds, that were alto