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Coast of Terra del Fuego

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Coast of Terra del Fuego (continued)

from the Northward, there is likewise a good land Mark near the South head to know it by whi this is a Mark on the land like a lane or broad road leading up from the sea into the country: this Bay is ½ a League wid[e] at the entrance and lies in West 2½ Miles and hath good Anchorage in every part of it in 10, 8 and 7 fathom clear ground, and affords plenty of exceeding good wood and water--   the wood is of the Birch kind, but of a different quallity to that in England or North America, here are likewise of the winter Bark tree and some few others, Wild Sellery, some berries like Cranberries, but grow on bushes [check ref here]. Very few wild Fowle of any sort, and no fish, except shell fish such as Muscles, Limpets &Ca and what we saw of the interior parts of the Country is still more barren of the necessarys of life then the Sea-- The few days we stayed here we had constant bad weather, the winds from the S.W ^ and WSW with rain hail and snow; snow generally fell on the hills every where with these winds when we had rain in the Bay or upon the sea Coast,   I observed the same with respect to Staten land; but as it never frose it did not lay long.    yet it must render the Country cold and barren and unfit for cultivation —

The Tides in Success Bay flowes at the full and change of the Moon, about 4 or 5 oClock and riseth between 5 and 6 feet perpendicular, but in the Strait it the flood runs two or three hours longer.   and there the Ebb or S.W. Southerly current runs near double the strength of the Flood or Northerly current—

Staten Island lies nearest East and West and ^ from what I could see and judge of it may be about 12 Leagues in length and 5 in breadth, on the North side are the appearences of Bays or Harbours and the land is not distatute of wood and Verdure, nor cover'd with snow any more than Terra del Fuego —

On the S.W. side of the Cape of good Success / which forms the SW entrances of Strait Le Maire and is known by some rocks off it / lies Valintines Bay.   the entrance of which we only saw; from this Bay the land trends to the WSW for 20 or 30 Leagues, in appears high and Mountainous and forms several Bays and inlets; SW½S. 14 Leagues from the Cape of Good-Success, and 2 or 3 Leagues from the Shore lies New Island,   it is 2 Leagues in length NE and S.W.   the NE end is terminated by a remarkable hillick--   S.W. 7 Leagues from New Island lies the Isle Evouts, and South a little westerly from this Island lies Barnivelts, two small flat Island close to each other    they are partly environed with rocks of different hieghts above water and lay SW. 24 Leagues from Strait La Maire. From Barnivelts Islands

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© Transcribed from National Library of Australia Manuscript 1 page 32, 2004
Published by South Seas
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