The next morning, at four o’clock, we made sail, the low flat cape then bearing S.E. by E. distant five leagues: at half an hour after five it bore S.S.E. distant two leagues; and we then steered from it E.S.E. five leagues, to three low rocky islands which lie about two miles from the main. From these islands we steered S.S.E. four leagues, to two other low islands, which lie at the distance of about one mile from the main. Between these islands the land forms a very deep sound, which I called BERKELEY’S SOUND. In the south part of this sound there is an opening, which has the appearance of a harbour; and about three or four miles to the southward of the south point of it, at the distance of about four miles from the main, some rocks appear above the water, upon which the sea breaks very high, there being here a great swell from the southward. When we were abreast of these breakers, we steered S.W. by S. about two leagues, when the southermost land in sight, which I took to be the southermost part of Falkland’s Islands, bore W.S.W. distant five leagues. The coast now began to be very dangerous, there being, in all directions, rocks and breakers at a great distance from the shore. The country also inland had a more rude and desolate appearance; the high ground, as far as we could see, being all barren, craggy rocks, very much resembling that part of Terra del Fuego which lies near Cape Horn. As the sea now rose every moment, I was afraid of being caught here upon a lee shore, in which case there would have been very little chance of my getting off,

Voyaging Accounts