to the Commodore.

(*Note. Cape de las Virgenes, the south-eastern extremity of Patagonia at
the entrance to the straits of Magellan.)

We here found, what was constantly verified by all our observations in
these high latitudes,* that fair weather was always of an exceeding short
duration, and that when it was remarkably fine it was a certain presage
of a succeeding storm; for the calm and sunshine of our afternoon ended
in a most turbulent night, the wind freshening from the south-west as the
night came on, and increasing its violence continually till nine in the
morning the next day, when it blew so hard that we were obliged to bring
to with the squadron, and to continue under a reefed mizzen till eleven
at night. Towards midnight, the wind abating, we made sail again; and
steering south, we discovered in the morning for the first time the land
called Tierra del Fuego. This indeed afforded us but a very uncomfortable
prospect, it appearing of a stupendous height, covered everywhere with
snow. As we intended to pass through Straits le Maire next day, we lay to
at night that we might not over shoot them, and took this opportunity to
prepare ourselves for the tempestuous climate we were soon to be engaged
in; with which view we employed ourselves good part of the night in
bending an entire new suit of sails to the yards. At four the next
morning, being the 7th of March, we made sail, and at eight saw the land,
and soon after we began to open the Straits.

THE EVE OF DISASTER.

About ten o'clock, the Pearl and the Trial being ordered to keep ahead of
the squadron, we entered them with fair weather and a brisk gale, and
were hurried through by the rapidity of the tide in about two hours,