After getting round the cape, I hauled up along the south coast; and as soon as we had brought the wind to blow off the land, it came upon us in such heavy squalls as obliged us to double-reef our topsails. It afterwards fell, by little and little, and at noon ended in a calm. At this time Cape St. John bore N. 20° east, distant three and a half leagues; Cape St. Bartholomew, or the S. W. point of Staten Land, S. 83° west; two high detached rocks N. 80° west; and the place where the land seemed to be divided, which had the same appearance on this side, bore N. 15° west, three leagues distant. Latitude observed 54° 56ʹ. In this situation we sounded, but had no bottom, with a line of one hundred and twenty fathoms. The calm was of very short duration, a breeze presently springing up at N. W., but it was too faint to make head against the current, and we drove with it back to the N. N. E. At four o’clock the wind veered at once to S. by E. and blew in squalls attended with rain. Two hours after, the squalls and rain subsided, and the wind returning back to the west, blew a gentle gale. All this time the current set us to the north; so that, at eight o’clock, Cape St. John bore W. N. W. distant about seven leagues. I now gave over plying, and steered S. E. with a resolution to leave the land; judging it to be sufficiently explored to answer the most general purposes of navigation and geography. CHAP. IV. OBSERVATIONS, GEOGRAPHICAL AND NAUTICAL, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE ISLANDS NEAR STATEN LAND, AND THE ANIMALS FOUND IN THEM. The annexed chart will very accurately shew the direction, extent, and position of the coast, along which I have sailed, either in this or my former voyage; and no more is to be expected from it. The latitudes have been determined by the sun’s meridian altitude, which we were so fortunate as to obtain every day, except the one we sailed from Christmas Sound; which was of no consequence, as its latitude was known before. The longitudes have been settled by lunar observations, as is already mentioned. I have taken 67° 46ʹ for the longitude of Cape Horn. From this meridian, the longitudes of all the other parts are deduced by the watch; by which the extent of the whole must be determined to a few miles; and whatever errors there may be in longitude, must be general. But I think it highly probable, that the longitude is determined to within a quarter of a degree. Thus the extent of Terra del Fuego from east to west, and consequently that of the Straits of Magalhaens, will be found less than most navigators have made it. In order to illustrate this, and to show the situations of the neighbouring lands, and, by this means, make the annexed chart of more general use, I have extended it down to 47° of latitude. But I am only answerable for the inaccuracy of such parts as I have explored myself. In laying down the rest, I had recourse to the following authorities.