quite covered with snow to the very wash of the sea,
so that it seems more like a white cloud than firm
land. These straits seemed to answer well to the
map of Frezier; being about seven leagues through
and six wide, and extend almost due north and south.
Now the return tide rushed upon us with a violence
equal to that which brought us in, and it was astonishing
with what rapidity we were driven again to the north,
though we had a fresh gale at N.W. so that we seemed
to advance six knots by the log; whence I judged this
tide ran not less than ten knots. In short, we
were carried quite out of the straits to the north
in about an hour. Upon this shift of tide there
arose such a short sea, and so lofty at the same time,
that we alternately dipped our bowsprit and poop-lanterns
into the water; our ship all the while labouring most
violently, and refusing to answer the helm. The
tide shifted again at midnight, and we shot through
the straits, steering S. with a brisk gale at N.W.
without seeing the land distinctly on either side:
And, in the morning, had a good offing to the southward.
We found it very cold before we got thus far; but
now we began to feel the utmost extremity of coldness.
The bleak western winds had of themselves been sufficiently
piercing; but these were always accompanied by snow
or sleet, which beat continually on our sails and rigging,
cased all our masts, yards, and ropes with ice, and
rendered our sails almost useless. We had been
so much accustomed to most severe storms, that we
thought the weather tolerable when we could carry a
reefed main-sail; as we were often for two or three
days together lying-to under bare poles, exposed to
the shocks of prodigious waves, more mountainous than
any I had ever seen. We now sensibly felt the
benefit of our awning, without which we could scarcely
have lived. The wind continued to rage without
intermission from the westward, by which we were driven
to the latitude of 61 deg. 30’ S. and had such
continued misty weather, that we were under perpetual
apprehension of running foul of ice islands: But,
thank God, we escaped that danger, though under frequent
alarms from fog banks and other false appearances.
Though the days were long, we could seldom get sight
of the sun, so that we had only one observation for
the variation in all this passage, which was in lat.
60 deg. 37’ S. 5 deg. W. of the straits
of Le Maire, when we found it 22 deg. 6’ E. On
the 1st October, as we were furling the main-sail,
one William Camell, cried out that his hands and fingers
were so benumbed that he could not hold himself:
And, before those near could assist him, he fell down
and was drowned. On the 22d October, our fore-top-mast
was carried away, and we rigged another next day.
Having contrary winds from the time we passed the straits
of Le Maire, with the most uncomfortable weather,
we made our way very slowly to the west and northwards,
the hopes of getting soon into a wanner and better
climate supporting us under our many miseries.
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