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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 12 by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 12




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 a 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 southernmost 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 or being caught here upon
a lee-shore, in which case there would have been very little chance of
my getting off, and therefore I tacked, and stood to the northward; the
latitude of the southermost point in sight being about 52 deg.3' S. As we
had now run no less than seventy leagues along the coast of this island,
it must certainly be of very considerable extent. It has been said by
some former navigators to be about two hundred miles in circumference,
but I made no doubt of its being nearer seven. Having hauled the wind, I
stood to the northward about noon; the entrance of Berkeley's Sound at
three o'clock bore S.W. by W. distant about six leagues. At eight in the
evening, the wind shifting to the S.W. we stood to the westward.


SECTION VI.

_The Passage through the Strait of Magellan as far as Cape Monday, with
a Description of several Bays and Harbours, formed by the Coast on each
Side._


We continued to make sail for Port Desire till Wednesday the 6th of
February, when about one o'clock in the afternoon we saw land, and stood
in for the port. During the run from Falkland's Islands to this place,
the number of whales about the ship was so great as to render the
navigation dangerous; we were very near striking upon one, and another
blew the water in upon the quarter-deck; they were much larger than any
we had seen. As we were standing in for Port Desire, we saw the Florida,
a store-ship that we expected from England; and at four we came to an
anchor off the harbour's mouth.

The next morning, Mr Dean, the master of the store-ship, came on board;
and finding from his report that his foremast was sprung, and his ship
little better than a wreck, I determined to go into the harbour, and try
to unload her there, although the narrowness of the place, and the
rapidity of the tides, render it a very dangerous situation. We got in
in the evening, but it blowing very hard in the night, both the Tamar
and the store-ship made signals of distress; I immediately sent my boats
to their assistance, who found that; notwithstanding they were moored,
they had been driven up the harbour, and were in the greatest danger of
being on shore. They were brought back, not without great difficulty,
and the very next night they drove again, and were again saved by the
same efforts, from the same danger. As I now found that the store-ship
was continually driving about the harbour, and every moment in danger of
being lost, I gave up, with whatever reluctance, my design of taking the
provisions out of her, and sent all our carpenters on board, to fish the
mast, and make such other repairs as they could. I also lent her my
forge to complete such iron-work as they wanted, and determined, the
moment she was in a condition to put to sea, to take her with us into
the strait of Magellan, and unload her there. While this was doing,
Captain Mouat, who commanded the Tamar, informed me that his rudder was
sprung, and that he had reason to fear it would in a short time become
wholly unserviceable. Upon this I ordered the carpenter of the Dolphin
on board the Tamar, to examine the rudder, and he reported it to be so
bad, that in his opinion the vessel could not proceed on her voyage
without a new one. A new one, however, it was not in our power to
procure at this place, and I therefore desired Captain Mouat to get his
forge on shore, and secure his rudder with iron clamps in the best
manner, he could, hoping that in the strait a piece of timber might be
found which would furnish him with a better.

On Wednesday the 13th, the store-ship being ready for sea, I put on
board of her one of my petty officers, who was well acquainted with the
strait, and three or four of my seamen to assist in navigating her; I
also lent her two of my boats, and took those belonging to her, which
were staved, on board to get them repaired, and then I ordered her
master to put to sea directly, and make the best of his way to Port
Famine; though I did not doubt but that I should come up with her long
before she got thither, as I intended to follow her as soon as the Tamar
was ready, and Captain Mouat had told me that the rudder having been
patched together by the joint labour and skill of the carpenter and
smith, he should be in a condition to proceed with me the next morning.

The next morning we accordingly put to sea, and a few hours afterwards
being abreast of Penguin island, we saw the store-ship a long way to the
eastward.

On Saturday the 16th, about six o'clock in the morning, we saw Cape
Fair-weather, bearing W.S.W. at the distance of five or six leagues; and
at nine, we saw a strange sail to the N.W. standing after us.

On the 17th, at six in the morning, Cape Virgin Mary bearing south,
distant five miles, we hauled in for the strait, and the strange ship
still followed us.

On the 18th we passed the first narrow, and as I perceived the strange
ship to have shaped the same course that we had, from the time she had
first seen us, shortening or making sail as we did, she became the
subject of much speculation; and as I was obliged, after I had got
through the first narrow, to bring-to for the store-ship, which was a
great way astern, I imagined she would speak with us, and therefore I
put the ship in the best order I could. As soon as he had passed the
narrow, and saw me lying-to, he did the same about four miles to
windward of me. In this situation we remained till night came on, and
the tide setting us over to the south shore, we came to an anchor; the
wind however shifted before morning, and at day-break I saw our
satellite at anchor about three leagues to leeward of us. As it was then
tide of flood, I thought of working through the second narrow; but
seeing the stranger get underway, and work up towards us, I ran directly
over into Gregory Bay, and brought the ship to an anchor, with a spring
upon our cable: I also got eight of our guns, which were all we could
get at, out of the hold, and brought them over on one side. In the mean
time, the ship continued to work up towards us, and various were our
conjectures about her, for she shewed no colours, neither did we. It
happened about this time that the store-ship, as she was endeavouring to
come to an anchor near us, ran aground; upon which the stranger came to
an anchor a little way astern, at the same time hoisting French colours,
and sending his launch, and another boat, with an anchor to assist her.
Still, however, I showed no colours, but sent my own boats, and a boat
of the Tamar's, to assist the store-ship, giving orders at the same time
to the officers, not to suffer the French boats to come on board her,
but to thank them in polite terms for the assistance they intended.
These orders were punctually obeyed, and with the assistance of our own
boats only, the store-ship was soon after got off: My people reported
that the French ship was full of men, and seemed to have a great number
of officers on board.

At six o'clock in the evening, I made the signal and weighed; we worked
through the second narrow, and at ten o'clock passed the west end of it:
at eleven we anchored in seven fathom off Elizabeth's Island, and the
French ship at the same time anchored in a bad situation, to the
southward of Saint Bartholomew's Island, which convinced me that she was
not acquainted with the channel.

At six o'clock the next morning, I weighed and sailed between Elizabeth
and Bartholomew Islands, with the wind at N.W. and after steering S.S.W.
five or six miles, we crossed a bank, where among the weeds we had seven
fathom water. This bank lies W.S.W. five or six miles from the middle of
George's Island, and it is said in some former accounts that in many
places there is not three fathom water upon it; the danger here
therefore is considerable, and to avoid it, it is necessary to keep near
Elizabeth's Island, till the western shore is but at a short distance,
and then a southern course may be steered with great safety, till the
reef, which lies about four miles to the northward of Saint Anne's
Point, is in sight. At noon this day, the north point of Fresh Water Bay
bore W. by N. and Saint Anne's Point S. by E. 1/2 E. The French ship
still steered after us, and we imagined that she was either from
Falkland's Islands, where the French had then a settlement, to get wood,
or upon a survey of the strait. The remaining part of this day, and the
next morning, we had variable winds with calms; in the afternoon
therefore I hoisted out the boats, and towed round Saint Anne's Point
into Port Famine; at six in the evening we anchored, and soon after the
French ship passed by us to the southward.

Here we continued till Monday the 25th, when both the Dolphin and Tamar
having taken out of the store-ship as much provision as they could stow,
I gave the master of her orders to return to England as soon as he could
get ready, and with the Tamar sailed from Port Famine, intending to push
through the streight before the season should be too far advanced.[28]
At noon we were three leagues distant from Saint Anne's Point, which
bore N.W. and three or four miles distant from Point Shutup, which bore
S.S.W. Point Shutup bears from Saint Anne's Point S. 1/2 E. by the
compass, and they are about four or five leagues asunder. Between these
two points there is a flat shoal, which runs from Port Famine before
Sedger river, and three or four miles to the southward.

[Footnote 28: "At taking our leave of the store-ship, our boatswain, and
all that were sick on board the Dolphin and Tamar, obtained leave to
return in her to England; the commodore in the mean time openly
declaring to the men in general, that if any of them were averse to
proceeding on the voyage, they had free liberty to return; an offer
which only one of our men accepted."]

We steered S.S.W. with little wind along the shore, from Point Shutup
towards Cape Forward; and about three o'clock in the afternoon we passed
by the French ship, which, we saw in a little cove, about two leagues to
the southward of Point Shutup. She had hauled her stern close into the
woods, and we could see large piles of the wood which she had cut down,
lying on each side of her; so that I made no doubt of her having been
sent out to procure that necessary for their new settlement, though I
could not conceive why they should have come so far into the strait for
that purpose. After my return to England, I learnt that this vessel was
the Eagle, commanded by M. Bougainville, and that her business in the
strait was, as I conjectured, to cut wood for the French settlement in
the Falkland's Islands. From Cape Shutup to Cape Forward, the course by
compass is S.W. by S. and the distance is seven leagues. At eight
o'clock in the evening, Cape Forward bore N.W.1/2 W. and was distant
about a mile, and we brought-to for the night. This part of the strait
is about eight miles over, and off the cape we had forty fathom within
half a cable's length of the shore. About four o'clock in the morning we
made sail, and at eight, having had light airs almost quite round the
compass, Cape Forward bore N.E. by E. distant about four miles; and Cape
Holland W.N.W.1/2 W. distant about five leagues. At ten we had fresh
gales at W.N.W. and at intervals sudden squalls, so violent as to oblige
us to clue all up every time they came on. We kept, however, working to
windward, and looking out for an anchoring-place, endeavouring at the
same time to reach a bay about two leagues to the westward of Cape
Forward. At five o'clock I sent a boat with an officer into this bay to
sound, who finding it fit for our purpose, we entered it, and about six
o'clock anchored in nine fathom: Cape Forward bore E.1/2 S. distant five
miles; a small island which lies in the middle of the bay, and is about
a mile distant from the shore, W. by S. distant about half a mile; and a
rivulet of fresh water N.W. by W. distant three quarters of a mile.

At six o'clock the next morning, we weighed and continued our course
through the strait; from Cape Holland to Cape Gallant, which are distant
about eight leagues, the coast lies W.1/2 S. by the compass: Cape
Gallant is very high and steep, and between this and Cape Holland lies a
reach about three leagues over, called English Reach. About five miles
south of Cape Gallant lies a large island, called Charles's Island,
which it is necessary to keep to the northward of: We sailed along the
north shore of it, at about two miles distance, and sometimes much less.
A little to the eastward of Cape Holland is a fair sandy bay, called
Wood's Bay, in which there is good anchoring. The mountains on each side
the strait are, I think, higher, and of a more desolate appearance, than
any other, in the world, except perhaps the Cordeliers, both being rude,
craggy, and steep, and covered with snow from the top to the bottom.

From Cape Gallant to Passage Point, which are distant about three
leagues, the coast lies W. by N. by compass. Passage Point is the east
point of Elizabeth's Bay, and is low land, with a rock lying off it.
Between this and Cape Gallant there are several islands. Some of them
are very small; but the eastermost, which is Charles's Island, that has
been just mentioned, is two leagues long; the next is called Monmouth's
Island, and the westermost Rupert's Island: Rupert's Island lies S. by
E. of Point Passage. These islands make the strait narrow; between
Point Passage and Rupert's Island it is not more than two miles over,
and it is necessary to go to the northward of them all, keeping the
north shore on board: We sailed within two cables' length of it, and had
no ground with forty fathom. At six in the evening the wind shifted to
the westward, upon which we stood in for Elizabeth's Bay, and anchored
in ten fathom with very good ground: the best anchoring, however, is in
thirteen fathom, for there was but three or four fathom about a cable's
length within us. In this bay there is a good rivulet of fresh water. We
found the flood here set very strong to the eastward; and according to
our calculation, it flows at the full and change of the moon about
twelve o'clock. We found the variation two points easterly.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, on Thursday the 28th, the wind being
between the N.W. and W. with fresh gales and squalls, we made the signal
to weigh, and just as we had got the ship over the anchor, a violent
gust brought it home; the ship immediately drove into shoal water,
within two cables' length of the shore, upon which we let go the small
bower in four fathom, and had but three fathom under our stern: The
stream anchor was carried out with all possible expedition, and by
applying a purchase to the capstern, the ship was drawn towards it; we
then heaved up both the bower anchors, slipt the stream cable, and with
the jib and stay-sails ran out into ten fathom, and anchored with the
best bower exactly in the situation from which we had been driven.

At five o'clock the next morning, the wind being northerly, and the
weather moderate, we weighed again, and at seven passed Muscle Bay,
which lies on the southern shore, about a league to the westward of
Elizabeth's Bay. At eight we were abreast of Bachelor's River, which is
on the north shore, about two leagues W. by N. from Elizabeth's Bay. At
nine we passed St Jerom's Sound, the entrance of which is about a league
from Bachelor's River: When St Jerom's Sound was open, it bore N.W. We
then steered W.S.W. by the compass for Cape Quod, which is three leagues
distant from the southermost point of the sound. Between Elizabeth Bay
and Cape Quod is a reach about four miles over, called Crooked Reach. At
the entrance of Jerom's Sound, on the north side, we saw three or four
fires, and soon afterwards perceived two or three canoes paddling after
us. At noon Cape Quod bore W.S.W.1/2 W. distant four or five miles, and
soon after having light airs and calms, we drove to the eastward with
the flood tide; in the mean time the canoes came up, and after having
paddled about us some time, one of them had the resolution to come on
board. The canoe was of bark, very ill made, and the people on board,
which were four men, two women, and a boy, were the poorest wretches I
had ever seen. They were all naked, except a stinking seal skin that was
thrown loosely over their shoulders; they were armed, however, with bows
and arrows, which they readily gave me in return for a few beads, and
other trifles. The arrows were made of a reed, and pointed with a green
stone; they were about two feet long, and the bows were three feet; the
cord of the bow was the dried gut of some animal.[29] In the evening we
anchored abreast of Bachelor's River, in fourteen fathom. The entrance
of the river bore N. by E. distant one mile, and the northermost point
of Saint Jerom's Sound W.N.W. distant three miles. About three quarters
of a mile eastward of Bachelor's River, is a shoal, upon which there is
not more than six feet water when the tide is out: it is distant about
half a mile from the shore, and may be known by the weeds that are upon
it. The tide flows here, at the full and change of the moon, about one
o'clock. Soon after we were at anchor, several Indians came on board us,
and I made them all presents of beads, ribbands, and other trifles, with
which they appeared to be greatly delighted. This visit I returned by
going on shore among them, taking only a few people with me in my jolly
boat, that I might not alarm them by numbers. They received us with
great expressions of kindness, and to make us welcome, they brought us
some berries which they had gathered for that purpose, and which, with a
few muscles, seem to be a principal part, if not the whole of their
subsistence.

[Footnote 29: "They have also javelins. These people seem to be very
poor and perfectly harmless, coming forth to their respective callings,
as soon, as the morning dawns, and as soon as the sun sets retiring to
their different habitations."--"They are very dexterous in striking the
fish with their javelins, though they lie some feet under water. In
these instances they seem to shew the utmost extent of their ingenuity;
for we found them incapable of understanding things the most obvious to
their senses. For instance, on their first coming on board, amongst the
trinkets we presented them were some knives and scissars, and in giving
them these, we tried to make them sensible of their use; but after our
repeated endeavours, by shewing the manner of using them, they continued
as inflexible as at first, and could not learn to distinguish the blades
from the handles."]

At five o'clock in the morning of the 2d, we weighed and towed with the
tide, but at ten, having no wind, and finding that we drove again to the
eastward, we anchored with the stream anchor in fifteen fathom, upon a
bank which lies about half a mile from the north shore; after veering
about two-thirds of a cable, we had five-and-forty fathom along-side and
still deeper water at a little distance. The south point of Saint
Jerom's Sound bore N.N.E. distant two miles, and Cape Quod W.S.W.
distant about eight miles. From the south point of Saint Jerom's Sound
to Cape Quod is three leagues, in the direction of S.W. by W. The tides
in this reach are exceedingly strong, though very irregular; we found
them set to the eastward from nine o'clock in the morning till five
o'clock the next morning, and the other four hours, from five to nine,
they set to the westward.[30] At twelve o'clock at night, it began to
blow very hard at W.N.W. and at two in the morning the ship drove off
the bank: We immediately hove the anchor up, and found both the flukes
broken off; till three o'clock we had no ground, and then we drove into
sixteen fathom, at the entrance of Saint Jerom's Sound; as it still blew
a storm, we immediately let go the best bower, and veered to half a
cable. The anchor brought the ship up at so critical a moment, that we
had but five fathom, and even that depth was among breakers. We let go
the small bower under foot, and at five, finding the tide set to the
westward, and the weather more moderate, we got up both the anchors, and
kept working to windward. At ten we found the tide setting again
strongly to the eastward, and we therefore sent the boat back to seek
for an anchoring-place, which she found in a bay on the north shore,
about four miles to the eastward of Cape Quod, and a little way within
some small islands: We endeavoured to get into this bay, but the tide
rushed out of it with such violence, that we found it impossible, and at
noon bore away for York Road, at the entrance of Bachelor's River, where
we anchored about an hour afterwards.

[Footnote 30: "The streights are here four leagues over, and it is
difficult to get any anchorage, on account of the unevenness and
irregularity of the bottom, which in several places close to the shore
has from twenty to fifty fathoms water, and in other parts no ground is
to be found with a line of a hundred and fifty fathoms."]

At six o'clock the next morning, we weighed and worked with the tide,
which set the same as the day before, but we could not gain an
anchoring-place, so that at noon we bore away for York Road again. I
took this opportunity to go up Bachelor's River in my jolly-boat, as
high as I could, which was about four miles: In some places I found it
very wide and deep, and the water was good, but near the mouth it is so
shallow at low water, that even a small boat cannot get into it.

At six o'clock on the 5th we weighed again, and at eight, it being stark
calm, we sent the boats a-head to tow; at eleven, however, the tide set
so strong from the westward, that we could not gain the bay on the north
shore, which the boat had found for us on the 4th, and which was an
excellent harbour, fit to receive five or six sail: We were therefore
obliged to anchor upon a bank, in forty-five fathom, with the stream
anchor, Cape Quod bearing W.S.W. distant five or six miles, the south
point of the island that lies to the east of the cape, being just in one
with the pitch of it, and a remarkable stone patch on the north shore,
bearing N.1/2 W. distant half a mile. Close to the shore here, the depth
of water was seventy-five fathom. As soon as we were at anchor, I sent
an officer to the westward to look out for a harbour, but he did not
succeed. It was calm the rest of the day, and all night, the tide
setting to the eastward from the time we anchored till six o'clock the
next morning, when we weighed, and were towed by the boats to the
westward. At eight a fresh breeze sprung up at W.S.W. and W. and at noon
Cape Quod bore E. by S. at the distance of about five miles. In this
situation I sent the boats out again to look for an anchoring-place, and
about noon, by their direction, we anchored in a little bay on the south
shore, opposite to Cape Quod, in five and twenty fathom, with very good
ground.[31] A small rocky island bore W. by N. at the distance of about
two cables' length, the eastermost point E. 1/2 S. and Cape Quod N.E. by
N. distant about three miles: In this place we had shell-fish of various
kinds in great plenty. The Tamar not being able to work up to us,
anchored about two o'clock in the bay on the north shore, about six
miles to the eastward of Cape Quod, which has been mentioned already.
During the night it was stark calm, but in the morning, having little
airs of wind westerly, I weighed about eight o'clock, and worked with
the tide. At noon Cape Quod bore E. by S. distant between two and three
leagues, and Cape Monday, which is the westermost land in sight on the
south shore, W. by N. distant about ten or eleven leagues. This part of
the strait lies W.N.W.1/2 W. by the compass, and is about four miles
over; so that the craggy mountains which bound it on each side, towering
above the clouds, and covered with everlasting snow, give it the most
dreary and desolate appearance that can be imagined. The tides here are
not very strong; the ebb sets to the westward, but with an irregularity
for which it is very difficult to account. About one o'clock, the Tamar
anchored in the bay on the south shore, opposite to Cape Quod, which we
had just left, and we continued working to windward till seven in the
evening, when we anchored in a small bay on the north shore, about five
leagues to the westward of Cape Quod, with very good ground. This bay
may be known by two large rocks that appear above water, and a low point
which makes the east part of the bay. The anchoring-place is between the
two rocks, the eastermost bearing N.E.1/2 E. distant about two cables'
length, and the westermost, which is near the point, W.N.W.1/2 W. at
about the same distance: There is also a small rock which shows itself
among the weeds at low water, and bears E.1/2 N. distant about two
cables' length. If there are more ships than one, they may anchor
farther out in deeper water. During the night it was calm, and the
weather became very foggy; but about ten in the morning it cleared up,
and I went on shore. I found abundance of shell-fish, but saw no traces
of people. In the afternoon, while the people were filling water, I went
up a deep lagoon, which lies just round the westermost rock: At the head
of it I found a very fine fall of water, and on the east side several
little coves, where ships of the greatest draught may lie in perfect
security. We saw nothing else worthy of notice, and therefore having
filled our boat with very large muscles, we returned.

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Stephen King fan publishes Shining's Jack Torrance's novel
Three Women was first heard as a radio drama and then published as a poem. Robert Shaw explains his desire to stage the piece as it was intended

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A Stephen King fan has published an 80-page version of the book which novelist Jack Torrance obsessively writes during King's The Shining, where his descent into madness is revealed when his wife discovers that his work consists of just one phrase, endlessly repeated.

Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson in terrifying form in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, is a frustrated writer who goes with his wife and son to spend the winter in the isolated Overlook Hotel in an attempt to get the novel he has always wanted to write started. But the hotel's grisly past and unquiet ghosts have their way with him, and his wife Wendy eventually finds that the manuscript he has been working on actually only contains the phrase "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", typed over and over again.

Now New York artist Phil Buehler, who describes himself as "a big fan of Stanley Kubrick and Stephen King", has self-published a book credited to Torrance, repeating the phrase throughout but formatting each page differently, using the words to create different shapes from zigzags to spirals.

"The idea has probably been marinating for years, because I loved the movie and the Stephen King book," said Buehler. "I'd just finished my own obsessive art project [and] it was an idea I had over the Christmas holidays."

He said he decided to stick to type and formatting that could have been created on a typewriter, with the first ten pages duplicating shots of Torrance's work from the film. "I thought 'if he continues to get crazier, what would those pages look like?'" he said. "I hit writer's block about 60 pages in, and I had to get to 80 - that went on for about a week." His fiancée, who had neither read the book nor seen the film, became a little concerned about his actions. "I finally showed her the movie, and she realised I wasn't really losing it," said Buehler.

He's included a spoof review from the blog OverThinkingIt.com on the book's back jacket, which compares it to "the best of Beckett" in its "lack of forward momentum", and considers the struggles of the author, "heroically pitting himself against the Sisyphusean sentence". "It's that metatextual struggle of Man vs. Typewriter that gives this book its spellbinding power," the review says. "Some will dismiss it as simplistic; that's like dismissing a Pollack canvas as mere splatters of paint."

So far, Buehler says that around 1,000 people have viewed the book, for sale on Blurb.com for $8.95 in paperback, or $22.95 in hardback, and he's sold "a few" copies, with sales now starting to pick up steam. "A few people have asked me to sign it - they're looking it as a piece of art rather than a funny thing to give to a Kubrick fan," he said. "If you're not a Kubrick or King fan, you might not even get it."

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