descriptions of those parts of the coast that were visited by Captain King, which will always prove a useful reference to future navigators.
“In concluding our remarks on these surveys, we cannot but lament with Captain King, the necessity there was for leaving the charts in their imperfect and unfinished state. He repeatedly regrets his inability, from the nature of his orders, to examine the various openings he passed, some of which he concludes, from their appearance, might he the mouths of considerate rivers. This will no doubt hereafter prove to be the case, particularly with those about Cope Bowling-green on the north-east, and Collyer’s Bay on the north-west coast. Their general character may, perhaps, be better estimated from his own opinion of them, which we find us follows:– ‘As it was not intended that I should make the survey of this extensive tract of coast, I did not feel myself authorised to examine in any very detailed way, the bottom of every bay or opening that presented itself; but merely confined myself to laying down the vessel’s track, and the various positions of the reefs that were strewed on either side of it; and also to fixing the situations of the headlands. In doing this, enough has been effected to serve as the precursor of a more particular examination of the coast, the appearance of which, from its general fertile and mountainous character, made me regret the necessity of passing 30 hastily over it[1].’”
At the commencement of the next instructions which Commander King received from the Admiralty, we find the following paragraph:
“Whereas we think fit that an accurate survey should he made of the southern coast of the peninsula of South America, from the southern entrance of the Rio Plata round to Chiloe, and of Tierra del Fuego, and whereas we have been induced to repose confidence in you from your conduct of the surveys in New Holland, we have placed you in the command of H.M. surveying vessel the Adventure, and we have directed Commander Stokes of H.M. surveying vessel the Beagle to follow your orders.”
During this voyage, Commander King surveyed the coasts of South America from Cape Blanco, on the Atlantic side, lat. 47° 15' S., round Cape Horn, and through the Straits of Magalhaens, up to Cape Tres Montes, on the Pacific, lat. 47°; also the archipelago called Tierra del Fuego, and the islands on the S.W. coast. The commencement of this survey is thus described by an officer of the Adventure:–
- ↑ United Service Journal, Dec. 1830.
