quence of its high latitude, to very violent winds, which blow from the mountains in blaſts. Fearing that our cables might rot upon the muddy bottom of this harbour, we had taken them on board and held on our chain. A ſudden and violent gale from N.W. drove us from our anchorage, to the eaſt ſide of the harbour, where we ran aground in the mud. After having drawn in the piece of cable to which the chain was faſtened, we found that one of the links had been broken; though upon examining it we could not perceive any flaw in the iron. It appeared that the chain had been made of brittle metal. We thought it fortunate that it had been put to the proof in a harbour, where we ran no other danger than that of being ſtuck in the mud; otherwiſe this chain, upon which our ſafety depended, would have become the cauſe of our ruin.
26th. I remained the whole day on board, employed with preparing and deſcribing the numerous curioſities of natural hiſtory, which I had collected on the preceding days.
On the following day, ſoon after dawn, we ſet out with a deſign of penetrating as far as we were able into the country. We were ſet on ſhore towards S.E. After having followed the windings of the ſhore for ſome time, we came to a road frequented by the natives, which enabled us to
enter
