gallant and studding-sails set, a circumstance somewhat
unusual in this navigation. They kept the middle of the strait,
following the windings of what Narborough justly calls Crooked Reach.
The coast runs W.N.W. for about two leagues from Bay Elizabeth, when
you reach the Bachelor river of that navigator. This is easily known; it
comes from a deep valley, having a high mountain on the west, the most
westerly point of which is low and wooded, and the coast is sandy.
Bougainville reckons three leagues from this river to the entrance of St
Jerome's channel, or the False Strait as others have called it, and the
bearing is N.W. by W. This channel, the entrance of which is said to be
about half a league broad, may be easily mistaken for the true one, as
it is admitted, happened at first on the present occasion. In order to
avoid it, Bougainville advises to keep the coast of Louis le Grand
Island on board, which may be done, he says, without danger. He himself
ran within a mile of the shore of this island, which is about four
leagues long, and the north side of which runs W.N.W., as far as Bay
Dauphine. At noon this day, Cape Quade (or Quod) which is about four
leagues from St Jerome's channel, bore W. 13 deg. S. two leagues distant,
and Cape St Louis, E. by N. about two leagues and a half. The weather
continued fair, and they had the advantage of all their sails being set.

The strait runs W.N.W. and N.W. by W. from Cape Quade, and being without
any considerable turnings, has obtained the name of Long-Reach. The cape
consists of craggy rocks, resembling some ancient ruins, and the coast,
up to it is wooded, the verdure of the trees contrasting finely with the
frozen and snowy summits of the neighbouring mountains; but after
doubling this point, the nature of the country is said to be very
different, presenting scarcely any thing but barren rocks, the intervals
of which are filled up with immense masses of no less unfriendly ice,
altogether meriting the name which Narborough bestowed on it in the
penury of his feelings, the Desolation of the South. Opposite this cape,
and about fifteen leagues off, is Cape Monday on the Terra del Fuego
side, which, with other remarkable points of this strait, we have
elsewhere described. Bougainville was tempted by the fineness of the
weather to continue his course in this strait during the night, but the
excessive rain and wind which came on about ten o'clock, made him repent
his temerity, and