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