May 18th. — At one o'clock,
P. M., we landed on the Four Evangelists, where we took one
hundred and twenty-seven fur-seals. At six, P. M., we were fairly
clear of the strait, and floating on the bosom of that immense ocean
which stretches between America and Asia in one direction, and the
Antarctic circle and Bering's Strait in another. We now commenced
examining the Pacific coast to the north of Cape Victory, which
is the northern boundary of the western entrance of Magellan's Strait
I have already stated that the southern boundary of this entrance
is Cape Pillar, lying south-south-east from Cape Victory, distant
eight leagues. About midway between these two capes are four small
islands, or rocks, called the Four Evangelists, just mentioned.
Three of these are low, but the fourth is moderately high, in appearance
resembling a hay-stack. These islands lie in lat 52° 34' S.,
long. 75° 8' W. The passages between them and the last-mentioned
capes are easy and free from danger. Variation per azimuth
23° 47' easterly. Cape Victory is in lat 52° 24' S., long.
75° 3' W.
Source: "Narrative of Four Voyages", Capt. Benjamin Morrell Jr., New York,
1832
Transcribed: April 2007