I have therefore called it Cape Colnett, after Captain Colnett of the
navy.
This promontory bore a very fingular charafcler as we pafTed ; the cliff? already defcribcd as compofing it are, about the middle between their fummit and the water fide, divided horizontally, nearly into two equal parts, and formed of different materials ; the lower part fccmcd to con- fift of fand or clay of a very fmooth furface and liglit colour-, the up- per part was evidently of a rocky fubftance, with a very uneven furface, and of a dark colour; this feemed to be again divided into narrow co- lumns by vertical flrata. Thefe apparent divifions, as well horizontally as vertically, exilled with great uniformity all round the promontory.
Early in the afternoon we difcovered to the fouth-eaflward fomething like a duller of iflands, and obfervcd, that the bay on the fouth-ealt fide of cape Colnett extended to the north-eaft ; which, although of no great extent, appeared likely to afford tolerably good flielter. The wind continued in the fouthern quarter until the evening, when it was fucceeded by light eafterly breezes from the land, which continued until near noon the next day : we however made fome progrefs, paffmg before an ex- Prid, tenfive bay, formed by cape Colnett, and a point of land off which thefe iflands appeared to lie. Our diftance of 8 or 9 miles from thefe fhores when off the bay, was much greater than I could have wifhed, and was occafioned by the direftion of the wind, which had prevented our approaching as I had intended, with the hope of obtaining a view of the miffion of El Rofitrio founded in the year 1776, not far from the fea fhore, and fomewhere in this neighbourhood.
I was very aiixious to become acquainted with this fettlement, as there feemed to be a great probability of our being able to land near it, and to have acquired from the Rev. Fathers fome fubftantial information refpctting the Dominican miffionaries, whofe eflablifliments commence fouthward Irom St. Diego, and continue all the wav to cape St. Lucas; and as we had not hitherto had any intercourfe with this religicnis order, an interview with them would have been eHecmed a vcrv drlirahle con- fideration.
«793- December.
