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Cape Horn

Down to a comparatively recent period, seamen, influenced both by tradition and personal experience, almost universally regarded Cape Horn as a spot of the most evil omen, and associated the idea of doubling it with every imaginable danger and unimaginable suffering. Nor were these terrors, ascribed to the vicinity of the Cape, altogether fanciful, but rather the reverse. For one English ship that doubled the Horn in the time of Captain Cook, by the lte 19th Century five hundred or a thousand did so — and their captains never thought of publishing even a sixpenny pamphlet to narrate the feat.

Numerous small, sterile, rocky islands are grouped to the southward of Tierra del Fuego, and are known by various appellations ; but the most southern and desolate cluster are very appropriately named The Hermits; * and of these Hermits, the one furthest of all to the south terminates in the celebrated Cape Horn. Beyond Cape Horn are yet other islands, but they are much too remote to be spoken of in connection with the continent of South America and its contiguous isles. Cape Horn itself is in latitude 56 degrees south. Who first discovered it, is not positively known; but it certainly received its present designation from the Dutch navigator Van Schouten, who reached it in the Unity, in January 1616.

Cape Horn, the famous promontory of South America, is commonly regarded as the Southern extremity of that continent. In point of fact, however, Cape Horn does not belong to the continent, but to a small island of the same name, the most Southern of the Tierra del Fuego group, separated from the continent by the straits of Magellan, or Magalhaens. Cape Horn is the most Southern point of the island; and is high, black, precipitous, destitute of all vegetation, and having a most desolate appearance.

Doubling Cape Horn, so much dreaded for hard gales of wind, was thought by some to be a mighty thing, and others day preferred the Straits of Magellan. From June to November, the doubling of Cape Horn under sail was most difficult, the monthly average being between 19 and 20 days from the parallel of 50° on one side, to the same parallel on the other. The best months for doubling it are from December to April, inclusive, the average being 16½ days.

In voyages to the South Pacific Ocean, the determination of the best passage from the Atlantic is a point of peculiar importance, it is well known what prodigious difficulties were experienced in this respect by former navigators. The doubling of Cape Horn, in particular, was so much dreaded, that in the general opinion, it was far more eligible to pass through the Strait of Magellan.

The doubling of the Cape of Good Hope — a feat that immortalized De Gama and inspired Camoens to write “The Lusiad" — and the doubling of Cape Horn — was a feat that made Magellan as famous as Columbus. From New York to Hong Kong, via Cape Horn, is 17,679 miles, and via Cape of Good Hope, is 16,190 miles.

It was sighted by Drake in 1578. That Drake discovered Cape Horn and the existence of an open sea to the southward of Magellan's Straits has often been and is still denied; but a careful examination of the evidence, taken in connection with the testimony of contemporary geographers to his claim and the general accuracy of his recorded observations at the time, permits no serious doubt that he did.

It was named Hoorn, anglicised Horn, when rounded in 1616 by the Dutch navigators, Lemaire and Schouten. The Dutch Squadron commanded by Hermites put into in the year 1624. It was the Vice Admiral Chapenham, of this Squadron, who first discovered that the land of Cape Horn was consisted of a number of islands, but the account they have given of those parts is very short and imperfect, and that of Schouton and Le Maire still worse.

What Lord Anson himself experienced off Cape Horn may be gathered from the words of the writer of the voyage, who said: "We had a continual succession of such tempestuous weather, as surprised the oldest and most experienced mariners on board, and obliged them to confess that what they had hitherto called storms, were inconsiderable gales compared with the violence of these winds, which raised such short, and, at the same time, such mountainous waves, as greatly surpassed in danger all seas known in any other part of the globe."

Captain James Cook, English naval captain and explorer, was thirty-four days tempest-tossed off the Cape on his first voyage, although on his second he met with more calms than storms on the same spot. On his scond voyage Cook was appointed to command another expedition for examining and determining once for all the question of the supposed great southern continent. With the “Resolution” of 462 tons, the “Adventure” (Captain Furneaux) of 330 tons, and 193 men, he sailed from Plymouth on 13 July 1772. The voyage closed with a rapid survey of the “Land of Fire” and the rounding of Cape Horn.

Cook, by his own example in doubling Cape Horn, by his accurate ascertainment of the latitude and longitude of the places he came to, and by his instructions to future voyagers, performed the most essential services to this part of navigation. The doubling of Cape Horn, in particular, was so much dreaded, that, in the general opinion, it was far more eligible to pass through the Strait of Magalhaens. Lieutenant Cook fully ascertained the erroneousness of this opinion.

The dangers attending the doubling of Cape Horn have, in consequence of improvements in navigation, been very greatly diminished. The coast may be appronched with comparatively little danger; the water being deep, and free from either rocks or shoals. Different opinions ure entertained as to the proper season for passing the Cape.

South-west gales are exceedingly violent at Cape Horn, and are accompanied by the most terrific squalls; these squalls may be considered hurricanes for the short time they last. They rush down the hills in the ravines with the most awful violence, threatening destruction to all before them, carrying the sea up in spray over the sides of the cove some hundred feet. The north-west gales are not generally considered so heavy as those from the south-west quarter; they are always accompanied by rain; but nevertheless blow with great force, and frequently veer round to the south-west without abating their fury. The wind will commence in the north-west, and is rapidly succeeded by a gale from some other point of the western quarter, most generally the south-west.

Vegetation, that unerring index of climate in all parts of the world, proclaims the winter of these southern regions to be mild and temperate. At Cape Horn the sun produces but little effect in the summer, and there is no intensity of heat for a few months as in the northern regions, owing to the disproportionate expanse of ocean to that of land.

Cape Horn and the adjacent parts may be considered as under the parallel of 55° south, Under the parallel of 55° north are the north of England, the Baltic, Denmark, Koningsberg, Moscow, the winters of which are well known for their rigor — except England, for an obvious reason, i. e. being surrounded by sea.

The rain is so violent and incessant that one would suppose that the waters of the firmament were again falling in the shape of a second deluge. The gullies between the hills become so many courses for torrents of water; and the continuance of the rain at times is so protracted that it becomes tedious, and a temporary gleam of sunshine is cheering to behold. South of Tierra del Fuego, in the historically stormy region about and to the S of Cape Horn (Cabos de Hornos), there is a sharp rise in gale occurrence. Within the area 55° to 60°S, and 65° to 70°W, where nearly 70 percent of the winds are from the W, gales are recorded in 20 percent of the annual observations, with monthly percentages ranging from 30 in October and 11 in December and January. Except in these two summer months, some 90 per cent or more of the gales have a W component, with about 25 per cent of them from the W alone. Squalls are frequent and severe gales from the E direction sometimes occur in connection with cyclones passing to the N.

Ice in the form of bergs and floes is to be found throughout the year in the S part of the South Atlantic Ocean. It is impossible to give any distinct idea of where ice may be expected. It frequently happens that one or more years may elapse during which the route around Cabo de Hornos will apparently be free from ice. No rule can be laid down to insure safe navigation, as the position of the ice and the quantity met with, differs so greatly in different seasons. Vigilance is urged when crossing the iceberg region. None of the little bays or ports which abound so plentifully in the neighborhood are ever frozen up.

Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) (55°59'S., 67°16'W.) is the S extremity of Isla Hornos. It is 425m high and presents a remarkable appearance when seen close-to, showing high black cliffs to the S, but is not so striking when seen from a distance. A light is shown from a tower, 4m high, situated on Cabo de Hornos. Barranco Cloven is the SW extremity of the island, 2 miles NW of the cape; it ends in two summits resembling towers rather than horns. There are two rocks, above-water, 0.2 mile off Barranco Cloven, and another rock about 0.8 mile SW of the same point. There are also small rocks, above-water, off the SE extremity of Isla Hornos. 9.30 Anchorage can be taken, in 20m, sand, 0.3 mile from the NE side of Isla Hornos, 1.5 miles NW of the E extremity of the island.

A Chilean naval observation station established on the E spur of Isla Hornos; passing vessels are requested to pass details of nationality, port of destination, speed, etc., on VHF channel 16. The station, comprising two aluminum-roofed huts and a radio mast, is conspicuous.