*774" timea a blue, and fometimes a yellowifh tinge, we though*
ourfelves tranfported to the Glaciers of Switzerland, where
the feafons feem likewife to be loft, and confounded in each
other. The height of thefe mountains was very confiderable,
though not equal to the Alps, and their fummits were divided
into many fharp and craggy points, between which
the interval was filled with fnow. We landed here, and
walked along the fhore to another port, formed by a
number of low iftands, which entirely fiieltered it from
all winds.' Here we met with feveral fpecies of wild
ducks, and particularly one of the fize of a goofe, which
ran along the furface of the fea with amazing velocity,,
beating the water with its wings and feet.
— — fugit ilia per undas
©cyor et jaculo, et ventos aequante fagitt& V irgil.
Indeed its motion was fo quick, that we faw it was ip
vain to attempt to fhoot at i t ; a more favourable oppor-
tunity was therefore eagerly wiflred for. In the fequel
we really obtained feveral fpecimens of this curious bird,,
which refembled a duck, except in the fize, and in the
extreme fhortnefs of its wings. It had a grey plumage,
with a few white quill-feathers 5. a yellow bill and feet,
and two large, naked, callous knobs of the fame colour,,
upon the joint of each wing, at the alula. Our Tailors
called it a race-horfe, from its vaft fwiftnefs ; but in the
Ealkland
Falkland Iflands, the Englifh have given it the name of Eece7mBe».
loggerhead-duck *. Befides this fpecies,. we found numbers
of the great gull or flcua, which had their nefts
among fome dry grafs on one of the iflands. We were
fortunate enough to meet with an iftand entirely covered
with the fhrubs of a fpecies of arbutus, loaded with
red fruit, of the fize of fmall cherries, which were very well
tailed, and combined an agreeable tartnefs with a fweet and
a bitter flavour. The rocks of the fame ifland, at the water’s
edge, were covered with large mufele-fhells, o f which
we found the fifh more delicious than oyfters. On thefe
two articles, with the help of a few bifeuits, and a little
piece of falt-beef, we dined luxurioufly, amidft the dreary
rocks of a country, which at firft fight did not feem likely
to furnilh fuch an entertainment. To add to our good fortune,
we met with feveral iflands in our return, covered
with excellent celery, which, though much fmaller than
that of New Zeeland, was much higher flavoured, its juices
being probably more concentrated. We loaded our boat
■ with it, and returned late on board, after being overtaken
by feveral fmart Growers. On our return,, we found that
the neighbourhood of the fliip was very fenfibly warmer
than the northern parts of the found, where the air was
refrigrated by the abundance of fnow on the mountains.
* See the Philofophical Tranfa&ions,. vol. L X V I . part i..
One