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the scenery greatly, particularly in the winter season : tlie nortli
shore is also well wooded for about two-thirds up ; but the summit
is barren and the outline very much serrated, as is usual in
slate formations.
On the north shore we noticed some extraordinary effects of
the whirlwinds which so frequently occur in Tierra del Fuego.
Th e crews of sealing vessels call them ‘ AvilliwaAvs,’ or ‘ hur-
ricane-squalls,’ and they are most violent. The south-west gales,
which blow upon the coast Avith extreme fury, ai’e pent up and
impeded in passing OA er the high lan d s; AA'hen, increasing in
poAver, they rush violently over the edges of precipices, expand,
as it Avere, and descending perpendicularly, destroy CA’ery
thing moveable. The surface of the AA’ater, Avhen struck by
these gusts, is so agitated, as to be coA^ered A\dth foam, which
is taken up by them, and flies before their fury until dispersed
in vapour. Ships at anchor under high land are sometimes
suddenly thrown over on their beam-ends, and the next moment
recover their eqnihbrium, as if nothing had occurred. Again
a squall strikes them, perhaps on the other side, and over they
heel before its ra g e : the cable becomes strained, and checks
the ship with a jerk, that causes her to start a-head through
the Avater, until again stopped by the cable, or driven astern
by another gust of wind.
At aU these anchorages, under high land, there are some
parts more exposed than others; and by watching for those
places Avhich are least troubled by these squalls, a more secure,
or rather a more quiet, spot may be selected. I do not consider
ships so anchored to be in danger if their ground tackle be
good ; bu t every thing that offers a stiff resistance must suffer
from the fury of these blasts. In many parts of this country
trees are torn up by the roots, or rent asunder by the Avind ;
and in the Gabriel Channel the ‘ AviUiAvaws ’ bursting OA-er
the mountainous ridge, Avhich forms tlie south side of the
channel, descend, and striking against the base of the opposite
shore, rush up the steep, and carry all before them. I knoAV
o f nothing to AA'hich I can better compare the hared track
left by one of these squalls than to a bad broad road. After
POST AVATEItFALI,. 51
liaving made such an opening, the Avind frequently sweeping
through prevents the growth of vegetation. Confused masses
of up-rooted trees lie at the lower ends of these bared tracks,
and show plainly Avhat power has been exerted.
T h e southern shore o f the channel is formed b y the base of
th at range of hills, Avhich extends, from the eastern side of the
Magdalen Channel, toAvards the F .S .F . I t is the highest pa rt
of T ie rra del Fuego, and on it are several remarkable mountains,
besides Sarmiento, tOAvering over all.
Close to the east end of the Gabriel Channel is Mount Buck-
land, a tall obelisk-like hill, terminating in a sharp needlepoint,
and lifting its head above a chaotic mass of ‘ reliquiai;
diluvianae,’ covered with jierpetual snow, by the melting of
which an enormous glacier on the leeAvai’d, or north-eastern
side, has been gradually formed. This icy domain is twelve or
fourteen miles long, and extends from near the end of the channel
to Port Waterfall, feeding, in the intermediate space, many
magnificent cascades, Avhich, for number andheight, are not
perhaps to be exceeded in an equal space of any pai-t of the
Avorld. 'Within an extent of nine or ten miles, there are upwai'ds
of a hundred and fifty Avaterfalls, dashing into the channel from
a height of fifteen hundred, or two thousand feet. The course
of many is concealed, at first, by intervening trees, and, Avhen
half-Avay doAvn the descent, they burst upon the A'ieAV, leaping,
as it Avere, out of the Avood. Some unite as they fall, and together
are precipitated into the sea, in a cloud of foam; so
varied, indeed, are the forms of these cascades, and so great
their contrast Avith the dark fohage of the trees, Avhich thickly
cover the sides of the mountain, that it is impossible adequately
to describe the scene. I have met AA'ith nothing exceeding the
picturesque grandeur of this part of the Strait.
There are several coves on the south shore, b u t opposite to
them there is no shelter u n til you reach a deep hay in Avhich
are several islets ; and where, I think, there is a communication
Avith Brenton Sound, b u t aa'c did not enter it.
Port Waterfall may easily be known by a large flat-topped
bare rock, lying across the summit of the eastern head, and
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