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rents,* although rapid, turbulent, and unconfined by any
apparent limits, yet seem to follow, like a river in its bed, a
regularly determined course.
J u n e 1 s t .—We anchored in the fine bay of Port Famine.
It was now the beginning of winter, and I never saw a more
cheerless prospect; the dusky woods piebald with snow,
could be only indistinctly seen through a drizzling hazy
atmosphere. We were, however, lucky in getting two fine
days. On one of these. Mount Sarmiento, a distant mountain
6800 feet high, presented a very noble spectacle. I was
frequently surprised, in the scenery of Tierra del Fuego, at
the little apparent elevation of mountains really lofty. I
suspect it is owing to a cause, which would not at first he
imagined, namely, that the whole mass, from the summit
to the water’s edge, is generally in fuU view. I remember
having seen a mountain, first from the Beagle channel, where
the whole sweep from the summit to the base was full in
view, and then from Ponsonby Sound across several successive
ridges; and it was curious to observe in the latter case,
as each fresh step afforded means of judging of the distance,
liow the mountain appeared to rise in height.
The Fuegians twice came and plagued us. As there were
many instruments, clothes, and men on shore, it was thought
necessary to frighten them away. The first time, a few great
guns were fired, when they were far distant. It was most
ludicrous to watch through a glass the Indians, as often as
the shot struck the water, take up stones, and as a bold
defiance, throw them towards the ship, though about a mile
and a half distant! A boat was then sent with orders to fire
a few musket-shot wide of them. The Fuegians hid them*
T h e so u th -w e s te r ly b re e z e s a r e g e n e ra lly v e ry d ry . J a n u a r y 2 9 th ,
b e in g a t a n c h o r u n d e r C a p e G r e g o r y ; a v e ry h a rd g a le from W . b y S.,
c le a r s k y w ith few c u m i l i ; tem p e r a tu r e 5 7 °, d u e p o in t 3 6 ° , d iffe ren c e 2 1 ° .
O n J a n u a ry 1 5 th , a t P o r t S t. J u li a n : in th e m o rn in g lig h t w in d s w ith
m u ch r a in , fo llow e d b y a v e ry h e a v y s q u a ll w ith r a in ,— s e ttle d in to h e a v y
g a le w ith la rg e cum ili,— c le a red u p , b low in g v e ry s tro n g from S SW .
T em p e r a tu r e 6 0 °, d u e p o in t 4 2 ° ,— d iffe rn e c e 18°.
selves behind tlie trees; and for every discharge of the
musket they fired their arrows: all, however, fell short
of the boat, and the officer as he pointed at them laughed.
This made the Fuegians frantic with passion, and they shook
their mantles in vain rage. At last seeing the balls cut and
strike the trees, they ran away; and we were left in peace
and quietness.
On a former occasion, when the Beagle was here in the
month of February, I started one morning at four o’clock to
ascend Mount Tarn, which is 2600 feet high, and is the most
elevated point in this immediate neighbourhood. We went
in a boat to the foot of the mountain (but not to the best
part), and then began our ascent. The forest commences at
the line of high-water mark, and during the two first hours
I gave over all hopes of reaching the summit. So thick was
the wood, that it was necessary to have constant recourse to
the compass; for every landmark, though in a mountainous
country, was completely shut out. In the deep ravines, the
death-like scene of desolation exceeded all description; outside
it was blowing a gale, but in these hollows, not even a
breath of wind stirred the leaves of the taUest trees. So
gloomy, cold, and wet was every part, that not even the
fungi, mosses, or ferns, could flourish. In the valleys it was
scarcely possible to crawl along, they were so completely
barricaded by the great mouldering trunks, which had fallen
down in every direction. When passing over these natural
bridges, one’s course was often arrested by sinking knee deep
into the rotten w ood; at other times, when attempting to lean
against a firm tree, one was startled by finding a mass of
decayed matter ready to fall at the slightest touch. We at
last found ourselves among the stunted trees, and then soon
reached the bare ridge, which conducted us to the summit.
Here was a view characteristic of Tierra del Fuego ;—irregular
chains of hills, mottled with patches of snow, deep yellowish
green valleys, and arms of the sea intersecting the
land in many directions. The strong wind was piercingly
cold, and the atmosphere rather hazy, so that we did not stay