iir
some red, jelly-like Gephyreans. These were all entangled in a
mass of red seaweed, interlaced with stalks of the Macrocystis.
Early next morning (January 7th) we steamed back to Sandy
Point. As we approached the anchorage, we noticed dense clouds
of smoke rising from the woods some distance inland, and it
soon transpired that the forest in the vicinity of the Consul’s
sawmills was on fire. In the afternoon I rode out with Dr.
Fenton to the scene, and we found the troops of the garrison
employed in felling trees, so as to make a sort of lane through
the woods to leeward of the fire, in order, if possible, to limit its
ravages. Dr. Fenton afterwards came on board, and gave us an
interesting account of the mutiny of 1877, in which he and his
wife narrowly escaped being shot. His house, like most others,
was burnt down on that occasion. Sixty of the peaceable inhabitants
were shot by the mutineers, and nine of the latter were
subsequently executed. Those of the population who escaped
had fled to the woods, and there fortified themselves against an
attack. Eventually the mutiny was quelled by the arrival of the
Chilian gunboat Magellanes, at whose approach the mutineers
fled away into the pampas.
A t two o’clock in the afternoon of the following day we
weighed anchor and proceeded to the westward. We had scarcely
left Sandy Point a few miles behind us, when the character of
the scenery underwent a marked change. The straits narrowed,
its shores rose in lofty hills, whose lightly inclined slopes were
clothed with forest from the summits to the water’s edge, and
we exchanged the clear blue sky of Patagonia for an atmosphere
of mists and rain squalls. As we passed by Port Famine, two
Fuegian canoes pulled off to us from the southern shores, the
natives hailing us vociferously io x g a lle ta tabac” (biscuit and
tobacco). However, we could not spare time to interview them,
and they turned back disappointed, and moreover evidencing
signs of indignation. When abreast of Borja Bay, we experienced
such a succession of heavy squalls from the westward, that wc
were compelled to put in for shelter, and accordingly anchored.
On landing, we found the trees placarded in various places with
wooden records of ships that had called there ; and on pushing
our way through the bushes adjoining the beach, we were not
a little surprised at stumbling across a coffin, which from its
position seemed to have been hurriedly deposited there by a
passing ship. It bore an inscription stating that it contained
the remains of some person who had belonged to the Chilian
man-of-war Almirante Cochrane. Animal life was at a discount
; only a few moths, a Cinclodes, a brace of duck, and a
few gulls being seen. The vegetation was luxuriant, and the
Philesia, berberry, and diddle-dee plants were in full bloom.
We stopped for only a few hours; for on the wind lulling we
again proceeded on our course. Passing through the “ Long
Reach,” the scenery became of a most imposing character ; several
straggling, highly inclined glaciers creeping down on eithe. side
through the deep mountain gorges, their dazzling whiteness contrasting
strikingly with the richly verdured hillsides, and the
lofty snow-covered mountain summits beyond fading away imperceptibly
into a hazy sky. Later in the evening we anchored
in Playa Parda Cove, a beautiful little land-locked basin, and
most of us landed at once, to spend the last few I'emaining hours
of daylight. A solitary steame'r-duck was seen, but for the rest
animal life was unrepresented. As at Borja Bay, several little
billets of wood, attached conspicuously to trees bordering the
shore, recorded the visits of previous explorers to these outlandish
regions.
On the morning of the loth we left Playa Parda, and steamed
northward through the Sarmiento Channels. In the afternoon,
as we were passing by Fortune Bay, we sighted and exchanged
signals with the Chilian man-of-war Chacahuco, a vessel which
was now employed in surveying certain portions of the Straits.
Our halting-place for this evening was at Isthmus Bay, where
we anchored about six p.m. At the head of this bay, where a
l>n