140 Cruise o f the “ Ale rt!
prepared for. The surrounding country bore recent signs of
having been devastated by a great fire, the mountain sides for
miles being covered with the charred remains of a dense forest.
Owing to its proximity to the English Narrows, Gray Harbour
is probably frequently used as a stopping place by passing
steamers, whose occupants amuse themselves by firing the forest.
It is rarely indeed in this habitually wet region that the forest
is sufficiently dry to allow a fire to spread over any great extent
of country.
We got under way at an early hour on the following morning
(April I Ith). It was a fine clear day, and the channels showed to
great advantage, so that we were able once more to confirm the
remark of old Pigafctta, that in fine weather there is in no part
of the world scenery more lovely. At about four o’clock in the
afternoon we anchored at Hale Cove, a port situated close to the
northern outlet of the Patagonian Channels, and here for the last
time we anchoied in Patagonian waters. Rain awnings were now
stowed away, top-gallant masts were sent up, boats were topped
and lashed, and all other requisite arrangements were made for
our final departure from the Magellan region, and for encountering
the long heavy ocean swell which we were sure to find awaiting
us to seaward.
I had a run on shore for a few hours before nightfall, and was
much gratified at finding two plants which I had not previously
met with in these channels. One was a tall branching fern of
the genus Alsophila, whose long slender woody stems, rising
obliquely from the ground to a height of six feet, were crowned
with a magnificent spray of dark-green glossy fronds. The other
was a shrub of creeping habit, probably of the family Vacciniacece,
with smooth ovate-acute leaves resembling those of the laui'd,
and bearing clusters of an egg-shaped fruit. No fiowering
specimens were seen. The trunk's of the large trees were
clothed with the beautiful fronds of the delicate Hymenophyllum
crnenium, which, here grows in great abundance. On the morning
Small Fax. 141
of the 12th of April we bade a final adieu to the Patagonian
Channels.
During our passage northwards along the Chilian coast, seabirds
of various kinds hovered round us. Of these our most
constant companions were the Cape pigeons {Dapteon Capensis),
albatrosses of two species {Diomedea fuliginosa and D. Melano-
phrys), a small storm-petrel {Oceanites grallarid), a Fulmar petrel
{Thallasceca glacialoides), and a white-breasted petrel {(Estrelata
defippiand). A brown skua {Lestris antárctico) appeared on the
scene now and then, creating consternation among the smaller
petrels.
We arrived at Talcahuano, one of the most interesting of the
Chilian ports, on the morning of the 20th of April, and were
surprised and grieved to hear that a severe epidemic of small
pox prevailed at the town of Concepcion, some nine miles inland.
The epidemic had begun in January, and we were informed by
Mr. Elton, the British Vice-Consul, that since then no less than
1,500 deaths had occurred, the mortality of those attacked having
been at the extraordinarily high rate of 90 per cent. Cminous
rumours reaching us as to the epidemic having already extended
to Talcahuano, our stay was wisely cut short, and the vessel was
moved on to Valparaiso, and subsequently after a short stay to
Coquimbo.
The passage from Valparaiso to Coquimbo occupied two daj's.
As we were sitting at dinner on the evening of the 3rd of May,
the officer of the watch reported that the ship was moving through
patches of light-coloured stuff resembling shoal water. Cn going
on deck, we saw wavy bands of straw-coloured water, about one
hundred yards in length by twenty in width, which were plainly
visible through the gloom of the night, the light-coloured patches
having distinctly circumscribed margins, which showed out clearly
against the surrounding dark water. A t the same time, the sea
in our wake was brilliantly phosphorescent. On plying the tow-
net for a few minutes, I obtained a quantity of entomostracous
iii
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