216 FLORA ANTAECTICA. [Fuegia, the 



gather from the account of Mr. Webster, the surgeon to that ship, that " no phsenogamic 

 plants, only a few lichens and sea-weeds," inhabit that dreary islet, although the temperature 

 of its soil is raised by subterranean heat ; its latitude is (53^° south, and longitude 60° west. 



In January 1843 I landed upon a small islet, close to the main portion of Palmer's Land, 

 in latitude 64° 12' south, and longitude 57° west. It appeared to be the " ultima Thule " of 

 southern vegetation ; the soil hard frozen, except on the very surface where it was thawed by a 

 sun-heat which raised the temperature to 46°, while the sea was encumbered with pack-ice and 

 bergs ; no flowering plants were to be seen, and only eighteen belonging to the Orders Lichenes, 

 Musci, and Alga. Beyond this latitude I believe there is no terrestrial vegetation. 



The South Georgian group is situated about 1000 miles due east of Cape Horn, and 

 exhibits a wholly different aspect from that land, being covered with perennial snows, and 

 the harbours blocked up with everlasting glaciers ; still, Captain Cook found a scanty vege- 

 tation, consisting of " a coarse strong-bladed grass, growing in tufts, wild Burnet, and a plant 

 like moss, which springs from the rocks;" (vide Cook's 2nd voyage). The flora of South 

 Georgia is probably intermediate in luxuriance (if such term may be used), between the Balk- 

 lands and the South Shetlands, the proximity of the Antarctic Ice being influenced by that of 

 the large bodies of land, it approaches nearer to South Georgia than to Buegia, and renders 

 that climate unsuited to support even a moderate vegetation. 



Sandwich Land, discovered by Captain Cook, lies further south than South Georgia, 

 and, like Palmer's Land, is encroached upon by the perennial ice of the Atlantic Ocean. That 

 illustrious navigator mentions two hills clear of snow, and apparently covered with a green 

 turf, but this is all Ave know of then productions. 



Proceeding westward from Antarctic America, the next island that requires notice, as ex- 

 hibiting an Antarctic vegetation, is Tristan d'Acunha. Though only 1000 miles distant from 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and 3000 from the Strait of Magalhaens, the Botany of this island is 

 far more intimately allied to that of Buegia than Africa. Captain Carmichael's list (Linn. 

 Trans., vol. xii. p. 483), contains twenty-eight flowering plants (I exclude Sonchus oleraceus) ; 

 only one species of Pliglica, and one Pelargonium, amounting to one-fourteenth of the whole, 

 are Cape forms ; whilst seven others, or one-fourth of the flora, are either natives of Buegia 

 or typical of South American Botany, and the Ferns and Lgcopodia exhibit a still stronger 

 affinity. There are some points in which the vegetation of Tristan d'Acunha resembles that of 

 St. Helena and Ascension. Though these islands are separated from one another by nearly thirty 

 degrees of latitude, they lie within eight degrees of longitude, and all are the exposed summits of 

 ancient volcanoes, such as the highest peaks of the Andes might present, if that mighty chain 

 were partially submerged*. The relation between the floras of Ascension and St. Helena f is 



* The conjecture of these islands being the exposed culminating peaks of a submerged chain of mountains, re- 

 ceives confirmation from the circumstance of Sir James Itoss having struck soundings in 16,002 feet in lat. 33° 21' 

 south, and long. 9° 4' west, that is, nearly on a line between St. Helena and Tristan d'Acunha. 



t The island of St. Helena has many claims to rank as one of the most interesting botanical stations known ; 



