1834.] STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 



231 



CHAPTER XL 



Strait of Magellan— Port Famine— Ascent of Mount Tarn— Forests— Edible 

 Fungus— Zoology— Great Sea-weed— Leave Tierra del Fuego— Climate^ 

 Fruit-trees and productions of the southern coasts— Height of snow-line 

 on the Cordillera— Descent of glaciers to the sea— Icebergs formed— 

 Transportal of Boulders— Climate and productions of the Antarctic 

 Islands— Preservation of frozen carcasses— Recapitulation. 



STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. — CLIMATE OF THE SOUTHERN COASTS. 



liV the end of May, 1834, we entered for the second time the 

 eastern mouth of the Strait of Magellan. The country on both 

 sides of this part of the Strait consists of nearly level plains, like 

 those of Patagonia. Cape Negro, a little within the secontl 

 Narrows, may be considered as the point where the land begins 

 to assume the marked features of Tierra del Fuego. On^'the 

 east coast, south of the Strait, broken park-like scenery in a like 

 manner connects these two countries, which are opposed to each 

 other in almost every feature. It is truly surprising to find in a 

 space of twenty miles such a change in the landscape. If we 

 take a rather greater distance, as between Port Famine and Gre- 

 gory Bay, that is about sixty miles, the difference is still more 

 wonderful. At the former place, we have rounded mountains 

 concealed by impervious forests, which are drenched with the 

 rain, brought by an endless succession of gales ; while at Cape 

 Gregory, there is a clear and bright blue sky over the dry and 

 sterile plains. The atmospheric currents*, although rapid, 

 turbulent, and unconfined by any apparent limits, yet seem to 

 follow, like a river in its bed, a regularly determined course. 

 During our previous visit (in January), we had an interview 



* The south-westerly breezes are generally very dry. January ^gth, 

 being at anchor under Cape Gregory : a very hard gale from W. by S., 

 clear sky with few cumuli; temperature 57°, dew-point 36°,— difference 21°. 

 On January 15th, at Port St. Julian : in the morning light winds with much 

 ram, followed by a very heavy squall with rain,— settled into heavy gale 

 with large cumuli.— cleared up, blowing very strong from S.S.W. TemDera- 

 hire 6U°, dew-point 42^,— ditlerence 18°. 



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