282 



CIIONOS ARCHIPELAGO. [chap. xm. 



up and clown over the sharp rocks of mica-slate ; and as for the 

 woods, our faces, hands, and shin-bones all bore witness to the 

 maltreatment we received, in merely attempting to penetrate their 

 fni'bidden recesses. 



December 18^/i.— We stood out to sea. On the 20th we bade 

 farewell to the south, and with a fair wind turned the ship's 

 head northward. From Cape Tres Montes we sailed pleasantly 

 along the lofty weather-beaten coast, which is remarkable for 

 the bold outline of its hills, and the thick covering of forest 

 even on the almost precipitous flanks. The next day a harbour 

 was discovered, which on this dangerous coast might be of great 

 service to a distressed vessel. It can easily be recognised by a 

 hill 1600 feet high, which is even more perfectly conical than 

 the famous sugar-loaf at Rio de Janeiro. The next^ day, after 

 anchoring, I succeeded in reaching the summit of this hill. It 

 was a laborious undertaking, for the sides were so steep that in 

 some parts it was necessary to use the trees as ladders. There 

 were also several extensive brakes of the Fuchsia, covered with its 

 beautiful drooping flowers, but very difficult to crawl through. 

 In these wild countries it gives much delight to gain the summit 

 of any mountain. There is an indefinite expectation of seeing 

 something very strange, which, however often it may be balked, 

 never failed with me to recur on each successive attempt. Every 

 one must know the feeling of triumph and pride which a grand 

 view from a height communicates to the mind. In these little 

 frequented countries there is also joined to it some vanity, that 

 you perhaps are the first man who ever stood on this pinnacle or 

 admired this view. 



A strong desire is always felt to ascertain whether any human 

 being has previously visited an unfrequented spot. A bit of 

 wood with a nail in it, is picked up and studied as if it were 

 covered with hieroglyphics. Possessed with this feeling, I was 

 much interested by finding, on a wild part of the coast, a bed 

 made of grass beneath a ledge of rock. Close by it there had 

 been a fire, and the man had used an axe. The fire, bed, and 

 situation showed the dexterity of an Indian ; but he could scarcely 

 have been an Indian, for the race is in this part extinct, owing 

 to the Catholic desire of making at one blow Christians and 

 Slaves. I had at the time some misgivings that the solitary man 



