152 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: NARRATIVE. 



remarkable inland waterways of the world. At times we would steam 

 along for several miles through intricate narrows, never more than a few 

 hundred yards in width, and with lofty mountains rising on either side 

 precipitously from the water's edge. Then, again, the channel would 

 open out into a broad reach of water, across which, as we proceeded on 

 our way, a considerable portion of the adjacent parts of Tierra del Fuego 

 would be visible. Descending the mountain slopes were to be seen 

 numerous glaciers, some of these reaching quite to the water's edge. 

 During the day we passed Mt. Darwin, the most conspicuous of the many 

 prominent peaks along this coast. The weather throughout the day was 

 extremely changeable. At one moment the sun would be shining bril- 

 liantly, with scarcely so much as a breeze to disturb the surface of the 

 water. In an incredibly short space of time these conditions would be 

 completely altered, as the skies became overcast and a storm swept down 

 from the adjacent mountains, bringing with it a blinding blast of sleet and 

 rain, which, as it passed over the channel, would, for a short time, com- 

 pletely obscure our view of the surrounding shores and drive us to seek 

 shelter in the ship's saloon. Such conditions were, as a rule, quite tempo- 

 rary, and, in a short time, the sun would again shine forth, the clouds 

 rapidly disappear, gradually disclosing to our view the slopes and sum- 

 mits of the adjacent mountains. 



This being the twenty-fifth of May and a national holiday in Argentina, 

 we were treated in the evening to a champagne dinner. The wines were 

 good, but no amount of clarets, sauternes or champagnes, whatever their 

 quality, could overcome the strong flavor of garlic which pervaded every- 

 thing of an edible nature with which the ship's tables were supplied. Not 

 only were the meats and vegetables seasoned with that offensive herb, but 

 the pastry as well was flavored with it. 



On the evening of the twenty-sixth of May we reached Lapataia, just 

 within the western boundary of Argentine Tierra del Fuego. Here we 

 remained for only a few hours, when we proceeded some twelve miles 

 farther on to Ushuaia, the capital of that portion of the island which be- 

 longs to Argentina. 



Ushuaia may justly lay claim to being the southernmost town in the 

 world. It lies at the head of a small bay of the same name, and at the 

 time of our visit there were perhaps twenty or thirty rude buildings and 

 about one hundred inhabitants. It was first settled by English mission- 



