24+ NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



height of seven thousand feet.* Sole sovereign of these 

 antarctic soHtudes, I know of no other peak that 

 impresses the mind so deeply with the sense of 

 wonder and awe. As seen from the north, the eastern 

 and western faces are almost equally precipitous, and 

 the broad top is jagged by sharp teeth, of which the 

 two outermost, one to the east, the other to the west, 

 present summits of apparently equal height. At a 

 distance of about twenty-five miles the whole mass 

 seemed to be coated with snow and ice, save where 

 some sharp ridges and teeth of black rock stood out 

 against the sky. I remained for some time utterly 

 engrossed by the marvellous spectacle, and at last 

 bethought myself of endeavouring to secure at least 

 an outline of the scene ; but before I could fetch a 

 sketch-book, a fresh change in the weather partly 

 obscured, and, a (q^n minutes later, finally concealed 

 from my eyes a picture that remains vividly impressed 

 on my memory. 



It was impossible not to speculate on the origin 

 and past history of this remarkable peak. Admitting 

 that there is evidence to show that the larger part 

 of the rocks of this region are of volcanic origin, 

 it appeared to me evident not only that Mount 

 Sarmiento is not a volcanic cone, but that the rock 

 of which it is composed is not of volcanic origin. 

 Whether its real form be that of a tower, or that of a 

 ridge v^^ith precipitous sides seen in profile, no volcanic 

 rocks elsewhere in the world can retain slopes so 



* I am not aware that the concurrent conclusions as to the height of 

 this mountain have been verified by accurate observations, but the height 

 commonly given appears to be a close approximation to the truth. 



