128 Cruise of the "Alert" 



hand a broad expanse of rippling water, limited in the distance 

 by a coastline of comparatively low land, while on our port side 

 there was a marked transition from the lofty mountains of the 

 Cordillera to an upland plain of undulating hills covered with 

 forest, and sloping gradually downwards into low flat land as it 

 extended to the eastward. In fact, we had passed through the 

 backbone of the Cordillera, and were now approaching the 

 alluvial plains of Patagonia ; and it was also clear to us that 

 we were crossing the line of demarcation between two climatic 

 zones, for we found that we were exchanging the cloudy sky of 

 the Magellan region for brilliant sunshine and a clear blue sky, 

 a change only to be fully appreciated by those who have spent 

 many months in the damp, cloud-collecting region of the Western 

 Straits. 



The north shore of Otway Water was low and shelving, 

 presenting a glistening margin of sandy beach, and fringed by 

 a wide belt of very shallow water. In the afternoon we entered 

 the Canal of Fitzroy, where we encountered a strong current from 

 the northward (i.e. from Skyring Water), which considerably 

 impeded our progress. Indeed, at 4 p.m. we grounded on a 

 sandbank, getting off, however, without much difficulty, and in 

 an hour afterwards we dropped anchor in a bight where an 

 S-shaped curvature in the canal afforded us shelter from the 

 current. 



Both shores of the canal are low, and formed of alluvial soil, 

 of which the crumbling banks in places exhibited good sections. 

 Well-marked terrace-levels bore testimony to the fact that the 

 land must have been subjected to upheaval, with reference to the 

 sea-level, at some period in the world's history. The country 

 on the western side of the canal is covered with thick scrubby 

 bush, while that on the eastern side, where we landed for a few 

 hours, was a sort of open park-land disposed in undulating hills, 

 covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and studded here and 

 there with isolated clumps of trees and bushes, among which we 



