40 Cruise of the ''Alertr 



some red, jelly-like Gephyreans. These were all entangled in a 

 mass of red seaweed, interlaced with stalks of the Macrocystis. 



Early next morning (January 7th) we steamed back to Sandy 

 Point. As we approached the anchorage, we noticed dense clouds 

 of smoke rising from the woods some distance inland, and it 

 soon transpired that the forest in the vicinity of the Consul's 

 sawmills was on fire. In the afternoon I rode out with Dr. 

 Fenton to the scene, and we found the troops of the garrison 

 employed in felling trees, so as to make a sort of lane through 

 the woods to leeward of the fire, in order, if possible, to limit its 

 ravages. Dr. Fenton afterwards came on board, and gave us an 

 interesting account of the mutiny of 1877, in which he and his 

 wife narrowly escaped being shot. His house, like most others, 

 was burnt down on that occasion. Sixty of the peaceable inha- 

 bitants were shot by the mutineers, and nine of the latter were 

 subsequently executed. Those of the population who escaped 

 had fled to the woods, and there fortified themselves against an 

 attack. Eventually the mutiny was quelled by the arrival of the 

 Chilian gunboat Magellanes, at whose approach the mutineers 

 fled away into the pampas. 



At two o'clock in the afternoon of the following day we 

 weighed anchor and proceeded to the westward. We had scarcely 

 left Sandy Point a few miles behind us, when the character of 

 the scenery underwent a marked change. The straits narrowed, 

 its shores rose in lofty hills, whose lightly inclined slopes were 

 clothed with forest from the summits to the water's edge, and 

 we exchanged the clear blue sky of Patagonia for an atmosphere 

 of mists and rain squalls. As we passed by Port Famine, two 

 Fuegian canoes pulled ofl" to us from the southern shores, the 

 natives hailing us vociferously iox '^ gallcta tabac" (biscuit and 

 tobacco). However, we could not spare time to interview them, 

 and they turned back disappointed, and moreover evidencing 

 signs of indignation. When abreast of Borja Bay, we experienced 

 such a succession of heavy squalls from the westward, that we 



