i 834-] PLANS. 253 



look at the ship's bottom. We struck rather heavily on an 

 unknown rock off Port Desire, and some of her copper is torn 

 off. After this is repaired the Captain has a glorious scheme ; 

 it is to go to the very head of this river, that is probably to the 

 Andes. It is quite unknown ; the Indians tell us it is two 

 or three hundred yards broad, and horses can nowhere ford it. 

 I cannot imagine anything more interesting. Our plans then 

 are to go to Port Famine, and there we meet the Adventure, 

 who is employed in making the Chart of the Falklands. This 

 will be in the middle of winter, so I shall see Tierra del Fuego 

 in her white drapery. We leave the straits to enter the Pacific 

 by the Barbara Channel, one very little known, and which passes 

 close to the foot of Mount Sarmiento (the highest mountain in 

 the south, excepting Mt. ! ! Darwin ! I). We then shall scud 

 away for Concepcion in Chili. I believe the ship must once 

 again steer southward, but if any one catches me there again, 

 I will give him leave to hang me up as a scarecrow for all 

 future naturalists. I long to be at work in the Cordilleras, 

 the geology of this side, which I understand pretty well is so 

 intimately connected with periods of violence in that great 

 chain of mountains. The future is, indeed, to me a brilliant 

 prospect. You say its very brilliancy frightens you ; but 

 really I am very careful ; I may mention as a proof, in all my 

 rambles I have never had any one accident or scrape. . . . 

 Continue in your good custom of writing plenty of gossip ; I 

 much like hearing all about all things. Remember me most 

 kindly to Uncle Jos, and to all the Wedgwoods. Tell Charlotte 

 (their married names sound downright unnatural) I should 

 like to have written to her, to have told her how well every- 

 thing is going on ; but it would only have been a transcript of 

 this letter, and I have a host of animals at this minute sur- 

 rounding me which all require embalming and numbering. I 

 have not forgotten the comfort I received that day at Maer, 

 when my mind was like a swinging pendulum. Give my best 

 love to my father. I hope he will forgive all my extrava- 



