413 THE POLAR WORLD. 



mountains, their cones or jagged peaks covered with eternal snow. Its south- 

 ern bank, formed by Chjrence Island, is intersected with bays and chainiels, two 

 of which, Magdalena Sound and Barbara Channel, lead througli a maze of isl- 

 ands into the open sea. Sever.-d glaciers descend in a winding course from the 

 upper great expanse of snow to the sea-coast, and many a cascade comes dash- 

 ing down from rock to rock. Skognian* draws an enthusiastic ])icture of llie 

 beauty of York Koads near the mouth of the small IJachelor Jiiver. To the 

 south, belund Carlos Islaiid, mountains rise above mountains, and snow-fields 

 above snow-fields; to the north lies the jagged colossus, which from its solitary 

 graiKk'ur has been called Bachelor Peak, and at whose foot the crystal river now 

 bides itself beneath a shady wood, and now rolls its crystal waters through a 

 given lawn, decorated with clumps of fuchsias. But in spite of its romantic 

 beauty, the want of life gives a melancholy character to this solitary vale. Be- 

 yond Carlos Island in Long Reach, the banks of the strait become yet more bare 

 and desolate. Vegetation descends lower and lower into the valleys, and even 

 here the trees are misshaiien and dwarfish. But the mountain scenery has still 

 all the majesty which snow-fields and glaciers of a beryl-like blue im])art to an ., 

 Alpine landscape. As Sea Reach shows itself, vegetation is almost totally ex- ' 

 tinct, and on aj^proaching the mouth of the strait, the mountains become lower, 

 their foiins are less picturesque, and instead of the stern grandeur which marks 

 the middle part of the sti'ait, low, rounded, barren hills make their appearance, 

 which completely justify the name of South Desolation, which Sii- James Nar- 

 borough gave to this coast, "because it was so desolate a land to behold." 



It may easily be imagined that the prevailing winds beyond Cape Froward 

 are extremely troublesome to ships sailing to the western mouth of the strait, 

 and that if not entirely beaten back, they can frequently only force the passage 

 after many efforts. Fortunately, the deeply indented coasts possess a number 

 of small havens which may serve the mariner as stations dui-ing his gradual ad- 

 vance. Thus, close to the mouth of the strait, Avhere, between Cape Victory 

 and Cape Pillar, the sea during and after storms is so boisterous that even 

 steamers requij'e their utmost strength not to be dashed against the rocks, a se- 

 cure port, appropriately called " Harbor of Mercy," allows the vessels to watch 

 for more tranquil Aveather, and to seize the first favorable opportunity for 

 emerging into the open sea. But even these harbors and bays are subject to 

 peculiar dangers fi'om sudden gusts of wind that come sweeping down from the 

 mountains, and are known among the seal-catchers Avho fi-equent these danger- 

 ous waters under the name of li-'dlkoaios, or hurricane squalls. For when the 

 wild south-west storms come rushing against the mountain-masses of Tierra 

 del Fuego, the compressed air ])recipitates itself with redoubled violence over 

 the rock-walls, and then suddenly expanding, flows down the valleys or gullies, 

 tearing up trees by the roots, and hurling rocks into the abyss. Where such a 

 gust of wind touches the surface of the Avater, the sea surges in might}' waves, 

 and volumes of sj)ray are whirled away to a vast distance. If a ship comes un- 

 der its influence, its safety depends mainly upon the strength of its anchor ropes. 



Some situations are particulaily subject to williwaws, and then the total want 



* Voyage of the Swedish ship " Eugenie." 



