22 CHONOS AUCHH'ELAGO. 



Janimnj \st, 1835. — The new year is ushered in 

 with the ceremonies proper to it in these regions. 

 She lays out no false hopes : a heavy northwestern 

 gale, with steady rain, bespeaks the rising year. 

 Thank God ! we are not destined here to see the 

 end of it, but hope then to be in the Pacific Ocean, 

 where a blue sky tells one there is a heaven — a 

 something beyond the clouds above our heads. 



The northwest winds prevailing for the next four 

 days, we only managed to cross a great bay, and 

 then anchoi-ed in another secure harbour. I accom- 

 panied the Captain in a boat to the head of a deep 

 creek. On the way, the number of seals which we 

 saw was quite astonishing : every bit of flat rock, 

 and parts of the beach, were covered with them. 

 They appeared to be of a loving disposition, and 

 lay huddled together, fast asleep, like so many pigs ; 

 but even pigs would have been ashamed of their 

 dirt, and of the foul smell which came from them. 

 Each herd was watched by the patient but inau- 

 spicious eyes of the turkey-buzzard. This disgust- 

 ing bird, with its bald, scarlet head, formed to wal- 

 low in putiidity, is very common on the west coast, 

 and their attendance on the seals shows on what 

 they rely for their food. We found the water (prob- 

 ably only that of the surface) nearly fresh: this was 

 caused by the number of torrents which, in the 

 form of cascades, came tumbling over the bold gran- 

 ite mountains into the sea. The fresh water at- 

 tracts the fish, and these bring many terns, gulls, 

 and two kinds of cormorant. We saw also a pair 

 of the beautiful black-necked swans, and several 

 small sea-otters, the fur of which is held in such high 

 estimation. In returning, we were again amused 

 by the impetuous manner in which the heap of seals, 

 old and young, tumbled into the water as the boat 

 passed. They did not remain long under water, 



