242 FALKLAND ISLANDS. 



ated in nearly the same latitude with the mouth of 

 the Strait of Magellan ; it covers a space of one 

 hundred and twenty by sixty geogi-aphical miles, 

 and is a little more than half the size of Ireland. 

 After the possession of these miserable islands had 

 been contested by France, Spain, and England, 

 they were left uninhabited. The government of 

 Buenos Ayres then sold them to a private individ- 

 ual, but likewise used them, as old Spain had done 

 before, for a penal settlement. England claimed 

 her right and seized them. The Englishman who 

 was left in charge of the flag was consequently 

 murdered. A British officer was next sent, un- 

 supported by any power ; and when we arrived, 

 we found him in charge of a population of which 

 rather more than half were runaway rebels and 

 murderers. 



The theatre is worthy of the scenes acted on it. 

 An undulating land, with a desolate and wretched 

 aspect, is everywhere covered by a peaty soil and 

 wiry grass, of one monotonous brown colour. 

 Here and there a peak or ridge of gray quartz 

 rock breaks througli the smooth surface. Every 

 one has heard of the climate of these regions ; it 

 may be compared to that which is experienced at 

 the height of between one and two thousand feet 

 on the mountains of North Wales ; having, how- 

 ever, less sunshine and less frost, but more wind 

 and rain.* 



l<6th. — I will now describe a short excursion 

 which I made round a part of this island. In the 

 * From accounts published since our voyage, and more espe- 

 cially from several interesting letters from Captain Sulivan, R.N., 

 employed on the survey, it appears that we took an exaggerated 

 view of the badness of the climate of these islands. But when I 

 reflect on the almost universal covering of peat, and on the fact 

 of wheat seldom ripening here, I can hardly believe that the cli- 

 mate in summer is so fine and dry as it has lately been repre- 



