298 TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 



rain, brought by an endless succession of gales ; 

 while at Cape Gregory there is a clear and bright 

 blue sky over the dry and sterile plains. The at- 

 mospheric currents,* although rapid, turbulent, 

 and unconfined by any apparent limits, yet seem 

 to follow, like a river in its bed, a regularly deter- 

 mined course. 



During our previous visit (in January), we had 

 an interview at Cape Gregory with the famous so- 

 called gigantic Patagonians, who gave us a cordial 

 reception. Their height appears greater than it 

 really is, from their large guanaco mantles, their 

 long flowing hair, and general figure : on an aver- 

 age, their height is about six feet, with some men 

 taller, and only a few shorter ; and the women are 

 also tall ; altogether they are certainly the tallest 

 race which we anywhere saw. In features they 

 strikingly resemble the more northern Indians 

 whom I saw with Rosas, but they have a wilder 

 and more formidable appearance : their faces wei'e 

 much painted with red and black, and one man 

 was ringed and dotted with white like a Fuegian. 

 Capt. Fitz Roy offered to take any three of them 

 on board, and all seemed determined to be of the 

 three. It was long before we could clear the boat ; 

 at last we got on board with our three giants, who 

 dined with the Captain, and behaved quite like 

 gentlemen, helping themselves with knives, forks, 

 and spoons : nothing was so much relished as su- 

 gar. This tribe has had so much communication 

 with sealers and whalers, that most of the men can 

 * The south-westerly breezes are generally very dry. January 

 29th, being at anchor under Cape Gregory : a very hard gale from 

 W. by S., clear sky with few cumuli; temperature 57°, dew- 

 point 36°, difference 21°. On January 15th, at Port St. Julian: 

 in the morning light winds with much rain, followed by a very 

 heavy squall with rain ; settled into heavy gale with large cumu- 

 li ; cleared up, blowing very strong from S.S.W. Temperature 

 60O, dew-point 42°, difference 18°. 



