CHAP, x.] CAPE HORN. 201 



scene of savage magnificence, well becoming Tierra del Fuego. 

 There was a degree of mysterious grandeur in mountain behind 

 mountain, with the deep intervening valleys, all covered by one 

 thick, dusky mass of forest. The atmosphere, likewise, in this 

 climate, where gale succeeds gale, with rain, hail, and sleet, seems 

 blacker than anysvhere else. In the Strait of Magellan, looking 

 due southward from Port Famine, the distant channels between 

 the mountains appeared from their gloominess to lead beyond the 

 confines of this world. 



December 1\st. The Beagle got under way : and on the succeed- 

 ing day, favoured to an uncommon degree by a fine easterly breeze, 

 we closed in with the Barnevelts, and running past Cape Deceit 

 with its stony peaks, about three o'clock doubled the weather- 

 beaten Cape Horn. The evening was calm and bright, and we 

 enjoyed a fine view of the surrounding isles. Cape Horn, how- 

 ever, demanded his tribute, and before night sent us a gale of 

 wind directly in our teeth. We stood out to sea, and on the 

 second day again made the land, when we saw on our weather-bow 

 this notorious promontory in its proper form veiled in a mist, 

 and its dim outline surrounded by a storm of wind and water. 

 Great black clouds were rolling across the heavens, and squalls of 

 rain, with hail, swept by us with such extreme violence, that the 

 Captain determined to run into Wigwam Cove. This is a snug 

 little harbour, not far from Cape Horn ; and here, at Christmas- 

 eve, we anchored in smooth water. The only thing which reminded 

 us of the gale outside, was every now and then a puff from the 

 mountains, which made the ship surge at her anchors. 



December 25<A. Close by the Cove, a pointed hill, called Kater's 

 Peak, rises to the height of 1700 feet. The surrounding islands all 

 consist of conical masses of greenstone, associated sometimes with 

 less regular hills of baked and altered clay-slate. This part of Tierra 

 del Fuego may be considered as the extremity of the submerged chain 

 of mountains already alluded to. The cove takes its name of " Wig- 

 wam " from some of the Fuegian habitations; but every bay in the 

 neighbourhood might be so called with equal propriety. The in- 

 habitants, living chiefly upon shell-fish, are obliged constantly to 

 change their place of residence; but they return at intervals to the 

 same spots, as is evident from, the piles of old shells, which must 

 often amount to many tons in weight. These heaps can be distin- 

 guished at a long distance by the bright green colour of certain 



