272 CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO, [CHAP. xm. 



harbour. I accompanied the Captain in a boat to the head of a 

 deep creek. On the way the number of seals which we saw was qiiite 

 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 

 inauspicious eyes of the turkey-buzzard. This disgusting bird, 

 with its bald scarlet head, formed to wallow in putridity, 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 (probably 

 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 granite mountains into the sea. The fresh water 

 attracts 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 im- 

 petuous 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, but rising, followed us with outstretched necks, expressing 

 great wonder and curiosity. 



7th. Having run up the coast, we anchored near the northern 

 end of the Chonos Archipelago, in Low's Harbour, where we 

 remained a week. The islands were here, as in Chiloe, composed 

 of a stratified, soft, littoral deposit ; and the vegetation in conse- 

 quence was beautifully luxuriant. The woods came down to the 

 sea-beach, just in the manner of an evergreen shrubbery over a 

 gravel walk. We also enjoyed from the anchorage a splendid 

 view of four great snowy cones of the Cordillera, including "el 

 famoso Corcovado ; " the range itself had in this latitude so little 

 height, that few parts of it appeared above the tops of the neigh- 

 bouring islets. We found here a party of five men from Caylen, 

 " el fin del Cristiandad," who had most adventurously crossed in 

 their miserable boat-canoe, for the purpose of fishing, the open 

 space of sea which separates Chonos from Chiloe. These islands 

 will, in all probability, in a short time become peopled like those 

 adjoining the coast of Chiloe. 



The wild potato grows on these islands iii great abundance, on 



