A GALE 187 



Harbour, and emerging from the smooth waters of 

 Smythe's Channel we entered the stormy seas of the 

 Gulf of Penas. A gale was blowing in our teeth, and 

 although going at full speed for twenty-four hours 

 we covered a distance of only fifteen miles. All 

 night long the screw was racing, and the water was 

 breaking over the bows of the ship a most un- 

 pleasant change from the smooth and easy passages 

 we had enjoyed previously. Skinning birds I 

 found to be quite impossible, owing to the pitching 

 of the ship, and, although a good sailor, I have 

 never experienced a more uncomfortable time. 

 During this gale albatroses were sailing over the 

 stern of the ship, their wings spread and almost 

 motionless against the wind. 



Soon after mid-day on 14th February the coast 

 of Chile was sighted, and during the afternoon 

 we entered the Bay of Valparaiso. The sur- 

 roundings of Valparaiso, as seen from the harbour, 

 are bare and desolate in the extreme. There is 

 little vegetation, and the whole country has a dry 

 and barren appearance. Far away in the distance 

 we could see the outline of the Andes. 



Most of my time here was spent in cruising 

 about in the bay, in our steam launch, in quest of 

 sea-birds. Land-birds are scarce, owing to the 

 fact that they are shot by the Chilians for food. 

 Sea-birds are far more numerous, and in the bay 

 we met with several interesting species. Perhaps 

 the most striking was a pelican,* which was in 



* Pdecanua thagus. 



