THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 257 



the destruction of the kelp. Amidst the leaves of this plant 

 numerous species of fish live, which nowhere else could find 

 food or shelter; with their destruction the many cormorants 

 and other fishing birds, the otters, seals, and porpoises, would 

 soon perish also; and lastly, the Fuegian savage, the misera- 

 ble lord of this miserable land, would redouble his cannibal 

 feast, decrease in numbers, and perhaps cease to exist. 



June 8th. We weighed anchor early in the morning and 

 left Port Famine. Captain Fitz Roy determined to leave the 

 Strait of Magellan by the Magdalen Channel, which had not 

 long been discovered. Our course lay due south, down that 

 gloomy passage which I have before alluded to as appearing 

 to lead to another and worse world. The wind was fair, but 

 the atmosphere was very thick; so that we missed much 

 curious scenery. The dark ragged clouds were rapidly driven 

 over the mountains, from their summits nearly down to their 

 bases. The glimpses which we caught through the dusky 

 mass were highly interesting; jagged points, cones of snow, 

 blue glaciers, strong outlines, marked on a lurid sky, were 

 seen at different distances and heights. In the midst of such 

 scenery we anchored at Cape Turn, close to Mount Sarmi- 

 ento, which was then hidden in the clouds. At the base of 

 the lofty and almost perpendicular sides of our little cove 

 there was one deserted wigwam, and it alone reminded us 

 that man sometimes wandered into these desolate regions. 

 But it would be difficult to imagine a scene where he seemed 

 to have fewer claims or less authority. The inanimate works 

 of nature rock, ice, snow, wind, and water all warring 

 with each other, yet combined against man here reigned in 

 absolute sovereignty. 



June $th. In the morning we were delighted by seeing 

 the veil of mist gradually rise from Sarmiento, and display it 

 to our view. This mountain, which is one of the highest in 

 Tierra del Fuego, has an altitude of 6800 feet. Its base, for 

 about an eighth of its total height, is clothed by dusky woods, 

 and above this a field of snow extends to the summit. These 

 vast piles of snow, which never melt, and seem destined to 

 last as long as the world holds together, present a noble and 

 even sublime spectacle. The outline of the mountain was 

 admirably clear and defined. Owing to the abundance of 



VOL. XXIX I HC 



