68 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



cover the land, and the mountains to the height of two thou- 

 sand feet, with perpetual verdure, "which presents an ex- 

 tremely remarkable spectacle, particularly where the glaciers 

 descend to the sea." The bright flowers of the scarlet 

 Fuchsia, which is a native here, adorn the gloomy Beech- 

 forests ; and both the FucJma and Veronica grow to such 

 a size, that the stems are sometimes six or seven inches in 

 diameter. On the western side of the Straits, " vegetation 

 is very stunted/' and on the eastern side there is a total 

 absence of trees; these differences are in some measure 

 accounted for by a great variety in the soil. Those who 

 have visited this coast in summer, describe the craggy hills, 

 which are of an amazing height, as completely covered with 

 snow; whilst the plains were adorned at the same time with 

 flowers equal in fragrance and beauty to those we see in the 

 gardens of England. The woods are full of parrots and 

 other beautiful birds ; and in other seasons and other loca- 

 lities there seems to be an equal abundance of less beautiful, 

 but far more useful, ducks and geese. 



It is interesting to compare the different accounts which 

 have been given of that much-decried land, Tierra del Fuego, 

 which lies, it will be remembered, in the corresponding lati- 

 tude with that of the southern part of England. This 



