74 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



being the highest southern latitude in which any flowers 

 are to be met with, with the exception of the single Grass 

 before mentioned in the south Shetland Islands. These 

 flowers belong chiefly to the families of Umbellifera and 

 Composite, Heaths (Sricea), and Crowberries (Empetrea). 

 The deciduous Beech (Fagus Antarctica] grows here too ; 

 but these Beeches, like their prototypes the little Willows 

 in the Polar regions, are only trees in miniature, about three 

 inches in length, and growing in a prostrate posture, as if 

 they were crouching on the ground to shelter themselves 

 from the rough gales and snow-storms. 



We must however take our leave of these wild regions, 

 and our last look at the little people on the shore, none of 

 them much above five feet, with flat faces, and low fore- 

 heads smeared over with red paint ; with black hair hang- 

 ing straight down, and little black eyes peering out from 

 under it, we must leave them in this bitter climate to 

 wander in the woods, almost without clothing, and build 

 their miserable hovels; and little as they, as yet, are in- 

 debted to us, we Christians may carry away a lesson of con- 

 tent from them, who, though they are called ' ' the outcasts 

 of human nature," are nevertheless described as being 

 " cheerful and good-tempered." 



