378 POINT AKENA — VOLCANO ACTIVE. Jan. 



its real nature. It may be the entrance to some cave, formerly 

 used as a burying-place, similar to those explored by Low, and 

 by the surgeon of the Wager. 



On the 17th we sailed, and next day anchored off Point 

 Arena, in San Carlos Harbour. Lieutenant Sulivan, with his 

 party, had arrived a few days previously, after a very satisfac- 

 tory cruise. We found his boats hauled up and refitted, his 

 people lodged under their tents, and himself with Mr. Usborne 

 busily occupied in my little observatory, laying down the work 

 for which they had collected materials. Thus we were again 

 assembled in safety, after being considerably divided, and, in 

 consequence, exposed to numerous dangers which human pru- 

 dence can neither foresee nor prevent. As some soundings were 

 still wanted near the English bank, and about the approach to 

 San Carlos, we employed the 19th in taking them, on board the 

 Beagle, accompanied by her boats, and returned to our usual 

 anchorage, close to Point Arena, at dark. 



When sounding on the English bank, we repeatedly tried to 

 ascertain its nature by forcing a very long iron lance down- 

 wards as far as possible. The instrument penetrated about two 

 feet into sand in all instances but one, when it was stopped 

 abruptly by a substance which bent the lance and turned its 

 point. It did not, however, feel like rock, rather, I should say, 

 like hard wood.* This hard place was about a square yard in 

 extent, and all around was sand. 



In the night, or rather from two to three the following 

 morning, Osorao was observed in eruption, throwing up bril- 

 liant jets of flame or ignited matter, high into the darkness, 

 while lava flowed down its steep sides in torrents, which from 

 our distance (seventy-three miles) looked merely like red lines. 

 Daybreak diminished the effect, and as the light increased only 

 a dark column of smoke could be discerned. This mountain 

 is one of the most striking in form which I ever saw. It is not 

 only quite conical from the base to the summit, but it is so 

 sharply pointed that its appearance is very artificial. When seen 



* Mr. Sulivan had the lance in his hand at that time. 



