50 WILLIWAWS. Feb. 1827. 
the scenery greatly, particularly in the winter season : the north 
shore is also well wooded for about two-thirds up ; but the sum- 
mit is barren and the outline very much serrated, as is usual in 
slate formations. 
On the north shore we noticed some extraordinary effects of 
the whirlwinds which so frequently occur in Tierra del Fuego. 
The crews of sealing vessels call them ‘ williwaws,’ or ¢ hur- 
ricane-squalls,’ and they are most violent. The south-west gales, 
which blow upon the coast with extreme fury, are pent up and 
impeded in passing over the high lands; when, increasing in 
power, they rush violently over the edges of precipices, expand, 
as it were, and descending perpendicularly, destroy every 
thing moveable. The surface of the water, when struck by 
these gusts, is so agitated, as to be covered with foam, which 
is taken up by them, and flies before their fury until dispersed 
in vapour. Ships at anchor under high land are sometimes 
suddenly thrown over on their beam-ends, and the next moment 
recover their equilibrium, as if nothing had occurred. Again 
a squall strikes them, perhaps on the other side, and over they 
heel before its rage: the cable becomes strained, and checks 
the ship with a jerk, that causes her to start a-head through 
the water, until again stopped by the cable, or driven astern 
by another gust of wind. 
At all these anchorages, under high land, there are some 
parts more exposed than others; and by watching for those 
places which are least troubled by these squalls, a more secure, 
or rather a more quiet, spot may be selected. I do not consider 
ships so anchored to be in danger if their ground tackle be 
good; but every thing that offers a stiff resistance must suffer 
from the fury of these blasts. In many parts of this country 
trees are torn up by the roots, or rent asunder by the wind ; 
and in the Gabriel Channel the ‘ williwaws’ bursting over 
the mountainous ridge, which forms the south side of the 
channel, descend, and striking against the base of the opposite 
shore, rush up the steep, and carry all before them. I know 
of nothing to which I can better compare the bared track 
left by one of these squalls than to a bad broad road. After 
