62 MAGDALEN CHANNEL. Feb. 1827. 
~ 
unless, indeed, they trade with the Patagonian Indians: but 
such is the poverty of the Fuegians, they can scarcely possess 
any thing of value sufficient to exchange with the goods of their 
northern neighbours, unless it be iron pyrites, which I think 
is not found in the open country inhabited by the Patagonian 
Indians, and, from the facility with which it yields sparks of 
fire, must be an object of importance. 
We were not a little amused by the surprise which these 
natives showed at the things in our possession, and by the 
effect produced in their countenances when they saw any thing 
extraordinary : the expression was not that of joy or surprise, 
but a sort of vacant, stupified, stare at each other. They must 
have been very suspicious of our intentions, or very much— 
excited by what they had seen during the day, as throughout 
the night an incessant chattering of voices was heard on shore, 
interrupted only by the barking of their dogs. 
Looking down the Magdalen Inlet, we saw two openings, 
which, while the hills were enveloped in mist, had the ap- 
pearance of being channels. We proceeded for some distance 
into the more westerly of the two, but found that it was merely 
a sound, terminated by high land. The boat was then steered 
under a steep mass of black mountainous land,* the summit 
of which is divided into three peaks, which Sarmiento called 
‘El Pan de Azucar de los Boquerones’ (the Sugar-loaf of the 
Openings). We ran southward, fifteen miles down this sound, 
and reached the Labyrinth Islands; but finding there no suitable 
anchorage, resumed our course towards the bottom of what we 
thought another sound, terminated by mountains. At noon, 
the furthest point, on the west shore, which we called Cape 
Turn, was within three miles of us, and we should soon have 
discovered the continuation of the channel (as it has since been 
proved); but a breeze set in from the §.W., and in a short time 
it blew so strong as to oblige us to turn back. ¢ Williwaws’ 
and baffling eddy winds kept us seven hours under Mount 
Boqueron. These squalls were at first alarming, but by taking 
in all sail, before they passed, we sustained no injury. At sun- 
* Mount Boqueron. 
