May 1829. ripk—cGrass—WHITESTONE PLAIN. 229 
‘‘ Having sent the cutter back a short distance, to make a 
fire and land our things, I crossed the channel to a fine level 
plain, and measured a base line. In crossing, I found a most 
rapid tide, at least five or six knots at neap tides, and to pull 
against it was out of the question. It caused a considerable 
swell. and race at the entrance, which is not a quarter of a mile 
wide, though it averages twelve fathoms in depth. On the 
plain was growing thick grass, like that in the vicinity of the 
river Plata. So rich and good was the grass and trefoil, that I 
saved a few seeds, hoping some day to see their produce in 
England. No tree was seen; the soil seemed dry, rich, and light. 
Skunks, and a small kind of cavy, had burrowed every where, 
which proves the climate to be of a different nature from that 
of the Strait. The bones and traces of guanacoes were nume- 
rous, and some horses’ tracks were found ; as also part of a 
dead guanaco, which appeared to have been a prey to wild 
beasts. Water was not so plentiful as to the southward ; but 
quite sufficient for all useful purposes, many small brooks being 
noticed, besides springs in the sides of the low hills. We shot 
a swan (0) and some coots; the swans were so fat, or so tame, 
that they would not rise from the water. 
* 17th. While on Whitestone Plain, a very heavy squall of 
wind and hail passed over from the S.W., so cuttingly cold, 
that it showed me one reason why these plains, swept by every 
wind from $.S.W. to N., are destitute of trees. 
“ After dark, we returned to the cutter and partook of a 
large mess, made of the swan we had shot, the coots, some 
limpets, and preserved meat. The shortness of the days was 
becoming very inconvenient ; from eight to four were the only 
hours of daylight; but some of the nights were so fine, that I 
got many sets of observations of the moon and stars. 
(0) Black-necked swan, noticed elsewhere by Captain King.—R.F. 
