Some Observations relating to the Southern Extremity of South 
America, Tierra del Fuego, and the Strait of Magalhaens ; 
made during the Survey of those Coasts in his Majesty’s ships 
Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1830. By 
Captain Phillip Parker King, F.R.S., Commander of the Ex- 
pedition. 
{The original paper, from which the following observations have been 
extracted, was read before the Geographical Society of London on 
the 25th of April and 9th of May 1831; and was printed in the Journal 
of that Society for the same year. 
It is here reprinted, with a few omissions and very slight alterations, 
in order that this volume may contain all that the Author has yet 
published respecting South America; excepting particular Sailing 
Directions. } 
ConsIpErRiN@ the vast extent of the sea-coast of the southern 
extremity of America, it is not a little surprising that it should 
have been so frequently passed by, during the last century, without 
having been more explored. Within the last twenty years, how- 
ever, it has been very much resorted to by English and American 
vessels in the seal trade, and to the observing portion of their 
enterprising crews many of its intricacies are well known; but as 
the knowledge they have derived from their experience has only 
in one instance, that of Mr. Weddell’s voyage, been published to 
the world, our charts cannot be said to have been much improved 
for the last fifty years. 
The eastern coast of Patagonia, by which name the country 
between the River Plata and the Strait of Magalhaens* is known, 
* There has existed much difference of opinion as to the correct mode 
of spelling the name of this celebrated navigator. The French and 
English usually write it Magellan, and the Spaniards Magallanes; but 
by the Portuguese, (and he was a native of Portugal,) it is universally 
written Magalhaens. Admiral Burney and Mr. Dalrymple spell it Magal- 
hanes, which mode I have elsewhere adopted: but I have since convinced 
myself of the propriety of following the Portuguese orthography for a 
name, which to this day is very common both in Portugal and Brazil. 
