568 WESTERN PATAGONIA. 
of Magalhaens.* This channel is also noticed in one of the two 
missionary voyages above mentioned ; but the object of these 
expeditions being for the purpose of converting the Indians to 
Christianity,; and not for the extension of geographical know- 
ledge, little information of that nature could be obtained from 
their journal: the entrance of the Mesier, however, is described 
by them ; and on one occasion they were obliged to take refuge 
in it for fifteen days.{ With this exception I cannot find that it 
had ever been entered before our visit. 
The length of the channel is one hundred and sixty miles, and 
it joins the Concepcion Strait behind the Madre de Dios archipe- 
lago, at the Brazo Ancho of Sarmiento. Lieutenant Skyring, 
who superintended this particular part of the survey, called the 
land which it insulates, Wellington Island; the seaward coast of 
which is fronted by several islands. Fallos Channel, which sepa- 
rates the Campaiia and Wellington Islands, was examined, from its 
northern entrance, for thirty-three miles, and was conjectured, 
after communicating with the sea at Dynely Sound, to extend to 
the southward, and fall into the Gulf of Trinidad by one of the 
deep sounds which were noticed on the north shore. 
About thirty miles within the Mesier Channel, from the northern 
extremity, the west side appears to be formed by a succession of 
large islands, many of which are separated by wide channels lead- 
ing to the south-west, and probably communicating with the Fallos 
Channel. On the eastern shore the openings were found to be 
either narrow inlets or abruptly terminating sounds. 
On both sides of the channel the coast is hilly, but not very high, 
and in many places there is much low and generally thickly wooded 
land. This character distinguishes the Mesier from other channels 
in these regions. 
The trees here are nearly of the same description as those which 
are found in all parts between Cape Tres Montes and the Strait 
of Magalhaens. Of these the most common are an evergreen 
beech (Fagus betuloides), a birch-like beech (Fagus antarctica), the 
Winter’s bark (Winterana aromatica§), and a tree with all the 
appearance and habit of a cypress, of which the Indians make their 
* Agiieros, p. 205, et seq. + Ibid. p.181,etseq.  ¢ Ibid. p. 237. 
§ Living plants of the above trees, and other vegetable productions 
from the Strait of Magalhaens, were introduced into England upon the 
return of the expedition, and have since thriven exceedingly well. 
