March, 1834. Falkland islands. 251 



the islands could not be perceived. At the same time the 

 fact is far from improbable. 



At night (17th) we slept on the neck of land which forms the 

 south-west peninsula. The valley was pretty well sheltered 

 from the cold wind ; but there was very little brushwood for 

 fuel. The Gauchos, however, soon found what, to my great 

 surprise, made nearly as hot a fire as coals ; this was the 

 skeleton of a bullock lately killed, from which the flesh had 

 been picked by the Caracaras. They told me that in winter 

 they had often kUled a' beast, cleaned the flesh from the 

 bones with their knives, and then with these same bones 

 roasted the meat for their suppers. 



1 8th. — It rained dviring nearly the whole day. At night we 

 managed, however, with our saddle-cloths, to keep ourselves 

 pretty well dry and warm ; but the ground on which we slept 

 was on each occasion nearly in the state of a bog, and there 

 was not a dry spot to sit down on after our day's ride. I have 

 in another part stated how singular it is that trees should 

 be entirely absent from these islands, while they cover the 

 whole surface of Tierra del Fuego. The largest bush in the 

 island (belonging to the family of Composites) is scarcely so 

 tall as our gorze. The best fuel is afforded by a green little 

 bush, about the size of common heath, which has the useful 

 property of burning while fresh and green. It was very sur- 

 prising to see the Gauchos, in the midst of rain, and every 

 thing soaking wet, with nothing more than a tinder-box and 

 piece of rag, immediately make a fire. They sought beneath 

 the tufts of grass and bushes for a few dry twigs, and 

 these they rubbed into fibres ; then surrounding them with 

 coarser twigs, something like a bird's nest, they put the rag 

 with its spark of fire in the middle, and covered it up. The 

 nest being then held up to the wind, by degrees it smoked 

 more and more, and at last burst out in flames. I do not 

 think any other method would have had a chance of succeed- 

 ing with such damp materials. 



19th. — Each morning, from not having ridden for some 

 time previously, I was very stiff. I was surprised to hear 



