84 DOUGLAS’ SKETCH OF 
weather. Off the River Plata, in lat. 37° 
South, long. 37° West, immense shoals of 
Fucus pyriformis passed the ship, some 
specimens of which measured sixty feet in 
length, with a stem, at the thickest part, of 
three inches diameter. On the root was a 
variety of Asterias, Beroe, and other Mol- 
lusce. In this parallel, Procellaria Capen- 
sis and P. fuliginosa began to be common, 
and I captured several with a small hook 
and line. In passing between the main land 
and the Falkland Islands, Nov. 5, an inde- 
scribable and piercing chillness told us we 
were drawing near the dreary and inhospi- 
table regions of Cape Horn, of which in a 
few days longer we became fully aware. 
While within the parallels of 50° and 
59° S. lat., I caught sixty-nine specimens 
of Diomedee, consisting of D. exulans, 
fuliginosa, and chlororhynchos : the last, 
though a smaller bird than the first, reigns 
lord paramount over the rest, and compels 
them all to flee at his approach. It is 
stated by most authors that these birds are 
taken with the greatest ease during calm 
weather, but I have invariably found the 
reverse to hold good; it was only during 
the driving gusts of a storm that I could 
secure them, and on such occasions they 
fight voraciously about the bait, the hook 
often being received into the stomach. 
The appearance of these birds is grand 
and majestic; the largest which I ever 
saw measuring twelve feet four inches, 
from tip to tip of the extended wings, and 
four feet from the point of the beak to the 
end of the tail. As respects their flight, 
the same remarks apply to all the species. 
When sitting on the water, their wings are 
raised exactly like a swan; when feeding 
they are somewhat higher, with a con- 
stantly tremulous motion like those of the 
hawk tribe ; and when elevating themselves 
from the water to soar in the air, they first 
walk the water, skimming the surface with 
the points of their pinions for the distance 
of several hundred yards, before they seem 
able to raise themselves, which they finally 
do with the utmost grace, and with scarcely 
any apparent movement of their wings. 
_ They are of a bold and savage disposition, 
A JOURNEY TO THE 
which is especially displayed when 
are captured. 
Of Larus and Procellaria I caught n 
by the same means—a hook baited with 
pork. In these latitudes a white-s 
mon one. 
of S. latitude on the Pacific side 
Continent, we were subject to bois 
weather, high seas, hail, rain, and thi 
fogs. On the 14th of December, the i 
of Massafuera was distinctly seen, d 
seven leagues, appearing like a dark 
rock. We passed near enough to-asct 
the island of Juan Fernandez; the 
failing, however, we did not reach 
ten days afterwards. This classic isl 
which might be properly termed the? 
deira of the southern hemisphere, is Y 
mountainous and volcanic; its hills 
tifully clothed with verdure to their $ 
mits, which, except in very clear weat 
are enveloped with clouds, the score 
and rocky soil, admirably contrasting: 
the deep green of its lovely vege 
On the second day we landed in Cum 
land Bay, so named by Anson, in r 
smoke rising from it. E 
of stepping from the, boat, a man, to 
astonishment, sprang from the bushes 
directed us to a sheltered creek. He 
us the following account of his adven? 
His name is William Clark, a nati 
Whitechapel, London, and being & 
came to the coast of Chili about five 
ago, in a Liverpool vessel, called © 
and was there discharged. He is 
the employment of the Spaniards, ' 
sit Juan Fernandez for the put 
killing seals and wild cattle, both © 
