WOLLASTON ISLAND, TIERRA DEL FUEGO. 



CHAPTER XI 



Strait of Magellan — Port Famine — Ascent of Mount Tarn — Forests — Edible fungus 

 — Zoology^ — Great Seaweed — Leave Tierra del Fuego — Climate — Fruit-trees 

 and productions of the southern coasts — Height of snow-line on the Cordillera 

 — Descent of glaciers to the sea — Icebergs formed — Transportal of boulders — 

 Climate and productions of the Antarctic Islands — Preservation of frozen car- 

 casses — Recapitulation. 



STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. CLIMATE OF THE SOUTHERN COASTS 



In the end of May 1834 we entered for the second time the 

 eastern mouth of the Strait of Magellan. The country on both 

 sides of this part of the Strait consists of nearly level plains, like 

 those of Patagonia. Cape Negro, a little within the second 

 Narrows, may be considered as the point where the land begins 

 to assume the marked features of Tierra del Fuego. On the 

 east coast, south of the Strait, broken park-like scenery in a like 

 manner connects these two countries, which are opposed to each 

 other in almost every feature. It is truly surprising to find in a 

 space of twenty miles such a change in the landscape. If we 

 take a rather greater distance, as between Port Famine and 



