300 CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO chap. 



13th we ran into an opening in the southern part of Guayatecas, 

 or the Chonos Archipelago ; and it was fortunate we did so, for 

 on the following day a storm, worthy of Tierra del Fuego, raged 

 with great fury. White massive clouds were piled up against a 

 dark blue sky, and across them black ragged sheets of vapour 

 were rapidly driven. The successive mountain ranges appeared 

 like dim shadows ; and the setting sun cast on the woodland a 

 yellow gleam, much like that produced by the flame of spirits of 

 wine. The water w^as white with the flying spray, and the wind 

 lulled and roared again through the rigging : it was an ominous, 



INSIDE CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO 



sublime scene. During a few minutes there was a bright rain- 

 bow, and it was curious to observe the effect of the spray, which, 

 being carried along the surface of the water, changed the ordinary 

 semicircle into a circle — a band of prismatic colours being 

 continued from both feet of the common arch across the bay, 

 close to the vessel's side : thus forming a distorted, but very 

 nearly entire ring. 



We stayed here three days. The weather continued bad ; 

 but this did not much signify, for the surface of the land in all 

 these islands is all but impassable. The coast is so very 

 rugged that to attempt to walk in that direction requires 



