THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 31 



forms, it is very generally diffused through the seas of various 

 parts of the globe. Geologically, it possesses a much greater 

 antiquity than the former genus (which has not been met 

 with prior to the tertiary epoch), it having been traced as far 

 back as the carboniferous strata. 



On the 2d of l^ovember we made good way, going along 

 under steam and sail at a rate of about ten knots an hour. 

 In the morning some albatrosses were observed at some dis- 

 tance ; and in the afternoon, between two and three o'clock, 

 I had my first view of the New World — Cape Frio being 

 sighted, and our approach to the land further indicated by a 

 gi'adual change in the colour of the water from a brilliant 

 blue to a dull green hue. Between seven and eight p.m., the 

 well-known light on Eaza island became visible, and rather 

 more than an hour later the adjacent conical island of 

 Eedonda, with the bold outline of the mainland outside of 

 the Bay of Eio, could be clearly recognised. It was a 

 glorious starlight night, the planet Venus casting a broad 

 track of splendour on the almost unruffled surface of the 

 water, as between ten and eleven o'clock, we neared the 

 entrance of the magnificent harbour, believed at the date of 

 its discovery to be the embouchure of a large river, and 

 hence denominated Eio de Janeiro. Gradually, as we 

 steamed slowly in towards its narrow entrance, the light of 

 the Santa Cruz fort on the northern side became clearly 

 visible, and several more distant ones brightened and ex- 

 tended themselves. On passing the fort we were hailed, and 

 on there being no response returned, a blue light was burned 

 to ascertain our nature. A little further on, the lights of the 

 mass of the city — the most brilKantly illuminated that I have 

 ever seen — with those of Gloria Hill and Botafogo, burst on 

 our view, with the mountains behind and around lying in 



