THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 7 



the hill-slopes, displayed in strong relief against the deep 

 ravines and lofty heights around them. 



Next morning we learned, greatly to our disgust, that we 

 were placed in quarantine for five days, with, however, per- 

 mission to get what coal and provisions were required, and 

 to despatch letters home. I occupied a considerable portion 

 of the forenoon of that day in gazing on the paradise which 

 we were forbidden to enter, — truly a " pearl of the ocean " 

 under any circumstances, and one which appeared all the 

 more inviting to us after the rainy weather we had lately ex- 

 perienced in the south of England, and our rather rough sea- 

 cruize, as it lay steeped in sunshine, its gardens glowing 

 with masses of brightly-coloured flowers, and a profusion of 

 prickly pears, sugar-cane, and maize, with here and there a 

 dwarf palm communicating strongly-marked features to the 

 vegetation. The Loo rock, with its fort, formed a prominent 

 object in the foreground ; and behind and on either side of it 

 were remarkable cliffs, some of which exhibited very striking 

 examples of perpendicular basaltic columns, resting uncon- 

 formably on what appeared to be stratified rocks. Before long 

 a boat, with a supply of fruit, embracing bananas, fresh figs, 

 grapes, apples and pears, came alongside ; and it is needless 

 to say that its freight was speedily disposed of. The grapes 

 were excellent, but the apples, though pleasant to the eye, 

 being both large and well-coloured, were not at all equal to 

 our English fruit, possessing much hardness and but little 

 flavour. Later in the day we accomplished a little dredging 

 from the ship, the dingy being despatched with one of the 

 dredges to some distance astern, and the dredge being thereafter 

 put over, was gradually hauled in towards the ship. By this 

 means we procured several pretty molluscs and a few echino- 

 derms, including a handsome, though small, Ophiocoma. Of 



