THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 69 



themselves in their new quarters. An intention was also 

 cherished, I believe, to endeavour to establish a colony of 

 Germans, at some future period, to assist in clearing the land ; 

 but I believe this has not yet been accomplished. There can, 

 I think, be no doubt that the Chilian government have acted 

 wisely in selecting Punta Arenas as the site of a colony, as, 

 from the character of its climate and situation, it combines 

 many advantages not to be met with in an equal degree in 

 the country to the eastward or westward. Although the 

 anchorage is decidedly inferior to that of Port Pamine to 

 the south and westward, where a settlement was established, 

 first by Sarmiento, in 1583, and afterwards by the Eepublic 

 of Chili, in the present century, the climate is greatly 

 superior, being much less humid. On the other hand, the 

 situation excels any spot to be met with in the country to 

 the north-eastwards, in possessing a sufficient rainfall, a small 

 river, extensive forests where an abundant supply of timber 

 may be procured, and considerable tracts of open ground 

 suitable for cattle-grazing. There is, however, considerable 

 room for doubting as to whether the colony can ever be seK- 

 supporting. The climate, which, though very pleasant in sum- 

 mer — when there is beautiful weather, resembling that often 

 met with in the end of September and beginning of October in 

 Scotland — does not appear to be warm enough for the ripening 

 of cereals, with the exception of the hardier kinds, such as 

 rye and some forms of barley, although green crops, such as 

 potatoes, pease, cabbages, and lettuce, often come to maturity. 

 A deposit of coal, apparently of tertiary age, and probably of 

 the same date with that occurring at Lota in South Chili, was 

 discovered some years ago, but as yet it has not been worked 

 to any great extent, and, I confess, it appeared to me of very 

 inferior quality. Gold has also been found in the bed of the 



