218 , NATURAL HISTOKY OF 



of dark cloud silvered on the edges. On the 19 th we re- 

 mained at anchor. It was a fine bright day, though with a 

 very cold wind blowing, and the coast of the bay was finely 

 displayed in mingled light and shadow. One of the ofiicers, 

 who landed in the afternoon, shot a fine specimen of Buteo 

 erythronotus, and two small finches, the Chrysomitris harbata, 

 flocks of which we had previously seen on several occasions. 

 On the 20th the weather was so bad that we did not make 

 a move ; but on the following morning, w^hich was clear and 

 frosty, with the surface of the water like oil in point of 

 smoothness, a good deal of work was accomplished. We 

 parted company with the " Spiteful " early in the day — she, 

 her work having been accomplished, proceeding eastwards 

 out of the Strait, on her way to the Falkland Islands. A 

 very dense white mist descended in the course of the fore- 

 noon, and lasted for more than an hour, concealing the shores 

 of the Strait from view, and thus suspending our operations. 

 We had intended to pass through the first Narrows, but an 

 untoward easterly breeze sprang up, causing us to come to 

 an anchor in St. Jago Bay, between four and five p.m. In 

 the course of the evening it came on to blow hard from the 

 S.E., and blew with great violence all night, accompanied 

 with drifting rain. Next day matters were not at all im- 

 proved, as it was blowing hard, with driving rain from be- 

 tween E. and N.E., causing us to roll unpleasantly, while 

 snow fell on the low grassy hills not far off. On the 23d 

 the rain and snow had ceased, but it blew hard all day, and 

 was very cold. The wind, however, fell at 9 p.m., when the 

 moon rose ; and the 24th was a very fine though cold day, 

 hard frost having set in. The ship was employed in taking 

 soundings in the first Narrows, and two officers were landed 

 near Direction Hill, to do some work on shore. The 25th 



