THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 219 



was occupied in a similar manner. The thermometer was 

 +27° in the morning, and the day was a splendid one, per- 

 fectly still, and very bright — the snow-clad hills sparkling 

 in the sunshine. The frost continued hard, and the air 

 still, during the 26th and 27th, on the latter of which 

 days we were rejoined by the shore party, who had 

 suffered considerably from the cold ; but on the morning of 

 the 28th it was again blowing hard from the eastward, 

 with heavy showers of snow and rain. Eain set steadily in 

 during the course of the afternoon, and on the two following 

 days it was blowing too hard to allow of our leaving our 

 anchorage in St. Jago Bay. The night of the 30th was calm 

 and fine, but on the morning of the 31st the wind again 

 arose from the southward. We weighed, nevertheless, and 

 soundings were taken, in the early part of the day, along the 

 coast of Philip Bay. While thus engaged we noticed a con- 

 siderable number of Fuegians walking along near the beach, 

 accompanied by their dogs, and most of them carrying large 

 bundles composed of drift-wood and dry grass on their 

 shoulders. Owing to the wind being right against us in the 

 afternoon, we were unable to return to our anchorage, and 

 obliged to run through the first [N'arrows, and anchor in Pos- 

 session Bay. The wind increased in vehemence during the 

 evening, and throughout the night it blew very hard, causing 

 us to roll to an extent greater than we had yet experienced 

 in the Strait. 



The 1st of June was very clear and bright, but it was 

 blowing from the S.W. all day, so that we remained station- 

 ary. Mount Aymond and the Asses' Ears, being covered 

 with snow, presented a sharp contrast with the low undu- 

 lating land in our vicinity, which was covered with grass of a 

 pale yellow colour. The wind fell in the course of the 2d, but 

 on the 3d it again arose and blew pretty hard. While busily 



