THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 231 



officers landed on a small island near the coaling station, and 

 brought me off some Molluscs and Crustacea, the latter in- 

 cluding representatives of three genera — Lupa (Z. rubra), 

 Goniograjpsus (G. innotatus), and Sesarma (S. angustipes). In 

 the afternoon we moved down to our anchorage near the 

 island of Villegagnon, where we remained during the rest 

 of our stay. 



In order to avoid prolixity and repetition, I shall not 

 attempt to give a record of our daily proceedings while at 

 Eio, but content myself with the mention of certain of 

 those observations and occurrences which appear to me to 

 possess the greatest degree of general interest. On the 10th 

 several of us landed after breakfast, and under the guidance 

 of one of the officers of the *' Spiteful," had a delightful long 

 walk, which, new to us at the time, afterwards became a very 

 familiar beat, being generally known by the English officers of 

 the ships in the harbour under the name of the " tank road," 

 in consequence of its lying alongside a covered aqueduct, 

 which, originating in some large tanks about half-way up 

 the Corcovado mountain, conducts a supply of delicious, pure, 

 cold water to the city of Eio. The road winds along a 

 wooded hill, is for the greater part agreeably shaded, and 

 commands an extensive series of views, of the finest descrip- 

 tion, of the neighbouring hills and valleys, and the harbour 

 with its numerous islands. Close to the road, palms, ban- 

 anas, Cecropice, Bombaxes, with trunks armed with strong 

 prickles, and Mimosas, the exquisitely delicate foliage of 

 which appears most strikingly beautiful as seen against 

 the blue, cloudless sky, occur in abundance ; and there is in 

 addition a profusion of fine shrubs and herbaceous plants. 

 On the walls of the aqueduct a pretty little Begonia, with 

 white flowers and bright green leaves, and an Adiantum, with 



