THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 289 



sion, while we were at the Gallegos, was, by this time, 

 encamped on Dungeness, and came on board to report him- 

 self, bringing with him a fine female condor which he had 

 shot at the cape. He had also made two interesting botanical 

 discoveries while there, having obtained specimens of the 

 Botrychmm lunaria which I found the previous year at Oazy 

 Harbour, as well as of a deep yellow CEnothera, the only repre- 

 sentatives of the genus which I ever procured from the Strait, 

 though, as I have mentioned a few pages back, a species is 

 common at the Gallegos river. We got under way early in 

 the forenoon, and began to take soundings on the Sarmiento 

 Bank, but soon found that the barometer had proved a true 

 prophet in this instance, a gale setting in, which compelled a 

 speedy suspension of operations, causing us to re-enter the 

 Strait (a matter of considerable difficulty), and anchor outside 

 Dungeness. The wind freshened by degrees, and during the 

 afternoon and evening blew with a greater amount of fury than 

 we had ever experienced in these regions. Although we were 

 lying at but a very short distance from the land, it was gener- 

 ally hidden from our sight by the driving spray, while the 

 wind howled through the rigging, and the vessel strained at 

 her anchor. Despite these untoward circumstances, however, 

 our Christmas dinner went off very well, and we passed a 

 pleasant evening over reminiscences of past events, mingled 

 with speculations as to future prospects. The gale continued 

 to rage throughout the greater portion of the night, and on 

 the forenoon of the 26tli it was still blowing, though with 

 diminished vehemence. There was a lull during part of the 

 afternoon, which permitted a small amount of w^ork in the way 

 of sounding being accomplished ; but the wind again freshened 

 at 6 P.M., and blew hard till 8.30 p.m., when heavy rain setting 

 in, it fell rapidly. 



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