304 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



had been obtained at Sandy Point, where many changes had 

 taken place since our last visit ; a new governor, Don Oscar 

 Viel, having come down from Chili, and a large detachment 

 of emigrants having arrived from the island of Chiloe. 



The 24th was a perfectly calm day, and we crossed over to' 

 Lomas Bay in the morning. Tour boats were despatched to 

 sound, but heavy rain setting in about noon gradually put a 

 stop to the work by concealing the land from view. The 

 following day was spent in Lomas Bay ; and on the 26th, 

 after spending some time in sounding off the Orange Bank, we 

 passed through the first Narrows (our transit being a very 

 tedious one, as the tide was against us), and anchored in 

 the evening in St. Jago Bay. On the morning of the 27th 

 we moved on to Gregory Bay, and there anchored for a few 

 hours, which allowed of a ramble on shore, in the course of 

 which I collected a few plants, including an aquatic one, the 

 Myrioplylhcm elatinoides, previously known from the Falkland 

 Islands. We got under way again before noon, and went 

 through the second Narrows, dropping one of the boats oft 

 Beckett Harbour to execute some soundings, and then pro- 

 ceeding over to Sta. Magdalena to leave a party there. It was 

 a splendid calm afternoon when we reached the island, and 

 when we anchored to drop the boats the scene around us was 

 of a most striking character. The island stood out sharp and 

 clear in the early evening light, with its cliffs white with sea- 

 birds, and the beach covered with sea-lions, while in the 

 water around the ship hundreds of seals were disporting them- 

 selves, leaping high out of the water, their bodies bent as usual 

 in a bow-shaped curve. After leaving the boats we moved 

 on to Sandy Point, which we did not reach till after dark ; 

 sending up a rocket to attract attention, and burning a blue 

 light to ascertain our exact position. When we landed next 

 morning we found various improvements being energetically 



