THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 353 



the other, a very handsome Longicorn, the Cheloderus chil- 

 dreni, previously recorded from Valdivia. It rained tremen- 

 dously throughout the rest of the evening, and all night 

 long, only ceasing for a short time on the morning of the 5th, 

 after which it began again with redoubled vehemence, and 

 continued during the 5th, 6th, 7th, and throughout the earlier 

 part of the 8th, enabling us to corroborate the sagacious 

 remark of a former surveyor as entered on the published plan 

 of Eden Harbour, that here was " good fresh water in abun- 

 dance," — a statement which, however, equally applies to the 

 whole extent of the Channels and that portion of the Strait of 

 Magellan between Port Famine and the western entrance. The 

 weather was, however, far from affording material for mirth, 

 having a most depressing influence upon us, in consequence 

 of the enforced idleness which it necessitated, the land being 

 so shrouded in mist as completely to put a stop to surveying 

 operations ; and our situation was far from enviable, as we 

 lay at anchor, shut in on every side by steep mountains, on 

 which there was not a dry spot whereon to place our feet, 

 and which was for the most part covered by thick ever- 

 green forests, into which it was only possible to penetrate for 

 a very little distance. As we were not provided with proper 

 rain-awnings, moreover, the ship was in an unpleasantly 

 moist condition, her deck having never thoroughly dried since 

 we left Sandy Point, two months previously ; and when our 

 clothes got wet through, as they not uncommonly did, it was 

 with the greatest difficulty, owing to our limited space, that 

 we could get them dried again. 



After descending in perfect streams during the forenoon 

 of the 8th, the rain ceased for about a couple of hours 

 in the afternoon ; and we then left our anchorage at 

 Eden Harbour, and moved northwards to a new berth near 



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