THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 369 



the bay we observed a remarkable object at some distance, 

 which we by-and-by ascertained to be the horns and upper 

 part of the head of a bullock, which was swimming to the 

 shore from one of the ships lying at anchor. On approach- 

 ing the land it had some slight difiiculty in getting through 

 the surf, in which it was entirely immersed for a moment or 

 two, but soon stepped out on terra firma, where two poncho- 

 clad horsemen, provided with lassoes, were waiting to receive 

 it. It was, however, by no means disposed to be caught, and 

 ran off through the streets close to the beach, exciting a most 

 ludicrous amount of terror among the inhabitants, who rushed 

 into their houses with wonderful rapidity. After waiting to 

 see it lassoed, a process speedily accomplished, we proceeded 

 southwards along the coast of the bay, scrambling over that 

 portion of the rocks not covered by the tide, and climbing the 

 steep shrubby banks above them. Not far from the shore we 

 observed one or two remarkable large rocks used by cormo- 

 rants as resting-places, one of which presented a striking 

 resemblance to a couching lion. We had not gone far before 

 I had the delight of seeing for the first time that exquisite 

 twiner Lapageria rosea, the " Copigue " of the Chilians, with 

 the appearance of which, as seen in hothouses, some of my 

 readers are doubtless familiar. The plant winds over shrubs 

 and low trees in a very elegant manner, and the flowers, shaped 

 somewhat like those of a lily, are often as much as three 

 inches long, of a thick waxy consistence, and of a most 

 splendid deep rose-colour, minutely spotted with white in the 

 interior, and marked at the base of each segment with a small 

 blotch of dark purple. A white variety of the flower is also 

 to be met with, but is of much rarer occurrence. The plant 

 is a near ally of the beautiful Philesia huxifolia of the Strait, 

 but is much handsomer, and possesses a greatly more limited 



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