442 NATURAL HISTOEY OF 



The 3d was a day of very heavy rain, and after devoting 

 the forenoon to drawing the details of my new plant, I 

 sallied forth with two companions in the dingy, and we 

 pulled up to the head of the harhour, where some more 

 geese were shot, after which we followed the winding course 

 of a stream for a quarter of a mile, when the rapid shoal- 

 ing of the bottom placed an arrest on our further progress. 



On the 4th we left Port Grappler in the morning, and 

 passed southwards through Wide Channel, examining the 

 coast for harbours. About five p.m. we met a Chilian vessel, 

 the '' Arauco," on her way from Sandy Point to Valparaiso, 

 and despatched letters by her ; and three hours later w^e 

 anchored in, or in the vicinity of, Tom Bay, near the northern 

 extremity of the Concepcion Channel, on the east coast of 

 the Madre Islands. Next morning we again moved south- 

 wards, looking out for harbours, and after spending some 

 time in the examination of a cove in the Guia Narrows, 

 we passed on to Puerto Bueno, anchoring there between 

 eight and nine p.m. The morning of the 6th was rather 

 fine, so that this very pretty harbour, which well deserves its 

 name, appeared to full advantage. Close to the water's edge 

 is a narrow strip of grass, and immediately behind this a 

 high bank covered with a belt of trees consisting of ever- 

 green beech, Winter' s-bark, Libocedrus, etc., while beyond, as 

 far as the eye can reach, extend bare hills, with occasional 

 patches of stunted shrubs, and extensive tracts of boggy 

 ground, covered with a thick low vegetation of Lepidothamnus, 

 Caltha appendiculata, and C. dionecefolm, Astelia, and Gai- 

 mardia. Some of the officers, who landed in the morning to 

 take sights, brought me off several specimens of a pretty 

 Carahus (C. suturalis), previously found at Sandy Point, a 

 Succinea, and some earth-worms. As early in the afternoon 



