450 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



nising and pronouncing unfavourably upon it, we steamed 

 back as far as Skyring Harbour, a most extraordinary nook 

 in the cliffs. Here we would have remained for the night 

 had the anchorage been good, but it was found that there 

 was too little room to allow of the ship swinging safely, 

 particularly as furious squalls, the "williwaws" of sealers, 

 blew through the gorges of the hills at short intervals. At 

 one corner of the harbour was a fine cascade, and it was 

 curious to watch the water of it being blown upwards in sheets 

 of spray during these squalls, which have been well described 

 by Captain King in the following words. He remarks — 



" The crews of sailing-vessels call tliem ^ williwaws,' or ' hurricane 

 squalls,' and they are most violent. The south-west gales, which blow 

 upon the coast with extreme fury, are pent up and impeded in passing 

 over the high lands ; when, increasing in power, they rush violently 

 over the edges of precipices, expand as it were, and descending perpen- 

 dicularly, destroy everything movable. The surface of the water, when 

 struck by these gusts, is so agitated as to be covered with foam, which 

 is taken up by them, and flies before their fury until dispersed in 

 vapour. Ships at anchor under high land are sometimes suddenly thrown 

 over on their beam-ends, and the next moment recover their equili- 

 brium as if nothing had occurred. Again a squall strikes them, perhaps, 

 on the other side, and over they heel before its rage ; the cable becomes 

 strained, and checks the ship with a jerk that causes her to start ahead 

 through the water, until again stopped by the cable, or driven astern by 

 another gust of wind." " In many parts of this country trees are torn 

 up by the roots, or rent asunder by the wind, and in the Gabriel 

 Channel the ' williwaws,' bursting over the mountainous ridge which 

 forms the south side of the Channel, descend, and striking against the base 

 of the opposite shore, rush up the steep and carry all before them. I 

 know nothing to which I can better compare the bared track left by one 

 of these squalls than to a bad broad road. After having made such an 

 opening, the wind frequently sweeping through prevents the growth of 

 vegetation. Confused masses of uprooted trees lie at the lower ends of 

 these bared tracks, and show plainly what power has been exerted." 



