THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 453 



with the addition of berries made of sealing-wax, afterwards 

 gracing the plum-pudding in the capacity of holly. We found 

 a second cormorant rookery, and I took two young birds from 

 the nest for the sake of their crania. The evening passed 

 in the orthodox manner, various speculations being hazarded 

 regarding the spot in which our next Christmas would 

 be spent. The 26th was a showery day. We got under 

 way after breakfast, and after executing some additional 

 soundings in the bay, left it about noon, and proceeded 

 eastwards along the coast of the Island of Desolation. For- 

 tunately, there was almost no wind, which was a great 

 advantage, as it permitted us to keep close to the coast, 

 and so examine it very carefully for harbours. The first 

 place entered was a deep inlet about three miles to the east 

 of Tuesday Bay, at the head of which we saw some fine cata- 

 racts ; and the next locality visited was Valentine Harbour, 

 which proved to be of little value as an anchorage. We 

 then continued eastwards for some miles, and between five 

 and six p.m. entered by a narrow passage a very remarkable 

 port (Churruca of Sarmiento) surrounded on all sides by high 

 rugged hills, in the gorge of one of which a deeply-crevassed 

 glacier, surmounted by an extensive snow-field, descended for 

 some distance. After spending a short time in this harbour, 

 we proceeded along the coast for a few miles farther, and then 

 returned to it, anchoring about nine p.m. for the night. Here 

 we remained at anchor throughout the 27th, which was 

 Sunday, much rain falling, which caused us to mourn the 

 absence of our awning. The evening was, however, fine, and 

 between nine and ten p.m. there was a very striking lunar 

 rainbow. On the 28th we left Port Churruca, and spent the 

 day coasting along the Fuegian shore of the Strait on the 

 look-out for harbours. The day was luckily calm, though 



