286 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



black forest clung. The morning was grey and the water lay dark 

 and ruffled under a chilling wind, while about the distant cliffs of 

 the northern shore wreaths of cloud hung sullenly, only lifting at 

 intervals here and there sufficient to give a glimpse of the bare 

 crags behind them. 



Towards the afternoon luck befriended me, for the sky cleared 

 and the sun broke out for a short time, giving me the opportunity 

 I had been hoping for. I made haste to use the camera with such 

 results as will be seen on p. 285. 



This lake 1 named Lake Pearson. 



On my return to the camp I found the sick man improving, 

 which was a relief, as under the circumstances we had very little to 

 give him in the way of comfort. Bernardo was a cheery fellow, 

 who met the disagreeables of his lot good-temperedly, and I have 

 no doubt this helped towards his recovery. Eventually he became 

 quite well. 



During the night a comet was visible, hanging in the clear 

 sky like a white sword, hilt downwards. It was very brilliant and 

 very beautiful, seen as we saw it above the dark forest. 



There were many reasons why I hoped to be able to push 

 deeper into this region, but it was growing very late in the season, 

 winter with its accompaniment of furious storms was almost upon 

 us, and this fact, joined with the strained and weakened condition 

 of the engine of the launch, compelled us to give up the thought of 

 further exploration. We therefore took advantage of a spell of 

 rather better weather to make our way back down the Fjord. The 

 wind was blowing sulkil)- out of the north, but this gave us 

 the benefit of a following sea. Once or twice during our passaae 

 squalls overtook us, but always blowing mercifully in the direction 

 of our course. Thus we had a following sea right up to the cliffs 

 of Hellgate. In one place a big iceberg had stranded beneath the 

 cliffs. 



We landed under the bluffs of Hellgate and lit a fire of Leila 

 dura, which roared and crackled in the dusk, lighting up the gloom 

 of Hellgate with red light. Later we ran across safely to our 

 anchorage off the Burmeister Peninsula. 



