Idle Davs ill Pataoonia. 



now fast-breaking clouds ahead of us appeared the 

 first welcome signs of dawn. By degrees the dark- 

 ness grew less intense ; only just ahead of us there 

 still remained somethino;- black and unchangeable — 

 a portion, as it Avere, of that pitchy gloom that a 



s h o r t 

 time 

 before 

 had 

 m a d e 

 sea and air 

 appear one 

 and indis- 

 tinguishable; 

 but as the light 

 increased it 

 changed not, 

 and at last it 

 was seen to be 

 a range of low 

 hills or dunes of 

 sand scarcely a 

 1*4'^ stone's throw from 



I the ship's bows. It 



Avas true enough 



Our Caiitain. il j. ± ^ i 



that we were stuck 

 fast in the sand ; and although this was a safer 

 bed for the steamer than the jagged rocks, the 

 position was still a ]ierilous one, and I at once de- 

 termined to land. Three other passengers resolved 

 to bear me company ; and as the tide had now gone 



«df 



