VO1 AGE ROUND CAPE HORN. 355 
Cavendish, and others, whose adventures and sufferings give an in- 
terest to these savage scenes which their own desolateness, though 
grand in itself, could not inspire: for the same reasons, I regret not 
having seen Chiloe for Byron’s sake. 
12th February.— To-day we ran through the straights of Le Maire. 
The land on the side of America about Cape Good Success seems 
good and pleasant, with many gentle hills covered with grass and 
trees: beyond, are high mountains; and on the coast some abrupt 
rocks, and frequent harbours and coves. Staten Land on the east side 
of the straights, is so bleak and barren-looking, that I suppose it will 
be one of the last spots on the globe that will be inhabited. 
The weather is chilly and uncomfortable. 
14th, off Falkland’s Islands. — This morning we found ourselves 
off the western Falkland Island. It is moderately high, and com- 
pletely bare of trees, as far as we could see; but covered with short 
grass, and here and there patches of low green shrubs. The rocks 
appear to be all of sandstone in horizontal layers: where they dip at all, 
it is to the southward. The coast is surrounded by broken rocks, which 
stand up like the pinnacles of churches; and here and there natural 
gateways and windows, that put me in mind of the scenery of Holy 
Island on our own shores. There are many admirable bays, but all, 
are uninhabited. The Spaniards destroyed cruelly our settlement at 
Port Egmont; and they have been obliged to abandon their own, 
owing, it is said, to the severity of the climate, and barrenness of 
the land. But I imagine cultivation might cure both these evils ; 
and nothing can be better situated than these islands for fitting ships 
destined for the Pacific. The thermometer has fluctuated to-day 
between 43° and 50°, and we have had snow and sleet ; the baro- 
meter gives us from 29—15 to 29—20. The temperature of the sea- 
water 48°. 
lst March.— We came in sight of the land about Cape Santa 
Marta. At night there was the most beautiful lightning possible ; 
and while we were looking at it, we heard something fall into the 
sea like a heavy body from a height, at some distance from us; and 
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