282 CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO. [cHap, x11. 
up and down over the sharp rocks of mica-slate ; and as for the 
woods, our faces, hands, and shin-bones all bore witness to the 
maltreatment we received, in merely attempting to penetrate their 
forbidden recesses. 
December 18th.—We stood out to sea. On the 20th we bade 
farewell to the south, and with a fair wind turned the ship’s 
head northward. From Cape Tres Montes we sailed pleasantly 
along the lofty weather-beaten coast, which is remarkable for 
the bold outline of its hills, and the thick covering of forest 
even on the almost precipitous flanks. The next day a harbour 
was discovered, which on this dangerous coast might be of great 
service to a distressed vessel. It can easily be recognised by a 
hill 1600 feet high, which is even more perfectly conical than 
the famous sugar-loaf at Rio de Janeiro. The next day, after 
anchoring, I succeeded in reaching the summit of this hill. It 
was a laborious undertaking, for the sides were so steep that in 
some parts it was necessary to use the trees as ladders. There 
were also several extensive brakes of the Fuchsia, covered with its 
beautiful drooping flowers, but very difficult to crawl through. 
In these wild countries it gives much delight to gain the summit 
of any mountain. There is an indefinite expectation .of seeing 
something very strange, which, however often it may be balked, 
never failed with me to recur on each successive attempt. Every 
one must know the feeling of triumph and pride which a grand 
view from a height communicates to the mind. In these little 
frequented countries there is also joined to it some vanity, that 
you perhaps are the first man who ever stood on this pinnacle or 
admired this view. 
A strong desire is always felt to ascertain whether any human 
being has previously visited an unfrequented spot. A bit of, 
wood with a nail in it, is picked up and studied as if it were 
covered with hieroglyphics. Possessed with this feeling, I was 
much interested by finding, on a wild part of the coast, a bed 
made of grass beneath a ledge of rock. Close by it there had 
been a fire, and the man had used an axe. The fire, bed, and 
situation showed the dexterity of an Indian ; but he could scarcely 
have been an Indian, for the race is in this part extinct, owing 
to the Catholic desire of making at one blow Christians and 
Slaves. I had at the time some misgivings that the solitary man 
