CHONOS ARCHirELAGO 



13th wc ran into an opcnintj in tlic sriuthcrn part of Gua)-atecas, 

 or the Chonos Archipelago ; and it was fortunate wc did so, for 

 on the following day a storm, worthy of Tierra del Fuego, raged 

 with great fur)-. White massive clouds were piled up against a 

 dark blue sky, and across them black ragged sheets of vapour 

 were rapidly driven. The succcssi\-e mountain ranges appeared 

 like dim shadows ; and the setting sun cast on the woodland a 

 yellow gleam, much like that produced by the flame of spirits of 

 wine. The water was white \\\i\\ the flying spray, and the wind 

 lulled and roared again through the rigging : it was an ominous. 



INSIDE CHONOS ARCIill'ELAGO 



sublime scene. During a few minutes there was a bright rain- 

 bow, and it was curious to observe the effect of the spray, which, 

 being carried along the surface of the water, changed the ordinary 

 semicircle into a circle — a band of prismatic colours being 

 continued from both feet of the common arch across the bay, 

 close to the vessel's side ; thus forming a distorted, but very 

 ncarl)' entire ring. 



Wc sta)-cd here three daj-s. The \\-eathcr continued bad ; 

 but this did not much signif\-, for the surface of the land in all 

 these islands is all but impassable. The coast is so xcxy 

 rugged that to attempt to walk in that direction requires 



