304 CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO chap. 



were again amused by the impetuous manner in which the 

 heap of seals, old and young, tumbled into the water as the 

 boat passed. They did not remain long under water, but 

 rising, followed us with outstretched necks, expressing great 

 wonder and curiosity. 



Ttk. — Having run up the coast, we anchored near the 

 northern end of the Chonos Archipelago, in Low's Harbour, 

 where we remained a week. The islands were here, as in 

 Chiloe, composed of a stratified, soft, littoral deposit ; and the 

 vegetation in consequence was beautifully luxuriant. The 

 woods came down to the sea-beach, just in the manner of an 

 evergreen shrubbery over a gravel walk. We also enjoyed from 

 the anchorage a splendid view of four great snowy cones of the 

 Cordillera, including " el famoso Corcovado ;" the range itself 

 had in this latitude so little height, that few parts of it 

 appeared above the tops of the neighbouring islets. We found 

 here a party of five men from Caylen, " el fin del Cristiandad," 

 who had most adventurously crossed in their miserable boat- 

 canoe, for the purpose of fishing, the open space of sea which 

 separates Chonos from Chiloe. These islands will, in all 

 probability, in a short time become peopled like those adjoining 

 the coast of Chiloe. 



The wild potato grows on these islands in great abundance, 

 on the sandy, shelly soil near the sea-beach. The tallest plant 

 was four feet in height. The tubers were generally small, but: 

 I found one, of an oval shape, two inches in diameter : they 

 resembled in every respect, and had the same smell as English 

 potatoes ; but when boiled they shrunk much, and were watery 

 and insipid, without any bitter taste. They are undoubtedly 

 here indigenous : they grow as far south, according to Mr. Low, 

 as lat 50°, and are called Aquinas by the wild Indians of that 

 part : the Chilotan Indians have a different name for them. 

 Professor Henslow, who has examined the dried specimens 

 which I brought home, says that they are the same with those 

 described by Mr. Sabine^ from Valparaiso, but that they form a 



1 Horticultural Transact, vol. v. p. 249. Mr. Caldcleugh sent home two tubers, 

 which, being well manured, even the first season produced numerous potatoes and an 

 abundance of leaves. See Humboldt's interesting discussion on this plant, which 

 it appears was unknown in Mexico,— in Polit. Essay on New Spain, book iv. 

 chap, ix. 



