54 RIO TO TERRA DEL FUEGO CHAP, III 
vulture, which had been shot on the way, and at the shortest 
allowance could not furnish half a meal; and, to complete 
our misfortunes, we were caught in a snowstorm in a climate 
we were utterly unacquainted with, but which we had 
reason to believe was as inhospitable as any in the world, 
not only from all the accounts we had heard or read, but 
from the quantity of snow which we saw falling, though it 
was very little after midsummer, a circumstance unheard of 
in Europe, for even in Norway or Lapland snow is never 
known to fall in the summer. 
17th. The morning now dawned and showed us the earth 
as well as the tops of the trees covered with snow; nor were 
the snow squalls at all less frequent; we had no hopes now 
but of staying here as long as the snow lasted, and how 
long that would be God alone knew, 
About six o'clock the sun came out a little, and we 
immediately thought of sending to see whether the poor 
wretches we had been so anxious about last night were yet 
alive; three of our people went, but soon returned with the 
melancholy news of their being both dead. The snow con- 
tinued to fall, though not quite so thickly as before. About 
eight o’clock a small breeze of wind sprang up, and with 
the additional power of the sun began (to our great joy) to 
clear the air, and soon after the snow commenced to fall 
from the tops of the trees, a sure sign of an approaching 
thaw. Peter continued very ill, but said he thought himself 
able to walk; Mr. Buchan, thank God, was much better 
than I could have expected; so we agreed to dress our 
vulture, and prepare to set out for the ship as soon as the 
snow should be a little more melted. The vulture was 
skinned and cut into ten equal shares, every man cooking 
his own share, which furnished about three mouthfuls of 
hot meat, the only refreshment we had had since our cold 
dinner yesterday, and all we were to expect till we should 
reach the ship. 
About ten we set out, and after a march of three hours, 
arrived at the beach fortunate in having met with much 
better roads on our return than in going out, as well as 
