TERRA DEL FUEGO. 133 
There is a black-coloured moss that covers the ground in places, 
giving it the appearance of having been burnt. Many small ponds 
are met with, as though the peat had been dug from the place, and 
filled with water. There is great plenty of scurvy-grass and wild 
celery close to the beach. 
Here any quantity of water may be obtained on the top and sloping 
sides of the hills. 
The decomposition of the feldspathic rocks appears to be going on 
rapidly. This, combined with vegetable matter, forms a rich soil, 
but it is so exceedingly wet from the constant rains and snows, that 
it is very questionable if any agricultural operations could succeed. 
At Orange Harbour the tide was found to have four feet rise and 
fall. High water, full and change, at 4 p. m. Among the Hermit 
Islands it seems to be affected by the winds in the offing. The flood 
sets to the east. 
Large numbers of humpback whales were seen in March about 
Orange Harbour. 
In a small cove on New Island, a different description of hut was 
seen by the officers of the Relief. Not having met with any natives, 
it was not in their power to ascertain if it belonged to the same tribe. 
It was built of logs, with their upper ends leaning together in the 
form of a cone, and nearly circular at the base ; the interstices were 
filled with grass, leaves, and earth, in which some grasses had taken 
root, and were growing. It is represented in the tail-piece. 
34 
