S78 



FOSSILS — GAUCHOS — SEAMEN. 



March, 



like those of far higher elevations in Tierra del Fuego, and 

 the fragments — some very large — have rolled down the near- 

 est ravines, so that they look like the beds of dried-up tor- 

 rents. The sand-stone, which is abundant, offers beautifully 

 perfect impressions of shells, many of which were brought to 

 England. In these fossils the minutest portions of delicate 

 shells are preserved, as in a plaster of Paris cast, though the 

 stone is now very hard. There are fine stalactites in some large 

 caverns, but they are known only to a few sealers. The large 

 muscles produce pearls of considerable size, though inferior 

 quality, perhaps ; Mr. Brisbane had a small bottle full. In 

 one of the cottages I saw a heap of good whalebone, and was 

 informed that some hundred pounds worth had been picked up 

 on the coasts, and sold to whalers for a tenth part of its Euro- 

 pean value, in exchange for clothes, spirits, ammunition, and 

 biscuit. On West Falkland there are beautiful pebbles, and 

 on the heights fine crystals have been found. 



Although the climate is so much colder than that of Buenos 

 Ayres, the gauchos sleep in the open air, when in the inte- 

 rior, under their saddles, just as they do in the latitude of 

 35°. While idhng at the settlement they gamble, quarrel, 

 and fight with long knives, giving each other severe wounds. 

 With their loose ponchos, slouched hats, long hair, dark com- 

 plexions, and Indian eyes, they are characters fitter for the 

 pencil of an artist than for the quiet hearth of an industrious 

 settler. Besides these gauchos, we saw five Indians (p. 267), 

 who had been taken by the Buenos Ayrean troops, or their 

 allies, and allowed to leave prison on condition of going 

 with Mr. Vernet to the Falklands. Including the crews of 

 some thirty whale-ships, hovering about or at anchor among 

 the islands ; the men of several American vessels, all armed 

 with rifles ; the English sealers with their clubs, if not also 

 provided with rifles ; these cut-throat looking gauchos ; the 

 discontented, downcast Indian prisoners^ and the crews of 

 several French whalers — who could not or would not see why 

 they had not as good a right to the islands as Englishmen — 

 there was no lack of the elements of discord ; and it was with a 



