1835. 



CHONOS ISLANDS 



; WILD POTATO. 



375 



but Ipun is quite different in structure, being an earthy sand- 

 stone.""* 



Syzygial high water at Ipun takes place at noon, and the 

 tide rises six or eiffht feet. The flood-tide comes from the 

 southward. 



At May Harbour (which may be the Bello Dique of the 

 Santa Barbara), many cypress trees were noticed, for the first 

 time hereabouts, and a surprising number of otters. The tide 

 rose seven feet. About the Huaytecas Islands, the northern- 

 most of the Archipelago, quantities of excellent oysters were 

 found, quite as good as any sold in London. No quadrupeds 

 were seen, except nutria and otters, which were numerous. 

 Their numbers, and the quantity of birds, show that Indians 

 do not now frequent that quarter ; indeed, no traces of them 

 whatever were found by Mr. Stokes, or any of our party, among 

 the Chonos islands. 



10th. While lying at Port Low we caught plenty of fish 

 with the seine ; we obtained oysters from neighbouring creeks, 

 and shot ducks and geese, so there was no want of fresh pro- 

 vision. Some piraguas from Chiloe were in the port : the 

 Chilotes in them were in search of otters, seals, and nutria, and 

 had come across the gulf of Huafo, in their ill-conditioned ves- 

 sels, with no little trepidation. 



On an outlying islet, near Port Low, I first saw the wild 

 potato. Next to seeing a wild man, I recollect few objects which 

 struck me much more than that group of wild potatoes : — but I 

 have neither inclination nor space here to speak of my own 

 sensations. The stems, leaves, and flowers of these vegetables 

 were as large, and appeared to be as healthy, as those in an 

 English garden, but the potatoes at their roots were small, 

 watery, and insipid. It ought to be recollected, however, that 

 we saw them early in January — corresponding to July — 

 many weeks, at least, before one could expect to find eatable 

 potatoes in an English field. 



It was remarked in the Chonos islands, as well as in Tierra 

 del Fuego, that the trees which grow in thin soil, lying upon 



• Stokes, MS. 



