6 



SHELLS BURIAL-PLACES. 



Dec. 1826. 



tions consisted only of a few species of Coleoptera, two or three 

 Lepidoptera, and two Hymenoptera. 



Among the sea-shells, the most abundant was the Patella 

 deamata, Lamk. ; this, with three other species of Patella, one 

 Chiton^ three species of Mytilus, three of Murex, one of Crepi- 

 dula, and a Venus, were all that we collected. 



About the country, near the sea-shore, there is a small tree, 

 whose stem and roots are highly esteemed for fuel by the crews 

 of sealing-vessels which frequent this coast. They call it 

 ' piccolo."* The leaf was described to me as having a prickle 

 upon it, and the flower as of a yellow colour. A species of 

 berberis also is found, which when ripe may afford a very 

 palatable fruit. 



Our short visit gave us no flattering opinion of the fertility 

 of the country near this port. Of the interior we were igno- 

 rant ; but, from the absence of Indians and the scarcity of 

 fresh water, it is probably very bare of pasturage. Falkner, 

 the Jesuit missionary, says these parts were used by the 

 Tehuelhet tribes for burying-places : we saw, however, no 

 graves, nor any traces of bodies, excepting the jaw-bone above- 

 mentioned; but subsequently, at Sea Bear Bay, we found 

 many places on the summits of the hills which had evidently 

 been used for such a purpose, although then containing no 

 remains of bodies. This corresponds with Falkner's account, 

 that after a period of twelve months the sepulchres are formally 

 visited by the tribe, when the bones of their relatives and friends 

 are collected and carried to certain places, where the skeletons 

 are arranged in order, and tricked out with all the finery and 

 ornaments they can collect. 



The ships sailed from Port Santa Elena on the 5th Decem- 

 ber, and proceeded to the southward, coasting the shore as far 

 as Cape Two Bays. 



Our object being to proceed with all expedition to the Strait 

 of Magalhaens, the examination of this part of the coast was 

 reserved for a future opportunity. On the 13th, we had 

 reached within fifty miles of Cape Virgins, the headland at 

 the entrance of the strait, but it was directly in the wind's eye 



