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Some Observations relating to the Southern Extremity of South 

 America, Tierra del Fuego, and the Strait of IMagalhaens ; 

 made during the Survey of those Coasts in his Majesty's ships 

 Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1830. By 

 Captain Phillip Parker King, F.R.S., Commander of the Ex- 

 pedition. 



[The original paper, from which the following- observations have been 

 extracted, was read before the Geographical Society of London on 

 the 25th of April and 9th of May 1831 ; and was printed in the Journal 

 of that Society for the same year. 



It is here reprinted, with a few omissions and very slight alterations, 

 in order that this volume may contain all that the Author has yet 

 published respecting- South America; excepting- particular Sailing- 

 Directions.] 



Considering the vast extent of the sea-coast of the southern 

 extremity of America, it is not a little surprising that it should 

 have been so frequently passed by, during the last century, without 

 having been more explored. Within the last twenty years, how- 

 ever, it has been very much resorted to by English and American 

 vessels in the seal trade, and to the observing portion of their 

 enterprising crews many of its intricacies are well known ; but as 

 the knowledge they have derived from their experience has only 

 in one instance, that of Mr. Weddell's voyage, been published to 

 the world, our charts cannot be said to have been much improved 

 for the last fifty years. 



The eastern coast of Patagonia, by which name the country 

 between the River Plata and the Strait of Magalhaens* is known, 



* There has existed much difference of opinion as to the correct mode 

 of spelling the name of this celebrated navigator. The French and 

 English usually write it Magellan, and the Spaniards Magallanes ; but 

 by the Portuguese, (and he was a native of Portugal,) it is universally 

 written Magalhaens. Admiral Burney and Mr. Dalrymplc spell it Magal- 

 hanes, wbich mode I have elsewhere adopted : but 1 have since convinced 

 myself of the propriety of following the Portuguese orthography lor a 

 name, which to this day is very common both in Portugal and Brazil. 



