245 



CHAPTER XII. 



Falkland Islands — Excursion round island — Aspect — Cattle, horses, rab- 

 bit, wolf-like fox — Fire made of bones — Art in making fire — Manner of 

 hunting wild cattle— Geology, fossil shells — Valleys filled with great 

 fragments, scenes of violence — Penguin — Geese — Eggs of doris — 

 Zoophytes, coraUine phosphorescent — Compound animals. 



FALKLAND ISLANDS. 



March 16th^ 1834. — The Beagle anchored in Berkeley 

 Sounds in East Falkland Island.* This archipelago is situated 

 in nearly the same latitude as the mouth of the Strait of Ma- 

 gellan. It covers a space of about 120 by 60 geographical 

 miles, and is a little more than half the size of Ireland. 

 After the possession of these miserable islands had been con- 

 tested by France, Spain, and England, they were left uninha- 

 bited. The government of Buenos Ayres then sold them to 

 a private individual, but likewise used them, as old Spain 

 had done before, for a penal settlement. England claimed 

 her right and seized them. The Englishman who was left 

 in charge of the flag was consequently murdered. A British 

 officer was next sent, unsupported by any power : and when we 

 arrived, we found him in charge of a population, of which 

 rather more than half were runaway rebels and murderers. 



The theatre is worthy of the scenes acted on it. An un- 

 dulating land, with a desolate and wretched aspect, is every 

 where covered by a peaty soil and wiry grass, of one monoto- 

 nous brown colour. Here and there a peak or ridge of gray 

 quartz rock, breaks through the smooth surface. Every one 

 has heard of the climate of these regions ; it may be com- 

 pared to that which is experienced at the height of between 

 one and two thousand feet, on the mountains of North 



* In the same month, also, of the previous year, the Beagle visited 

 these islands. 



