June, 1834. 



PORT FAMINE. 



265 



selves behind the trees ; and for every discharge of the 

 musket they fired their arrows: all, however, fell short 

 of the boat, and the officer as he pointed at them laughed. 

 This made the Fuegians frantic with passion, and they shook 

 their mantles in vain rage. At last seeing the balls cut and 

 strike the trees, they ran away ; and we were left in peace 

 and quietness. 



On a former occasion, when the Beagle was here in the 

 month of February, I started one morning at four o^clock to 

 ascend Mount Tarn, which is 2600 feet high, and is the most 

 elevated point in this immediate neighbourhood. We went 

 in a boat to the foot of the mountain (but not to the best 

 part), and then began our ascent. The forest commences at 

 the line of high-water mark, and during the two first hours 

 I gave over all hopes of reaching the summit. So thick was 

 the wood, that it was necessary to have constant recourse to 

 the compass ; for every landmark, though in a mountainous 

 country, was completely shut out. In the deep ravines, the 

 death-like scene of desolation exceeded all description ; out- 

 side it was blowing a gale, but in these hollows, not even a 

 breath of wind stirred the leaves of the tallest trees. So 

 gloomy, cold, and wet was every part, that not even the 

 fungi, mosses, or ferns, could flourish. In the valleys it was 

 scarcely possible to crawl along, they were so completely 

 barricaded by the great mouldering trunks, which had fallen 

 down in every direction. When passing over these natural 

 bridges, one^s course was often arrested by sinking knee deep 

 into the rotten wood ; at other times, when attempting to lean 

 against a firm tree, one was startled by finding a mass of 

 decayed matter ready to fall at the slightest touch. We at 

 last found ourselves among the stunted trees, and then soon 

 reached the bare ridge, which conducted us to the summit. 

 Here was a view characteristic of Tierra del Fuego ; — irregu- 

 lar chains of hiUs, mottled with patches of snow, deep yel- 

 lowish-green valleys, and arms of the sea intersecting the 

 land in many directions. The strong wind was piercingly 

 cold, and the atmosphere rather hazy, so that we did not stay 



