THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE 203 



little more than half the size of Ireland. After the posses- 

 sion of these miserable islands had been contested by France, 

 Spain, and England, they were left uninhabited. The gov- 

 ernment of Buenos Ayres then sold them to a private indi- 

 vidual, 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 mon- 

 otonous brown colour. Here and there a peak or ridge 

 of grey quartz rock breaks through the smooth surface. 

 Every one has heard of the climate of these regions; it 

 may be compared to that which is experienced at the height 

 of between one and two thousand feet, on the mountains of 

 North Wales; having however less sunshine and less frost, 

 but more wind and rain.* 



i<Sth. — I will now describe a short excursion which I 

 made round a part of this island. In the morning I started 

 with six horses and two Gauchos: the latter were capital 

 men for the purpose, and well accustomed to living on their 

 own resources. The weather was very boisterous and cold, 

 with heavy hail-storms. We got on, however, pretty well, 

 but, except the geology, nothing could be less interesting 

 than our day's ride. The country is uniformly the same 

 undulating moorland; the surface being covered by light 

 brown withered grass and a few very small shrubs, all 

 springing out of an elastic peaty soil. In the valleys here 

 and there might be seen a small flock of wild geese, and 

 everywhere the ground was so soft that the snipe were able 

 to feed. Besides these two birds there were few others. 



* From accounts published since our voyage, and more especially from 

 several interesting letters from Capt. Sulivan, R.N., employed on the sur- 

 vey, it appears that we took an exaggerated view of the badness of the 

 climate of these islands. But when I reflect on the almost universal cover- 

 ing of peat, and on the fact of wheat seldom ripening here, I can hardly 

 believe that the climate in summer is so fine and dry as it has lately been 

 represented. 



