298 



CHARLES DARWIN 



We stayed three days in this harbour, on one of which 

 Captain Fitz Roy, with a party, attempted to ascend to the 

 summit Of San Pedro. The woods here had rather a differ- 

 ent appearance from those on the northern part of the island. 

 The rock, also, being micaceous slate, there was no beach, 

 but the steep sides dipped directly beneath the water. The 

 general aspect in consequence was moire like that of Tierra 

 del FUego than of Chiloe. In vain we tried to gain the 

 summit: the forest was so impenetrable, that no one who 

 has not beheld it can imagine so entangled a mass of dying 

 and dead trunks. I am sUre that often, for more than ten 

 minutes together, our feet never touched the ground, and 

 we were frequently ten or fifteen fefet above it, so that the 

 seamen as a joke called out the soundings. At other times 

 we crept one after another on our hands and knees, under 

 the rotten trunks. In the lower part of the mountain, noble 

 trees of the Winter's Bark, and a laurel like the sassafras 

 with fragrant leaves, and Others, the names of which I do 

 not know, were matted together by a trailing bamboo or cane. 

 Here we were more like fishes struggling in a net than any 

 other animal. On the higher parts, brushwood takes the 

 place of larger trees, with here and there a red cedar or an 

 alerce pine. I was also pleased to see, at an elevation of a 

 little less than iooo feet, our old friend the southern beech. 

 They were, however, poor stunted trees ; and I should think 

 that this must be nearly their northern limit. We Ultimately 

 gave up the attempt in despair. 



December ioth. — The yawl and whale-boat, with Mr. 

 Sulivan, proceeded on their survey, but I remained On board 

 the Beagle, which the. next day left San Pedro for the south- 

 ward. On the 13th we ran into an opening in the southern 

 part of Guayatecas, or the Chonos Archipelago ; and it was 

 fortunate we did so, for on the following day a storm, worthy 

 of Tierra del Fuego, raged with great fury. White massive 

 clouds were piled up against a dark blue sky, and across them 

 black ragged sheets of vapour were rapidly driven. The suc- 

 cessive mountain ranges appeared like dim shadows; and 

 the setting sun cast on the woodland a yellow gleam, much 

 like that produced by the flame of spirits of wine. The water 

 was white with the flying spray, and the wind lulled and 



