194 
FROM VALPARAISO TO PORTSMOUTH. 
settlement founded by the French in the last century, the ruins of which are still visible. 
Here, in the ancient churchyard, we buried the drowned sailor; and the funeral procession, 
composed of five boats in tow of the pinnace, winding its way through storm and rain, was 
a sight full of matter for sad contemplation. We returned to our old anchorage in Stanley 
Harbour on the 4th February, and two days afterwards shaped our course towards the north. 
The Falklands are situated in about the same latitude in the southern hemisphere as that 
of England in the northern, so that a distance of one hundred degrees, or 6000 nautical 
miles, still separated us from our homes. The soundings proved the existence of an immense 
body of cold water of a temperature below zero, which, issuing from the Antarctic, flows as 
an under-current along the east coast of South America. On the 12th the ship encountered 
the warm water of the equatorial surface-current which runs in the opposite direction, and we 
experienced one of those sudden changes of climate to which we had by this time become 
well accustomed. 
On the 15th we entered the wide estuary known as the Rio de la Plata, and in the 
afternoon arrived in sight of Monte Video. On account of the shallowness of the water, 
large vessels are obliged to anchor at a distance of about two miles from the shore. Beyond 
the yellow waters of the harbour we could see a pile of flat-roofed houses, surmounted by 
the dome of a cathedral. The town occupies the gentle slopes of a promontory, while on 
ENGLISH PROTESTANT CHURCH IN MONTE VIDEO. 
each side extends the almost level shore of the estuary. The only mountain which gladdens 
the sight of the Monte Videans is called El Cerro, 500 feet high, situated to the eastward. 
The main street, which leads to the Cathedral and traverses several fine squares, follows the 
crest of the promontory. The presence of shovel-hatted priests, of ladies with black veil 
and fan, and of farmers in spurred boots, bright-coloured sashes, and broad-brimmed 
sombreros, reminded us that we were again amongst a race of Spanish descent. 
The fleet of vessels anchored in the roadstead included the German frigate “Gazelle,” 
commanded by Captain Z. S. Freiherr von Schleinitz. Simultaneously with our own 
Expedition, this vessel had made a sounding and dredging cruise round the world. Having 
O 
