this sound; and near the head of it several large icebergs, containing no inconsiderable blocks of granite, were found aground.[1]
Of the archipelago of Madre de Dies we know very little. It has probably many deep openings on its seaward face, and is fronted by islands and rocks. Its character is rocky and mountainous, and by no means agreeable. The wide and safe channel of Concepcion Strait separates it from the main land, which in this part is much intersected by deep sounds, the principal of which, the Canal of St. Andrew, .extends to the base of the snowy range of the Cordillera, and there Lieutenant Skyring describes it to be 'suddenly and boldly closed by tremendous and astonishing glaciers.'
Sarmiento's 'Puerto Bueno' was found to be, as the name describes it, an excellent harbour. The depth of water all over is not more than nine fathoms, an advantage which few harbour, hereabout possess: a ship is in perfect security in any part, but this is the only peculiar advantage the port offers; for wood and water are equally abundant; fish are as easily to be caught; and the steamer or racehorse duck, geese, wild ducks, and other smaller birds, are as numerous in all other places. But of any other useful productions, or good soil, the country is quite destitute; 'for if,' .says Lieutenant Skyring, 'we force a passage through the woods, it is over fallen trees and moss; if we walk over open, flat ground; we find the place a swamp; and if we climb the hills, we travel over a continuous rock, generally covered by a spongy moss, and entirely destitute of soil of any description.'
Behind Hanover Island, which is separated from Madre de Dios by the Concepcion Strait, the main is very much intersected by extensive sounds trending deeply into the land, like the St. Andrew Channel, to the base of the Andes.
South of Hanover Island is Queen Adelaide's Archipelago, through which are several channels that communicate with the Strait of Magalhaens; of which the principal, Smyth's Channel, falls into the Strait at Cape Tamar.
Of the whole of the outer or sea-coast, from the Guaianeco Islands to the Strait, we know little, our operations having been confined to the exploration of the interior channels and sounds, the examination of which is even yet far from being complete.
In the winter of 1829, my colleague, Captain Robert Fitzroy, the commander of the Beagle, in examining the Jerome Channel,
- ↑ Near Falcon Inlet, seven miles up the eastern side of Sir George Eyre's Sound, are some large 'rookeries,' or breeding-haunts, of fur-seal. Many thousands of these animals were congregated together, which had been probably driven from the sea-coast by the activity of the seal-fishers; and perhaps, for many years if ages, have been breeding undisturbed in this hitherto unknown, and therefore quiet recess. Two seals that were killed appeared to be of the same description as the species which frequents the sea-coasts.
