首页 >出版文学> THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE>第49章
  Westayedherethreedays。Theweathercontinuedbad:butthisdidnotmuchsignify,forthesurfaceofthelandinalltheseislandsisallbutimpassable。Thecoastissoveryruggedthattoattempttowalkinthatdirectionrequirescontinuedscramblingupanddownoverthesharprocksofmica-slate;andasforthewoods,ourfaces,hands,andshin-bonesallborewitnesstothemaltreatmentwereceived,inmerelyattemptingtopenetratetheirforbiddenrecesses。
  December18th——Westoodouttosea。Onthe20thwebadefarewelltothesouth,andwithafairwindturnedtheship’sheadnorthward。FromCapeTresMonteswesailedpleasantlyalongtheloftyweather-beatencoast,whichisremarkablefortheboldoutlineofitshills,andthethickcoveringofforestevenonthealmostprecipitousflanks。Thenextdayaharbourwasdiscovered,whichonthisdangerouscoastmightbeofgreatservicetoadistressedvessel。Itcaneasilyberecognizedbyahill1600feethigh,whichisevenmoreperfectlyconicalthanthefamoussugar-loafatRiodeJaneiro。Thenextday,afteranchoring,Isucceededinreachingthesummitofthishill。Itwasalaboriousundertaking,forthesidesweresosteepthatinsomepartsitwasnecessarytousethetreesasladders。
  TherewerealsoseveralextensivebrakesoftheFuchsia,coveredwithitsbeautifuldroopingflowers,butverydifficulttocrawlthrough。Inthesewildcountriesitgivesmuchdelighttogainthesummitofanymountain。
  Thereisanindefiniteexpectationofseeingsomethingverystrange,which,howeveroftenitmaybebalked,neverfailedwithmetorecuroneachsuccessiveattempt。Everyonemustknowthefeelingoftriumphandpridewhichagrandviewfromaheightcommunicatestothemind。Intheselittlefrequentedcountriesthereisalsojoinedtoitsomevanity,thatyouperhapsarethefirstmanwhoeverstoodonthispinnacleoradmiredthisview。
  Astrongdesireisalwaysfelttoascertainwhetheranyhumanbeinghaspreviouslyvisitedanunfrequentedspot。Abitofwoodwithanailinit,ispickedupandstudiedasifitwerecoveredwithhieroglyphics。
  Possessedwiththisfeeling,Iwasmuchinterestedbyfinding,onawildpartofthecoast,abedmadeofgrassbeneathaledgeofrock。Closebyittherehadbeenafire,andthemanhadusedanaxe。Thefire,bed,andsituationshowedthedexterityofanIndian;buthecouldscarcelyhavebeenanIndian,fortheraceisinthispartextinct,owingtotheCatholicdesireofmakingatoneblowChristiansandSlaves。Ihadatthetimesomemisgivingsthatthesolitarymanwhohadmadehisbedonthiswildspot,musthavebeensomepoorshipwreckedsailor,who,intryingtotravelupthecoast,hadherelaidhimselfdownforhisdrearynightDecember28th——Theweathercontinuedverybad,butitatlastpermittedustoproceedwiththesurvey。Thetimehungheavyonourhands,asitalwaysdidwhenweweredelayedfromdaytodaybysuccessivegalesofwind。Intheeveninganotherharbourwasdiscovered,whereweanchored。
  Directlyafterwardsamanwasseenwavingashirt,andaboatwassentwhichbroughtbacktwoseamen。ApartyofsixhadrunawayfromanAmericanwhalingvessel,andhadlandedalittletothesouthwardinaboat,whichwasshortlyafterwardsknockedtopiecesbythesurf。Theyhadnowbeenwanderingupanddownthecoastforfifteenmonths,withoutknowingwhichwaytogo,orwheretheywere。Whatasingularpieceofgoodfortuneitwasthatthisharbourwasnowdiscovered!Haditnotbeenforthisonechance,theymighthavewanderedtilltheyhadgrownoldmen,andatlasthaveperishedonthiswildcoast。Theirsufferingshadbeenverygreat,andoneoftheirpartyhadlosthislifebyfallingfromthecliffs。Theyweresometimesobligedtoseparateinsearchoffood,andthisexplainedthebedofthesolitaryman。Consideringwhattheyhadundergone,Ithinktheyhadkeptaverygoodreckoningoftime,fortheyhadlostonlyfourdays。
  December30th——Weanchoredinasnuglittlecoveatthefootofsomehighhills,nearthenorthernextremityofTresMontes。Afterbreakfastthenextmorning,apartyascendedoneofthesemountains,whichwas2400
  feethigh。ThescenerywasremarkableThechiefpartoftherangewascomposedofgrand,solid,abruptmassesofgranite,whichappearedasiftheyhadbeencoevalwiththebeginningoftheworld。Thegranitewascappedwithmica-slate,andthisinthelapseofageshadbeenwornintostrangefinger-
  shapedpoints。Thesetwoformations,thusdifferingintheiroutlines,agreeinbeingalmostdestituteofvegetation。Thisbarrennesshadtooureyesastrangeappearance,fromhavingbeensolongaccustomedtothesightofanalmostuniversalforestofdark-greentrees。Itookmuchdelightinexaminingthestructureofthesemountains。Thecomplicatedandloftyrangesboreanobleaspectofdurability——equallyprofitless,however,tomanandtoallotheranimals。Granitetothegeologistisclassicground:
  fromitswidespreadlimits,anditsbeautifulandcompacttexture,fewrockshavebeenmoreancientlyrecognised。Granitehasgivenrise,perhaps,tomorediscussionconcerningitsoriginthananyotherformation。Wegenerallyseeitconstitutingthefundamentalrock,and,howeverformed,weknowitisthedeepestlayerinthecrustofthisglobetowhichmanhaspenetrated。
  Thelimitofman’sknowledgeinanysubjectpossessesahighinterest,whichisperhapsincreasedbyitscloseneighbourhoodtotherealmsofimagination。
  January1st1835——Thenewyearisusheredinwiththeceremoniespropertoitintheseregions。Shelaysoutnofalsehopes:aheavynorth-westerngale,withsteadyrain,bespeakstherisingyear。ThankGod,wearenotdestinedheretoseetheendofit,buthopethentobeinthePacificOcean,whereablueskytellsonethereisaheaven,——asomethingbeyondthecloudsaboveourheads。
  Thenorth-westwindsprevailingforthenextfourdays,weonlymanagedtocrossagreatbay,andthenanchoredinanothersecureharbour。IaccompaniedtheCaptaininaboattotheheadofadeepcreek。Onthewaythenumberofsealswhichwesawwasquiteastonishing:everybitofflatrock,andpartsofthebeach,werecoveredwiththem。Thereappearedtobeofalovingdisposition,andlayhuddledtogether,fastasleep,likesomanypigs;
  butevenpigswouldhavebeenashamedoftheirdirt,andofthefoulsmellwhichcamefromthem。Eachherdwaswatchedbythepatientbutinauspiciouseyesoftheturkey-buzzard。Thisdisgustingbird,withitsbaldscarlethead,formedtowallowinputridity,isverycommononthewestcoast,andtheirattendanceonthesealsshowsonwhattheyrelyfortheirfood。
  Wefoundthewaterprobablyonlythatofthesurfacenearlyfresh:thiswascausedbythenumberoftorrentswhich,intheformofcascades,cametumblingovertheboldgranitemountainsintothesea。Thefreshwaterattractsthefish,andthesebringmanyterns,gulls,andtwokindsofcormorant。Wesawalsoapairofthebeautifulblack-neckedswans,andseveralsmallsea-otters,thefurofwhichisheldinsuchhighestimation。
  Inreturning,wewereagainamusedbytheimpetuousmannerinwhichtheheapofseals,oldandyoung,tumbledintothewaterastheboatpassed。
  Theydidnotremainlongunderwater,butrising,followeduswithoutstretchednecks,expressinggreatwonderandcuriosity。
  7th——Havingrunupthecoast,weanchorednearthenorthernendoftheChonosArchipelago,inLow’sHarbour,whereweremainedaweek。Theislandswerehere,asinChiloe,composedofastratified,soft,littoraldeposit;andthevegetationinconsequencewasbeautifullyluxuriant。Thewoodscamedowntothesea-beach,justinthemannerofanevergreenshrubberyoveragravelwalk。WealsoenjoyedfromtheanchorageasplendidviewoffourgreatsnowyconesoftheCordillera,including“elfamosoCorcovado;“
  therangeitselfhadinthislatitudesolittleheight,thatfewpartsofitappearedabovethetopsoftheneighbouringislets。WefoundhereapartyoffivemenfromCaylen,“elfindelCristiandad。”whohadmostadventurouslycrossedintheirmiserableboat-canoe,forthepurposeoffishing,theopenspaceofseawhichseparatesChonosfromChiloe。Theseislandswill,inallprobability,inashorttimebecomepeopledlikethoseadjoiningthecoastofChiloe。
  Thewildpotatogrowsontheseislandsingreatabundance,onthesandy,shellysoilnearthesea-beach。Thetallestplantwasfourfeetinheight。
  Thetubersweregenerallysmall,butIfoundone,ofanovalshape,twoinchesindiameter:theyresembledineveryrespect,andhadthesamesmellasEnglishpotatoes;butwhenboiledtheyshrunkmuch,andwerewateryandinsipid,withoutanybittertaste。Theyareundoubtedlyhereindigenous:
  theygrowasfarsouth,accordingtoMr。Low,aslat。50degs。,andarecalledAquinasbythewildIndiansofthatpart:theChilotanIndianshaveadifferentnameforthem。ProfessorHenslow,whohasexaminedthedriedspecimenswhichIbroughthome,saysthattheyarethesamewiththosedescribedbyMr。Sabine[1]fromValparaiso,butthattheyformavarietywhichbysomebotanistshasbeenconsideredasspecificallydistinct。ItisremarkablethatthesameplantshouldbefoundonthesterilemountainsofcentralChile,whereadropofraindoesnotfallformorethansixmonths,andwithinthedampforestsofthesesouthernislands。
  InthecentralpartsoftheChonosArchipelagolat。45degs。,theforesthasverymuchthesamecharacterwiththatalongthewholewestcoast,for600milessouthwardtoCapeHorn。ThearborescentgrassofChiloeisnotfoundhere;whilethebeechofTierradelFuegogrowstoagoodsize,andformsaconsiderableproportionofthewood;not,however,inthesameexclusivemannerasitdoesfarthersouthward。Cryptogamicplantsherefindamostcongenialclimate。IntheStraitofMagellan,asIhavebeforeremarked,thecountryappearstoocoldandwettoallowoftheirarrivingatperfection;butintheseislands,withintheforest,thenumberofspeciesandgreatabundanceofmosses,lichens,andsmallferns,isquiteextraordinary。[2]InTierradelFuegotreesgrowonlyonthehillsides;everylevelpieceoflandbeinginvariablycoveredbyathickbedofpeat;butinChiloeflatlandsupportsthemostluxuriantforests。Here,withintheChonosArchipelago,thenatureoftheclimatemorecloselyapproachesthatofTierradelFuegothanthatofnorthernChiloe;foreverypatchoflevelgroundiscoveredbytwospeciesofplantsAsteliapumilaandDonatiamagellanica,whichbytheirjointdecaycomposeathickbedofelasticpeatInTierradelFuego,abovetheregionofwoodland,theformeroftheseeminentlysociableplantsisthechiefagentintheproductionofpeat。
  Freshleavesarealwayssucceedingonetotheotherroundthecentraltap-root,theloweronessoondecay,andintracingarootdownwardsinthepeat,theleaves,yetholdingtheirplace,canbeobservedpassingthrougheverystageofdecomposition,tillthewholebecomesblendedinoneconfusedmass。TheAsteliaisassistedbyafewotherplants,——hereandthereasmallcreepingMyrtusM。nummularia,withawoodystemlikeourcranberryandwithasweetberry,——anEmpetrumE。rubrum,likeourheath,——
  arushJuncusgrandiflorus,arenearlytheonlyonesthatgrowontheswampysurface。Theseplants,thoughpossessingaveryclosegeneralresemblancetotheEnglishspeciesofthesamegenera,aredifferent。Inthemorelevelpartsofthecountry,thesurfaceofthepeatisbrokenupintolittlepoolsofwater,whichstandatdifferentheights,andappearasifartificiallyexcavated。Smallstreamsofwater,flowingunderground,completethedisorganizationofthevegetablematter,andconsolidatethewhole。
  TheclimateofthesouthernpartofAmericaappearsparticularlyfavourabletotheproductionofpeat。IntheFalklandIslandsalmosteverykindofplant,eventhecoarsegrasswhichcoversthewholesurfaceoftheland,becomesconvertedintothissubstance:scarcelyanysituationchecksitsgrowth;someofthebedsareasmuchastwelvefeetthick,andthelowerpartbecomessosolidwhendry,thatitwillhardlyburn。Althougheveryplantlendsitsaid,yetinmostpartstheAsteliaisthemostefficient。
  Itisratherasingularcircumstance,asbeingsoverydifferentfromwhatoccursinEurope,thatInowheresawmossformingbyitsdecayanyportionofthepeatinSouthAmerica。Withrespecttothenorthernlimit,atwhichtheclimateallowsofthatpeculiarkindofslowdecompositionwhichisnecessaryforitsproduction,IbelievethatinChiloelat。41to42degs。,althoughthereismuchswampyground,nowell-characterizedpeatoccurs:
  butintheChonosIslands,threedegreesfarthersouthward,wehaveseenthatitisabundant。OntheeasterncoastinLaPlatalat。35degs。I
  wastoldbyaSpanishresidentwhohadvisitedIreland,thathehadoftensoughtforthissubstance,buthadneverbeenabletofindany。Heshowedme,asthenearestapproachtoitwhichhehaddiscovered,ablackpeatysoil,sopenetratedwithrootsastoallowofanextremelyslowandimperfectcombustion。
  ThezoologyofthesebrokenisletsoftheChonosArchipelagois,asmighthavebeenexpected,verypoor。Ofquadrupedstwoaquatickindsarecommon。TheMyopotamusCoypuslikeabeaver,butwitharoundtailiswellknownfromitsfinefur,whichisanobjectoftradethroughoutthetributariesofLaPlata。Ithere,however,exclusivelyfrequentssaltwater;