 Chapter 8 of A Voyage in the Sunbeam by Anna Brassi This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Davi Cross, Taos, New Mexico. River Plate to Sandy Point, Straits of Magellan I have seen tempests when the scolding winds have writhed the naughty oaks, and I have seen the ambitious ocean swell and rage and foam to be exalted with the threatening clouds. But never till tonight, never till now, did I go through a tempest dropping fire. Thursday, September 28th A fine bright morning with a strong, fair wind, the order to stop firing was given at noon, and we ceased steaming shortly after. There had evidently been a gale from the southward during the last few days, for the swell was tremendous, and not only made us all feel very uncomfortable after our long stay in harbor, but considerably diminished our speed. Still, we managed to go twenty-seven knots in two hours and a half. I was lying down below after breakfast, feeling very stupid, when Maybell rushed into the cabin, saying, Papa says you are to come up on deck at once to see the ship on fire. I rushed up quickly, hardly knowing whether she referred to our own or some other vessel, and on reaching the deck I found everybody looking at a large bark under full sail, flying the red Union Jack upside down and with signals in her rigging, which our signalman read as ship on fire. These were lowered shortly afterwards, and the signals come on board at once hoisted in their place. Still, we could see no appearance of smoke or flames, but we nevertheless hauled to the wind, tacked, hoved to, and sent off a boat's crew well-armed, thinking it not impossible that a mutiny had taken place on board, and that the captain or officers, mistaking the yacht for a gunboat, had appealed to us for assistance. We were now near enough to the bark to make out her name through a glass, the Munksaven of Whitby, and we observed a puff of smoke issue from her deck simultaneously with the arrival of our boat alongside. In the course of a few minutes the boat returned, bringing the mate of the Munksaven, a fine-looking Norwegian who spoke English perfectly, and who reported his ship to be sixty-eight days out from Swansea, bound for Valparaiso, with a cargo of smelting coal. The fire had first been discovered on the previous Sunday, and by six a.m. on Monday the crew had got up their clothes and provisions on deck, thrown overboard all articles of a combustible character, such as tar, oil, paint, spare spars and sails, planks and rope, and battened down the hatches. Ever since then they had all been living on deck with no protection from the wind and sea but a canvas screen. Tom and Captain Brown proceeded on board at once. They found the deck more than a foot deep in water and all awash. When the hatches were open for a moment, dense clouds of hot, suffocating yellow smoke immediately poured forth, driving back all who stood near. From the captain's cabin came volumes of poisonous gas, which had found its way in through the crevices, and one man who tried to enter was rendered insensible. It was perfectly evident that it would be impossible to save the ship, and the captain therefore determined, after consultation with Tom and Captain Brown, to abandon her. Some of the crew were accordingly at once brought on board the sunbeam in our boat, which was then sent back to assist in removing the remainder, a portion of whom came in their own boat. The poor fellows were almost wild with joy at getting alongside another ship after all the hardships they had gone through, and in their excitement they threw overboard many things which they might as well have kept, as they had taken the trouble to bring them. Our boat made three trips all together, and by half past six we had them all safe on board, with most of their effects, and the ship's chronometers, charts, and papers. The poor little dinghy, belonging to the monk-saven, had been cast away as soon as the men had disembarked from her, and there was something melancholy in seeing her slowly drift away to Leeward, followed by her oars and various small articles, as if to rejoin the noble ship she had so lately quitted. The latter was now hoved too under full sail, on occasional puff of smoke alone, betraying the presence of the demon of destruction within. The sky was dark and lowering, the sun set red and lurid in its grandeur, the clouds numerous and threatening, the sea high and dark with occasional streaks of white foam. Not a breath of wind was stirring, everything portended agale. As we lay slowly rolling from side to side, both ship and boat were sometimes plainly visible, and then again both would disappear, seeing an age in the deep trough of the South Atlantic rollers. For two hours we could see the smoke pouring from various portions of the ill-fated bark. Our men, who had brought off the last of her crew, reported that, as they left her, flames were just beginning to burst from the four hatchway, and it was therefore certain that the rescue had not taken place an hour too soon. Whilst we were at dinner, Powell called us up on deck to look at her again, when we found that she was blazing like a tar barrel. The captain was anxious to stay by and see the last of her, but Tom was unwilling to incur the delay which this would have involved. We accordingly got up steam, and at 9 p.m. steamed round the monk-saven as close as it was deemed prudent to go. No flames were visible then, only dense volumes of smoke and sparks issuing from the hatches. The heat, however, was intense and could be plainly felt even in the cold night air as we passed some distance to Leeward. All hands were clustered in our rigging, on the deck-house or on the bridge, to see the last of the poor monk-saven as she was slowly being burnt down to the water's edge. She was a large and nearly new, three years old, composite ship built and found by her owners, Monsieur's Smalls of Whitby, of 657 tons burden, and classed A-1 for ten years at Lloyd's. Her cargo, which consisted of coal for smelting purposes, was a very dangerous one, so much so that Monsieur's Nicholas of Sunderland, from whose mines the coal is procured, have great difficulty in chartering vessels to carry it, and are therefore in the habit of building and using their own ships for the purpose. At Buenos Aires we were told that of every three ships carrying this cargo round to Valparaiso or Cayo, one catches fire, so the danger is frequently discovered in time to prevent much damage to the vessel or loss of life. The crew of the monk-saven, Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, Scotch, and Welsh, appear to be quiet, respectable men. This is fortunate, as an incursion of 15 rough, lawless spirits on board our little vessel would have been rather a serious matter. In their hurry and fright, however, they left all their provisions behind them, and it is no joke to have to provide food for 15 extra hungry mouths for a week or 10 days with no shops at hand from which to replenish our stores. The sufficiency of the water supply, too, is a matter for serious consideration. We have all been put on half allowance, and sea water only is to be used for washing purposes. Some account of the disaster, as gathered from the lips of various members of the crew at different times, may perhaps be interesting. It seems that, early on Monday morning, the day following that on which the fire was discovered, another bark, the Robin Hines of Liverpool, was spoken. The captain of that vessel offered to stand by them or do anything in his power to help them, but at that time they had a fair wind for Montevideo, only 120 miles distant, and they therefore determined to run for that port and do their best to save the ship and possibly some of the cargo. In the course of the night, however, a terrible gale sprang up, the same no doubt as the one of which we had felt the effects on first leaving the river plate. They were driven hither and thither, the sea constantly breaking over them and sweeping the decks, though fortunately without washing any of them overboard. After 48 hours of this rough usage, the men were all exhausted while the fire was gradually increasing in strength beneath their feet, and they knew not at what moment they had developed the whole ship in flames. They were beginning to abandon all hope of a rescue when a sail was suddenly discovered and as soon as the necessary flags could be found the same signal which attracted us was displayed. The vessel, now quite close to them, proved to be a large American steamer, but she merely hoisted her own incense and code penant and then coolly steamed away to the southward. I think that captain deserved tar and feathering anyway, one of the men said to me. I wonder what will become of that man, for we had put all our lives in his hand by signalling as we did and every seaman knows that right well. Another said, when we saw that ship go away we all gave in and lay down in despair to die. But our captain, who was very good to his crew and a religious man too, said, there is one above who looks after us all. That was true enough for about ten minutes afterwards as I was talking to the cook and telling him it was all over with us. I saw a sail to Leeward and informed the captain. We bore down a little but did not like to go out of our course too much fearing you might be a Portuguese and play us the same trick as the American. They could not understand our white ensign for our funnel being stowed we looked like a sailing vessel while all gunboats of our size are steamers. When we saw it was an English vessel and that you answered our signals and sent a boat off we were indeed thankful though that was nothing to what we feel now and once more having a really dry ship under our feet. Not that we have really suffered anything very terrible for we had a bit of shelter and plenty to eat and the worst part was seeing our things washed overboard and thinking perhaps we might go next. We have not had a dry deck since we left Swansea and the pumps have been kept going most of the time. Why with this sea-mam our decks would be underwater. This surprised me as though low in the water but the ship we were sailing did not appear to be overladen and the plim-sol mark was plainly visible. Our boats were all ready for launching but we had no sails and only one rudder for the three so we should have had hard work to fetch anywhere if we had taken to them. We lashed the two boys, apprentices, 14 and 16 years old in one of the boats for fear they should be washed overboard. The youngest of them is the only son of his mother, a widow and you could see how she loved him as she had made his clothes and fitted him out all through. He was altogether too well-found for a ship like ours but now most of his things are lost. His chest could not be got up from below and though I borrowed an old bread bag from the steward it was not half big enough and his sea-boots and things his mother had given him to keep him dry and cover his bed, not oil-skins like ours. Macintoshes, I suggested, yes that's the name. They were all lost, it did seem a pity. The boy never thought there was much danger till this morning when I told him all hope was gone as the American ship had sailed away from us. He said, will the ship go to the bottom? And I replied, I fear so but we have good boats so keep up your heart, little man. He made no further remark but laid down gently again and cried a little. This poor child was dreadfully frightened in the small boat coming alongside and his look of joy and relief when once he got safely on board was a treat to me. Everyone on board including the captain seems to have been very kind to him. One of the men had his foot broken by the sea and the captain himself had his leg severely injured so the doctor has some cases at last. It was almost impossible to sleep during the night owing to the heavy rolling by far the most violent that we have yet experienced. Friday, September 29th again a fine morning a fair breeze sprang up and the dreaded storm having apparently passed over we ceased steaming at 6 a.m. All on board are now settling down into something like order. The stewards are arranging matters below and measuring out the stores to allowance the men for 12 days. The men belonging respectively to the port and starboard watches of the Monkshaven have been placed in the corresponding watches on board the sunbeam. The cook and steward are assisting hours below and the two boys are very happy helping in the kitchen and making themselves generally useful. The deck does not look quite as neat as usual. Such of the men's sea chests as have been saved are lashed around the steam chest so that they can be got at easily while their bags and other odd things have been stowed on deck wherever they can be kept dry for every inch of available space below is occupied. Captain Renselman is writing with tears in his eyes the account of the loss of his fine ship. He tells me that he tried in vain to save 60 pounds worth of his own private charts from his cabin but it was impossible on account of the stifling atmosphere which nearly overpowered him. Fortunately all his things are insured. He drowned his favorite dog, a splendid Newfoundland, just before leaving the ship. Four, although a capital watchdog and very faithful he was rather large and fierce he had known that the sunbeam was a yacht with ladies and children on board he feared to introduce him. Poor fellow! I wish I had known about it in time to save his life. The great danger of smelting coal as a ship's cargo besides its special liability to spontaneous combustion appears to be that the fire may smolder in the very center of the mass for so long that when the smoke is at last discovered it is impossible to know how far the mischief has advanced. It may go on smoldering quietly for days or at any moment the gas that has been generated may burst up the vessel's decks from end to end without the slightest warning or it may burn downwards and penetrate some portion of the side of the ship below water so that before any suspicion has been aroused the water rushes in and the unfortunate ship and her crew go to the bottom. On board the Munchshaven the men dug down into the cargo in many places on Sunday night only to find that the heat became more intense the deeper they went and several of them had their hands or fingers burnt in the operation. This has been about the best day for sailing that we have had since we left the tropics. The sea has been smooth and a fair breeze has taken us steadily along at the rate of nine knots an hour. The sun shone brightly beneath the blue sky and the temperature is delightful. The sunset was grand though the sky looked threatening but the moon rose brilliantly and until we went to bed at ten o'clock the evening was as perfect as the day had been. At midnight however Tom and I were awakened by a knock at our cabin door and the gruff voice of Powell saying the barometer's going down very fast please sir and it's lightning awful in the southwest. There's a heavy storm coming up. We were soon on deck where we found all hands busily engaged in preparing for the tempest. Around us a splendid sight presented itself. On one side a heavy bank of black clouds could be seen rapidly approaching while the rest of the heavens were brilliantly illuminated by forked and sheet lightning, the thunder meanwhile rolling and rattling without intermission. An ominous calm followed during which the men had barely time to lower all the sails on deck without waiting to stow them. The foresail and jib only being left standing when the squall struck us not very severely but with a blast as hot as that from a furnace. We thought worse was coming and continued our preparations but the storm passed rapidly away to Windward and was succeeded by torrents of rain so that it was evident we could only have had quite the tale of it. Saturday September 30th the morning broke bright and clear and was followed by a calm bright sunny day of which I availed myself to take some photographs of the captain and crew of the Munch Savin. The wind failed us entirely in the afternoon and it became necessary to get out steam. In the ordinary course of things we should probably have had sufficient patience to wait for the return of the breeze but the recent large addition to our party made it desirable for us to lose as little time as possible in reaching Sandy Point. Another grand but wild looking sunset seemed like the precursor of a storm but we experienced nothing worse than a sharp squall of hot wind accompanied by thunder and lightning. Sunday October 1st a fine morning with a fair wind at eleven we had a short service at four a longer one with an excellent sermon from Tom specially adapted to the rescue of the crew of the burning ship. As usual the sunset which was magnificent was succeeded by a slight storm which passed over without doing us any harm. I have said that it was found impossible to save any provisions from the Monk Savin. As far as the men are concerned I think this is hardly to be regretted for I am told that the salt beef with which they were supplied had lain in pickle for so many years that the salt peater had eaten all the nourishment out of it and had made it so hard that the men instead of eating it used to amuse themselves by carving it into snuff boxes little models of ships etc. I should not however omit to mention that Captain Rensmen managed to bring away with him four excellent York Hams which he presented to us and one of which we had today at dinner. Wednesday October 4th at 6 a.m. on going on deck I found we were hoved to under steam and closely reefed sails a heavy gale blowing from the southwest right ahead. The screw was racing round in the air every time we encountered an unusually big wave the spray was dashing over the vessel and the water was rushing along the deck altogether an uncomfortable morning as the sun rose the gale abated and in the course of the day the reefs were shaken out of the sails one by one until by sunset we were once more under whole canvas beating to windward there were several cries of land ahead during the day but in each case a closer examination through a glass proved that the fancy-to-coast line or mountaintop existed only in Cloudland. Thursday October 5th we made the land early and most uninteresting it looked consisting as it did of a low sandy shore with a background of light clay-colored glyphs not a vestige of vegetation was anywhere to be seen and I am quite at a loss to imagine what the Guantacos and Ostriches with which the chart tells us the country hereabouts abounds to live upon. About 12 o'clock we made Cape Virgins looking very like berry head to the north of Torbay in a long spit of low sandy land stretching out to the southward appropriately called Dungeoness. Some of the charts brought on board by Captain Rensemann were published by Messias M. Ray of London and in one of them it is represented that a fine fixed light has been established on Cape Virgins. This we knew to be an impossibility not only on account of the general character of the country but because no indication is given of the light in our newest Admiralty charts. Captain Rensemann, however, had more confidence in the correctness of his own chart and could hardly believe his eyes when he saw that the light really had no existence on the bare bleak headland. His faith was terribly shaken and I hope he will not omit to call Messias M. Ray's attention to the matter on his return home for the mistake is most serious and one which might lead to the destruction of many a good ship. Footnote. I have since received a letter from Messias M. Ray requesting me to state that the light was inserted on erroneous information from the Hydrographic Office at Washington and has since been erased from their charts. End footnote. About two o'clock we saw in the far distance what looked at first like an island and then like smoke but gradually shaped itself into the masts, funnel and hull of a large steamer. From her rig we at once guessed her to be the Pacific Company's mail boat homeward bound when near enough we accordingly hoisted our number and signaled we wished to communicate whereupon she bored down upon us and ceased steaming. We then rounded up under her lee and lowered a boat and Tom Maybell and I with Captain Rensemann and four or five of the shipwrecked crew went on board. Our advent caused great excitement and seamen and passengers all crowded into the vows to watch us. As we approached the ladder the passengers ran aft and directly we reached the deck the captain took possession of Tom, the first and second officers of Maybell and myself while Captain Rensemann and each of his crew were surrounded by a little audience eager to know what had happened and all about it. At first it was thought that we all wanted a passage but when we explained matters Captain Thomas the commander of the Illimani very kindly undertook to receive all our refugees and convey them to England. We therefore sent the gig back for the rest of the men and the chests of the whole party and then availed ourselves of the opportunity afforded by the delay to walk round the ship. It was most amusing to see the interest with which we were regarded by all on board. Passengers who had never been seen out of their berths since leaving Valparaiso and others who were indulging at the time of our visit in the luxury of a day's sleep between the twelve o'clock luncheon and four o'clock dinner suddenly made their appearance in dressing gowns and wraps with the shelled hair and wide open dyes gazing in mute astonishment at us quite unable to account for our mysterious arrival on board in this out of the way spot. A male steamer does not stop for a light cause and it was therefore evident to them that the present was no ordinary occurrence. The captain told us that the last time he passed through the straits he picked up two boats crews who had escaped from a burning ship and who had suffered indescribable hardships before they were rescued. Captain Runciman is convinced after comparing notes with the chief officer of the Illimani that the vessel which refused to notice his signal of distress was the Wilmington sent down from New York with a party of forty wreckers to try and get the steamer Georgia off the rocks near Port Famine in the straits of Magellan. If this be so it is the more surprising that no attempt was made to render assistance to the Monksaven provided her signals were understood as the Wilmington had plenty of spare hands and could not have been in a particular hurry. Moreover one would think that with her powerful engines she might have made an attempt to throw the distressed vessel into Montevideo and so secure three or four thousand pounds of salvage money. The captain of the Illimani kindly gave us half a bullet killed this morning a dozen live ducks and chickens and the latest newspapers thus supplied with food for body and mind we said farewell and returned to the sunbeam our incense were duly dipped we steamed away on our respective courses and in less than an hour we were out of sight of each other. It is a sudden change for the Monksaven men who were all very reluctant to leave the yacht. Many of them broke down at the last moment particularly when it came to saying goodbye to Tom and me at the gangway of the steamer. They had seemed thoroughly to appreciate any kindnesses they received well with us and were anxious to show their gratitude in every possible way. The two boys especially were in great grief at their departure and were very loath to part with their bosan who remains with us to make up our compliment. Footnote after our return to England the following letter reached us from Monsieur's Smales Whitby June 30th 1877 Thomas Brassie Esquire Dear sir observing by the newspapers that you have returned home after your cruise we take this opportunity of thanking you most heartily for the valuable assistance you rendered to the crew of our late Bark Monksaven in latitude 4328 south longitude 6221 west after she proved to be on fire and beyond saving your kind favor of October 1 last duly reached us and it was very satisfactory to know from an authority like your own that all was done under the trying circumstances that was possible to save the ship and cargo the inconvenience of having so many extra hands for the time on board your vessel must have tried your resources but you will be probably aware that the board of trade willingly compensate for loss sustained in rescuing a crew when a claim is made. You will be glad to learn that the master and crew arrived all well in due course at Liverpool by the Illimani and were very grateful for your kindness to them. Our ill-fated vessel must have sunk very soon after you took off the crew and nothing more has been heard of her and it was a most fortunate circumstance that you were so near at hand more especially as the captain reported to us that a vessel carrying the American colors took no notice of his signal of distress. As ship owners we generally find that our own countrymen are more heroic and always ready to lend a helping hand to brother mariners in distress so that as you say we do not doubt you experienced some satisfaction in rendering this service. Trusting that you have enjoyed your trip we beg to remain yours truly obliged, snail's brothers, and footnote. About 8pm we anchored for the night in possession bay. It was thick at sunset but afterwards clear and cold with a splendid moon. Friday October 6th we got under way at 5.30am and steamed past the low sandy coast of Patagonia and the rugged mountains of Tierra del Fuego and through the first and second narrows to Cape Negro where the character of the scenery began to improve a little, the vegetation gradually changing from low scrubby brushwood to respectable sized trees. When passing between Elizabeth Island so named by Sir Francis Drake and the island of Santa Mardalena we looked in vain for the myriads of seals, otters, and sea lions with which this portion of the straits is said to abound but we saw only 7 or 8 little black spots on the shore in the distance which disappeared into the sea as we approached. At 3pm we reached Sandy Point, the only civilized place in the straits. It is a Chilean settlement and a large convict establishment has been formed here by the government. Almost before we had dropped our anchor the harbour master came on board closely followed by the officers of the two Chilean men of war lying in the harbour. The rain which had been threatening all day now descended in torrents and we landed in a perfect downpour. We thought the pier at Buenos Aires unsafe and rickety but here matters were still worse for the head of the structure had been completely washed away by a gale and no little care was necessary in order to step across the broken timbers of the city. The town which contains between 1200 and 1300 inhabitants is composed entirely of one storied log huts with slate or tile roofs and with or without verandas. They are all arranged in squares separated from each other by wide roads and the whole settlement is surrounded by stockades. At the further end of the town stands the convict prison distinguished by its tower which though built of wood is the most pretentious looking edifice in the place. There is a nice little church close by and some tidy looking barracks. We went straight to the house of the British vice consul who received us very kindly and promised to do what he could to assist us in obtaining supplies but the resources of the place are limited and eggs, ship's beef and biscuits and water will I expect be the sum total of what we shall procure. In fact it is rather doubtful whether we shall even be able to renew our stock of coal. In the meantime we started off to potter about the town finding however very little to amuse us. There were some new laid ostrich eggs to be bought and some queer looking worked Patagonian saddle bags. I fear we shall not see any of the Patagonians themselves for they come to the colony and to sell skins and ostrich eggs. They are a mounted tribe of Indians living on the northern plains and are now on their way down here to pay one of their periodical visits but being encumbered with their families they move very slowly and are not expected to arrive for another 10 days. They will no doubt bring a splendid supply of skins just too late for us which is rather disappointing particularly as we are not likely to have another opportunity of meeting with them at any of the places we touch at. They live so far in the interior of the country that they very seldom visit the coast. We went to see three Fuegian females who are living in a house belonging to the medical officer of the colony. They were picked up a short time since by a passing steamer from a canoe in which they had evidently sought refuge from some kind of cruelty or oppression. The biggest of them a stout fine looking woman with a terrible gash in her leg quite recently inflicted and the youngest was not more than 8 years old. They appeared cheerful and happy but we were told that they are not likely to live long. After the free life and the exposure to which they have been accustomed civilization in the shape of clothing and hot houses almost always kills them. Their lungs become diseased and they die miserably. Their skin is slightly copper colored their hair thick and black and though certainly not handsome they are by no means so repulsive as I had expected from the descriptions of Cook, D'Empierre, Darwin and other more recent travelers. Saturday October 7th My birthday Tom gave me a beautiful guanico skin robe and the children presented me with two ostrich rugs. The guanico is a kind of large deer and it is said that the robes made from its skin are the warmest in the world. People here assure me that with the hair turned inside these robes have afforded them sufficient protection to enable them to sleep in comfort in the open air exposed to snow, frost and rain. They are made from the skin of the young fawns killed before they are 13 days old or better still from the skins of those which have never had an independent existence. In color the animals are a yellowish brown on the back and white underneath and they are so small that when each skin is split up it produces only two triangular patches about the size of one's hand. A number of these are then with infinite trouble sewed neatly together by the Indian women who use the fine legs and use of the ostrich's thread. Those worn by the casiques or chiefs have generally a pattern in the center, a brown edging and spots of red and blue paint on the part which is worn outwards. Such robes are particularly difficult to obtain on account of the labor and time necessary to produce them. Each casique keeps several wives constantly employed in making them of the best as well as of the ordinary description. The ostrich's rugs which are made here are more ornamental though not so warm and light as the guanico robes. They are made of the entire skin of the ostrich from which the long wing feathers have been pulled out. Maybell has been given a beautiful little rug composed of the skins of 30 little ostriches all from one nest killed when they were a fortnight old each skin resembling a prettily marked ball of fluff. At eleven o'clock we went ashore. The governor had kindly provided horses for all the party and while they were being saddled I took some photographs. There are plenty of horses here but the only saddles and bridles to be had are those used by the natives. The saddles are very cumbrous and clumsy to look at though rather picturesque. They are formed of two bits of wood covered with about a dozen sheep skins and ponchos not at all uncomfortable to ride in and very suitable for a night's bivouac in the open. Plenty of nice soft rugs to lie upon and cover yourself with instead of a hard English saddle with stirrups for blankets as a native once said when asked which he preferred. About one o'clock we started accompanied by the officers commanding the garrison and two attendant cavaliers equipped in Chilean style with enormous carved modern stirrups. Heavy bits and spurs much bigger than those whose size struck us so much in the Argentine Republic. We had a pleasant ride first across a sandy plain and through one or two small rivers to a sawmill situated on the edge of an extensive forest through which we proceeded for some miles. The road was a difficult one and our progress was but slow being often impeded by a morass or by the trunk of a tree which had fallen right across the path and was now rapidly rotting into touch wood under the influence of the damp atmosphere and incessant rain. Likens of every color and shape abounded and clothed the trunks gracefully contrasting with the tender spring elements of the leaves while the long hairy tilancia like an old man's beard three or four feet long hung down from the top most branches. The ground was carpeted with moss interspersed with a few early spring flowers and the whole scene though utterly unlike that presented by any English forest had a strange weird beauty of its own. Not a sound could be heard, not a bird beast or insect was to be seen. The larger trees were principally a peculiar sort of beach and red cedar but all kinds of evergreens known to us at home as shrubs such as larstine and various furs here attain the proportions of forest trees. There is also a tree called winter's bark dry mist when teary the leaves and bark of which are hot and bitter and form an excellent substitute for quinine but the most striking objects were the evergreen berberus and Mahonia and the Darwinia the larger sort of which was covered with brilliant orange almost scarlet flowers which hung down in bunches of the shape and size of small outdoor grapes. On our way back we took a sharp turn leading to the seashore to which the forest extends in places and rode along the beach towards the town. It was low water or this would not have been possible and as it was we often had considerable difficulty in making our way between wood and water. The day was bright and clear with a bitterly cold wind and occasional heavy showers of rain a fair average day for sandy point. It is further west they say that the weather is so hopeless. Lieutenant Byron in his terribly interesting account of the wreck of the wager says that one fine day in three months is the most that can be expected. I wonder not without misgivings if we really shall encounter all the bad weather we not only read of but hear of from everyone we meet. Though very anxious to see the celebrated straights I shall not be sorry when we are safely through and I trust that the passage may not occupy the whole of the three weeks which Tom has been advised to allow for it. We saw a few seabirds especially some steamer ducks so called from their peculiar mode of progression through the water. They neither swim nor fly but use their wings in battles of a steamer with a great noise and splutter and go along very fast. On reaching the plains we had an opportunity of testing the speed of our horses which warmed us up a little after our slow progress by the water's edge in the bitter wind. We rode all round the stockades outside the town before dismounting but I saw nothing of special interest. Before the party broke up arrangements were made for us to go tomorrow to one of the government corrals and branded, an operation which has always performed twice a year. We reached the yacht again at half-past five. Dr. Fenton came on board to dinner and from him we heard a great deal about the colony the Patagonians or horse Indians and the Flegans or canoe Indians. The former inhabit or rather roam over a vast tract of country. They are almost constantly on horseback and their only shelter consists of doldos or tents made of the older skins of the Old Guanacos stretched across a few poles. They are tall and strong averaging six feet in height and are bulky in proportion but their size is nothing like so great as old travelers have represented. Both men and women wear a long flowing mantle of skins reaching from the waist to the ankle with a large loose piece hanging down one side ready to be thrown over their heads whenever necessary which is fastened by a large iron hammered out either from the rough silver or from a dollar. This their sole garment has the effect of adding greatly an appearance to their height. They never wash but dob their bodies with paint and grease especially the women. Their only weapons are knives and bolas the latter of which they throw with unerring precision. During their visits to the Sandy Point settlement their arms are always taken from them for they are extremely quarrelsome particularly when drunk. Nobody has been able to ascertain that they possess any form of sacred belief or that they perform any religious ceremonies. Their food consists principally of the flesh of mayors troops of which animals always accompany them on their excursions. They also eat ostrich flesh which is considered a great delicacy as well as the fish the women catch and the bird's eggs they find. Vegetable food is almost unknown to them and bread is never used though they do sometimes purchase a little flower, rice, and a few biscuits on the occasion of their visits to the colony. The Fuygians or canoe Indians as they are generally called from their living so much on the water and having no settled habitations on shore are a much smaller race of savages inhabiting Tierra del Fuego literally land of fire so called from the custom the inhabitants have of lighting fires on prominent points as signals of assembly. The English residents here invariably call it Fireland a name I had never heard before and which rather puzzled me at first. Whenever it is observed that a ship is in distress or that ship wrecked mariners have been cast ashore the signal fires appear as if by magic and the natives flock together like vultures around a carcass. On the other hand if all goes well vessels often pass through the straits without seeing a single human being. The savages and their canoes lying concealed beneath the overhanging branches of trees on the shore they are cannibals and are placed by Darwin in the lowest scale of humanity. An old author describes them as magpies and chatter, baboons and countenance and imps and treachery those frequenting the eastern end of the straits wear if they wear anything at all a deer skin mantel descending to the waist those at the western end wear cloaks made from the skin of the sea otter but most of them are quite naked their food is of the most meager description and consists mainly of shellfish sea eggs for which the women dive with much dexterity and fish which they train their dogs to assist them in catching these dogs are sent into the water at the entrance to a narrow creek or small bay and they then bark and flounder about and drive the fish before them into shallow water where they are caught Bishop Sterling of the Falkland Islands has been cruising about these parts in a small schooner and visiting the natives for the last 12 years and the governor here tells us that he has done much good in promoting their civilization while the hardships he has endured and the difficulties and dangers he has surmounted have required almost superhuman energy and fortitude on his part the Fuygians as far as is known have no religion of their own the Wilmington came in this morning her captain declares that as the monk saven was not hoped to he never thought that there could be anything seriously amiss with her his glass was not good enough to enable him to make out the Union Jack reversed or the signal of distress which he therefore supposed to be merely the ship's number it was satisfactory to hear this explanation and as not only the interests of humanity but his own were involved there is every reason to believe that his account of the transaction is perfectly true Chapter 9 of A Voyage in the Sunbeam by Anna Brassie this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Davy Cross, Taos, New Mexico Sandy Point to Lota Bay and far abroad the canvas wings extend along the glassy plain the vessel glides while azure radiance trembles on her sides the lunar rays in long reflection gleam with silver deluging the fluid stream Sunday October 8th at 6 a.m. we wade anchor and proceeded on our voyage at first there was not much to admire in the way of scenery the shores being low and sandy with occasional patches of scrubby brushwood and a background of granite rocks and mountains soon after passing Port Famine we saw the bold outline of Cape Froward one most point of South America stretching into the straits it is a fine headland and Tom ordered the engines to be stopped in order to enable Mr. Bingham to sketch and me to photograph both it and the splendid view back through the channel we had just traversed to the snowy range of mountains in the distance crowned by Mount Sarmiento not unlike the Matterhorn in appearance at this point the weather generally changes we must look forward to living in Macintoshes for some little time to come in the afternoon when in English Reach where many vessels have been lost great excitement was caused on board by the appearance of a canoe on our port bow she was stealing out from the Barbara Channel and as she appeared to be making direct for us Tom ordered the engines to be slowed her occupants there upon redoubled their efforts and came paddling towards us shouting and making the most frantic gesticulations one man waving a skin round his head with an amount of energy that threatened to upset the canoe this frail craft upon a nearer inspection proved to be made only of rough planks rudely tied together with the sinews of animals in fact one of the party had to bail constantly in order to keep her afloat we flung them a rope and they came alongside shouting Tabaco Galleta a supply of which we threw down to them in exchange for the skins they had been waving where upon the two men stripped themselves of the skin mantles they were wearing made of eight or ten sea otter skins sewed together with finer sinews than those used for the boat and handed them up clamoring for more Tabaco which we gave them together with some beads and knives footnote these skins proved to be the very finest quality ever plucked and each separate skin was valued in England at from four pounds to five pounds and footnote finally the woman influenced by this example parted with her soul garment in return for a little more Tabaco, some beads and some looking glasses I had thrown into the canoe the party consisted of a man, a woman and a lad and I think I never saw delight more strongly depicted than it was on the faces of the two ladder when they handled for the first time in their lives probably some strings of blue red and green glass beads they had two rough pots made of bark in the boat which they also sold after which they reluctantly departed quite naked but very happy shouting and jabbering away in the most inarticulate language imaginable it was with great difficulty we could make them let go the rope when we went ahead and I was quite afraid they would be upset they were all fat and healthy looking and though not handsome their appearance was by no means repulsive the countenance of the woman especially wore quite a pleasing expression when lighted up with smiles at the sight of the beads and looking glasses the bottom of their canoe was covered with branches amongst which the ashes of a recent fire were distinguishable their paddles were of the very roughest description consisting simply of split branches of trees with wider pieces tied on at one end with the sinews of birds or beasts steaming ahead past Port Gallant we had a glorious view over Carlos the Third Island and Thornton peaks until at about seven o'clock we anchored in the little harbor of Boria Bay this place is encircled by luxuriant vegetation overhanging the water and is set like a gem amid the granite rocks close at hand and the far distant snowy mountains our carpenter had prepared a board on which the name of the yacht and the date had been painted to be fixed on shore as a record of our visit and as soon as the anchor was down we all landed the gentlemen with their guns and the crew fully armed with pistols and rifles in case of accident the water was quite deep close to the shore and we had no difficulty in landing near a small waterfall to penetrate far inland however was not so easy owing to the denseness of the vegetation large trees had fallen and rotting under the influence of the human atmosphere had become the birthplace of thousands of other trees, shrubs plants, ferns, mosses and lichens in fact in some places we might almost be said to be walking on the tops of the trees and first one and then another of the party found his feet suddenly slipping through into unknown depths below under these circumstances we were contented with a very short ramble having filled our baskets with a varied collection of mosses and ferns we returned to the shore where we found many curious shells and some excellent muscles while we had been thus engaged the carpenter and some of the crew were employed in nailing up our board on a tree we had selected for the purpose it was in company with the names of many good ships a portion of which only were still legible many of the boards having fallen to the ground and become quite rotten near the beach we found the remains of a recent fire and in the course of the night the watch on deck which was doubled and well armed heard shouts and hoots proceeding from the neighborhood of the shore towards morning too the fire was relighted from which it was evident that the natives were not far off though they did not actually put in an appearance I suppose they think there is a probability of making something out of us by fair means and that unlike a ceiling schooner with only four or five hands on board and no motive power but her sails we are rather too formidable to attack Monday October 9th we are indeed most fortunate in having another fine day at 6 a.m. the anchor was weighed and we resumed our journey it was very cold but that was not to be wondered at surrounded as we are on every side by magnificent snow-clad mountains and superb glaciers first we passed snowy sound and here a doflago at the head of which is an immense blue glacier then came Cape Notch so called from its looking as if it had had a piece chopped out of it within a few yards of the surrounding glaciers and close to the sea the vegetation is abundant and in many places semi-tropical a fact which is due to the comparatively mild winters the temperate summers the moist climate and the rich soil of these parts passing up English reach we now caught our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean between Camp Pillar on one side and Westminster Hall, Shell Bay and Leckie Point on the other steering to the north and leaving these on our left hand we issued from the Straits of Magellan an entered Smith's Channel first passing Glacier Bay and ice sound names which speak for themselves Mount Joy, Mount Burney with its round snow-covered summit rising 6,000 feet from the water several unnamed peaks were gradually left behind until at last after threading the labyrinth of small islands we anchored for the night in Otter Bay a snug little cove at the entrance to the intricacies of the main channel it was almost dark when we arrived but the children Captain Brown and I went on shore for a short time and gathered a few ferns and mosses we also found the embers of a fire which showed that the natives were not far off and we therefore thought it prudent to hurry on board again before nightfall no names of ships were to be seen but in our search for ferns we may possibly have overlooked them we have not come across any Fueghians today though in two of the places we have passed Shell Bay and Deep Harbour where a few wigwams are left standing as a sort of headquarters they are generally to be met with during the night the watch again heard the natives shouting but no attempt was made to relight as we had noticed until we were steaming out of the bay the next morning Tuesday October 10th in the early morning when we resumed our voyage the weather was still fine but a few light clouds were here in their visible and an icy wind sweeping down from the mountains made it appear very cold though the thermometer which averages I think 40 degrees to 50 degrees all the year round was not really low the line of perpetual snow commenced us here at an elevation of from 2500 to 3500 feet only which adds greatly to the beauty of the scene and as it is now early spring the snow is still unmelted 500 feet and even less from the shore the stupendous glaciers run right down into the sea an immense mass of ice sometimes larger than a ship are continually breaking off with a noise like thunder and falling into the water sending huge waves across to the opposite shore and sometimes completely blocking up the channels some of these glaciers composed entirely of blue and green ice and the purest snow are 15 and 20 miles in length they are by far the finest we have any of us ever seen and even those of Norway and Switzerland sink into comparative insignificance beside them the mountains here are not so high as those of Europe but they really appear more lofty as their entire surface from the water's edge to the extreme summit is clearly visible at this end of the straits they terminate in peaks resembling gothic spires carved in the purest snow truly virgin peaks on which the eye of man has but seldom rested and which his foot has never touched they are generally veiled in clouds of snow, mist and driving rain quite the exception to see them as distinctly as we now do after leaving mains channel and passing through union and calling with sounds we found ourselves beneath the shadow of the splendid cordularis of Sarmiento quite distinct from Mount Sarmiento already referred to along the foot of which extended the largest glacier we have yet seen footnote, I should explain that the names of places in these straits frequently occur in duplicate which is rather confusing and footnote with Tarleton pass on our right hand and Childers pass on the left we came in sight of Owens Island one extremity of which is called main head and the other Cape Brassy these places having all been so named by Captain Maine during his survey in the Nassau in 1869 near the island of Esperanza the clouds having by that time completely cleared away and the sun shining brightly we had a splendid view of another range of snowy mountains with stokes monument towering high in their midst the numerous floating icebergs added greatly to the exquisite beauty of the scene some loomed high as mountains while others had melted into the most fanciful and fairy like shapes huge swans full rigged ships schooners under full sail and a hundred other fantastic forms and devices the children were in ecstasies at the sight of them as we gradually opened out our anchorage Puerto Bueno we found a steamer already lying there which proved to be the Dacia Telegraph ship just in from the Pacific Coast having dropped our anchor at about 5pm we all went on shore armed as before some of the gentlemen hoping to find a stray duck or two at a freshwater lake a little way inland we met several of the officers of the Dacia who being the first to come to the waters did the honors of the place and told us all they knew about it the vegetation was as luxuriant and beautiful as usual in fact rather more so for we are now advancing northwards at the rate of about 100 miles a day there were no ducks in the lake but we enjoyed the scramble alongside it to the point where it falls over some rocks into the sea the gig was drawn under this waterfall and having been loaded to her thwarts with about 3 tons and a half of excellent water she was then towed off to the yacht where the water was emptied into our tanks which were thus filled to the brim a small iceberg also towed alongside afforded us a supply of ice and we were thus cheaply provided with a portion of the requisite supplies for our voyage the Dacia had an iceberg half as big as herself lying alongside her and all hands were at work until late at night aided by the light of lanterns and torches chopping the ice up and stowing it away our boat being thus engaged we were obliged to wait on shore until long past dark but as we were a large and strong party it did not much matter our men amused themselves by collecting a number of large and excellent mussels some of which, distinguishable by the peculiar appearance of their shells arising from a diseased condition of the fish contained from 10 to 30 very small seed pearls the captain of the Dacia came to dinner and the officers in the evening and they gave us much valuable information about the anchorages further up the straits and many other things the captain kindly gave Tom all his Chilean charts of the Darian Channel which has not yet been fully surveyed by the English Government though the Nassau passed through in 1869 Wednesday, October 11th I never in my life saw anything so beautiful as the view when I came on deck this morning at a quarter to five the moon was shining large and golden high in the heavens the rosy streaks of dawn were just tinging the virgin snow on the highest peaks with faint but ever deepening color whilst all around the foliage, rocks and icebergs were still wrapped in the deepest shade as the sun rose the pink summits of the mountains changed to gold and yellow and then to dazzling white as the light crept down into the valleys illuminating all the dark places bringing out the shades of olive greens greys and purples in the most wonderful contrasts and combinations of color the grandeur of the scene increased with every revolution of the screw and when fairly in the guianeros we were able to stop and admire it a little more at our leisure Mr. Bingham making some sketches while I took some photographs to describe the prospect in detail is quite impossible imagine the grandest alpine scene you ever saw with tall snowy peaks and pinnacles rising from huge domed tops and vast fields of unbroken snow glaciers running down into the sea at the heads of the various bays each bank and promontory richly clothed with vegetation of every shade of green bold rocks and noble cliffs covered with many huge lichens the floating icebergs the narrow channel itself of dotted with small islands each a massive verger and reflecting on its glassy surface every object with such distinctness that it was difficult to say where the reality ended and the image began I have seen a photograph of the Mira Lake in California which as far as I know is the only thing that could possibly give one an idea of the marvelous effect of these reflections unfit bay on Chatham Island looking towards the mountains near Pill Channel and Ladder Hill which looks as if a flight of steps had been cut upon its face where perhaps two of the most striking points amid all this loveliness all too soon came the inevitable order to steam ahead and once more resuming our course we passed through Innocence and Conception channels an interd wide channel which is frequently blocked up with ice at this time of year though today we only met with a few icebergs on their way down from Ier Sound I have already referred to the extraordinary shapes assumed by some of the mountain peaks that appropriately called Singular Peak on Chatham Island and Two Peak Mountain and Cathedral Mountain both on Wellington Island specially attracted our attention today the first named presents a wonderful appearance from whichever side you view it the second reminds one of the beautiful double spires at Tours while the last resembles the tapering spire of a cathedral rising from a long roof covered with delicate towers, fretwork and angles in wide channel we felt really compelled to stop again to admire some of the unnamed mountains one we christened Spire Mountain to distinguish it from the rest it consisted of a single needle-like point piercing deep into the blue vault of heaven and surrounded by a cluster of less lofty but equally sharp pinnacles this group rose from a vast chain of exquisitely tinted snow peaks that looked almost as if they rested on the vast glacier beneath seemed with dark blue and green crevasses and fissures all this time the weather continued perfect not a cloud was to be seen the sun was hot and bright and the sky was blue enough to rival that of classic Italy if we could but be sure that this delightful state of things would continue how pleasant it would be to stop and explore some of these places we have however been so frequently warned of the possibility of detention for days and even weeks at anchor owing to bad weather that we are hurrying on as fast as we can expecting that every day will bring the much-dreaded deluge gale or fog in thick weather it is simply impossible to proceed and if it comes on suddenly as it generally does and finds you far from an anchorage there is nothing to be done but to heave to and wait till it clears sending a party ashore if possible to light a fire to serve as a landmark and so enable you to maintain your position how thankful I am that we have been hitherto able to make the passage under such favorable circumstances it has been a vision of beauty and variety the recollection of which can never be afaced Europe inlet on our right going up wide channel was full of ice husband's inlet looked as if it was frozen over at the farther end and penguin inlet seemed quite choked up with huge hummocks and blocks of ice Tom therefore decided not to attempt the passage of icy reach for fear of being stopped but to go round Salmora's Island to Port Grappler by way of chasm reach rather a longer route it was a happy decision for nothing could exceed the weird impressive splendor of this portion of the straits we were passing through a deep gloomy mountain gorge with high perpendicular cliffs on either side below all was wrapped in the deepest shade far above the sun gilded the snowy peaks and many tinted foliage with his departing light that slowly turned to rose color air the shades of evening crept over all and the stars began to peep out one by one we could trace from the summit the face of a lofty mountain the course of a stupendous avalanche which had recently rushed down into the sea crushing and destroying everything in its way and leaving a broad track of desolation behind it it must for a time have completely filled up the narrow channel and woe to any unfortunate vessel that might happen to be there at such a moment Port Grappler is rather a difficult place to make in the dark but Tom managed it with much dexterity and by luck we were safely anchored for the night we all wanted Tom to stay here tomorrow to get some rest which he much needs but he has determined to start at five o'clock in the morning as usual for fear of being caught by bad weather even I who have of course had no anxiety as to the navigation felt so fatigued from having been on the bridge the whole day since very early this morning that I went straight to bed before dinner in order to be ready for tomorrow Thursday October 12th a day as perfect as yesterday succeeded a clear cold night we wade anchor at 5.15 a.m. and retracing our course for a few miles past round the end of Samaras Island and entered the narrow channel leading to Indian Reach the greatest care is here necessary to avoid several sunken rocks which have already proved fatal to many ships a large German steamer having been wrecked as recently as last year the smooth but treacherous surface of the channel reflected sharply the cliffs and foliage and its mirror like stillness was only broken at rare intervals by the sudden appearance of a seal in search of a fresh supply of air or by the efforts delayed until the very last moment of a few steamer ducks, gannets or cormorants to get out of our way having accomplished the passage of Indian Reach and Safety we were just passing Eden Harbor when the cry of the head was raised a boat was seen paddling out towards us from behind Morton Island containing about half a dozen people apparently armed with bows and arrows and spears and provided with fishing rods which projected on either side one man was standing up and waving in a very excited manner something which turned out ultimately to be a piece of cotton waste our engines having been stopped the canoe came alongside six wild-looking half-naked creatures two men, three women and a very small boy who was crouching over a fire at the bottom of the boat there were also four sharp cherry-looking little dogs rather like Eskimo dogs only smaller with prick ears and curly tails who were looking over the side and barking vigorously in response to the salutations of our pugs one man had on a square robe of sea otter skins thrown over his shoulders and laced together in front two of the women wore sheepskins and the rest of the party were absolutely naked their black hair was long and shaggy and they all clamored loudly in harsh guttural tones accompanied by violent gesticulations for Tabaco and Galleta we got some ready for them and also some beads, knives and looking glasses but through some mistake they did not manage to get hold of our rope in time and as our way carried us ahead they were left behind the passage was narrow and the current strong and Tom was anxious to save the tide in the dangerous English narrows we could not therefore give them another chance of communicating with us and accordingly we went on our way, followed by what were, I have no doubt, the curses not only deep but loud of the whole party who indulged at the same time in the most furious and threatening gestures I was quite sorry for their disappointment of losing their hopeful luxuries to say nothing of our own and missing the opportunity of bargaining for some more furs and curiosities shortly afterwards there were seen from the mast head crowds of natives among the trees armed with long spears, bows and arrows busily engaged pushing off their canoes from their hiding places in creeks and hollows so perhaps it was just as well we did not stop or we might have been surrounded not far from here are the English narrows a passage which is a ticklish but interesting piece of navigation a strong current prevails and to avoid a shoal it is necessary at one point to steer so close to the western shore that the bowsprit almost projects over the land the branches of the trees almost sweep the rigging and the rocks almost scrape the side of the vessel two men were placed at the wheel as a matter of precaution and we appeared to be steering straight for the shore at full speed till Tom suddenly gave the order hard a port and the sun beam instantly flew round and rushed swiftly past the dangerous spot into wider waters it is just here that Captain Travette was knocked off the bridge of his vessel by the bows a mishap he warned Tom against before we left England whilst in the narrows we looked back to see everything bright and cheerful but ahead all was black and dismal the sky and sun were obscured the tops of the mountains hidden and the valleys filled up with thick fog and clouds all which seemed to indicate the approach of a storm of rain although the glass was still very high we went up south reach and north reach in the Messier Channel till just as we were off Libertas Bay in latitude 48 degrees 50 seconds south longitude 74 degrees 25 seconds west the blackest of the black clouds came suddenly down upon us and ascended upon the deck in a tremendous shower not of rain but of dust and ashes windows hatches and doors were shut as soon as we discovered the nature of the strange visitation and in about half an hour we were through the worst of it whereupon dustpans, brooms and dusters came into great requisition it took us completely by surprise for we had no reason to expect anything of the sword assuming the dust to be of volcanic origin and must have traveled an immense distance the nearest volcano as far as we know being that of Corcovado in the island of Cillo nearly 300 miles off we had heard from Sir Woodbine Parish and others at Buenos Aires of the terrible blinding dust storms which occurred there causing utter darkness for a space of 10 or 15 minutes but Buenos Aires is on the edge of a river with hundreds and thousands of leagues of sandy plains behind it the soil of which is only kept together by the roots of the wiry pompous grass for this dust to reach the Messier Channel where we now are it would have to surmount two chains of snowy mountains 6 or 7 thousand feet in height and in many places hundreds of miles in width and traverse a vast extent of country besides the weather was still so fine and the barometer so high 30.52 inches the tom determined to go to sea today instead of stopping at Hale Cove for the night as we had originally intended directly we got through the English narrows therefore all hands were busily engaged in once more sending up the squariards, top mass, etc and in making ready for sea just before sunset as we were quitting the narrow channels the sun pierced through the clouds and lightened up the lonely landscape as well as the broad waters of the pacific ocean its surface was scarcely circled by the gentle breeze that wafted us on our course the light of the setting sun rested in soft and varied tints on the fast fading mountains and peaks and thus under the most favourable and encouraging circumstances we have fairly entered upon a new and important section of our long voyage although perhaps I ought not to say so, I cannot help admiring the manner in which Tom has piloted his yacht through the straits to credit not only to any amateur but to a professional seaman he has never hesitated or been at a loss for a moment however intricate the part or complicated the directions but having thoroughly studied and mastered the subject beforehand he has been able to go steadily on at full speed the whole way it has however been very fatiguing work for him as he hardly ever left the bridge whilst we were underway we steamed the whole distance from Cape Virgins to the Gulf of Peñas 659 knots in 76 hours anchoring 6 times this gives 7 days steaming of an average length of 11 hours each and as we stopped 2 or 3 hours at different times for Fuegoans, photographs and sketches our average speed was 9.5 knots though sometimes when going with strong currents it was 12 or 14 and when going against them barely 6 knots just at dark we passed between Wager Island and Cheap Channel where HMS Wager commanded by Captain Cheap was wrecked and we spent the night in the Gulf of Peñas almost becalmed Friday, October 13th we seized steaming at 7.30 am and made every effort throughout the rest of the day by endless changes of sail to catch each fleeting breath of wind we did not however make much progress going to the extreme lightness of the breeze sorry as we are to lose the scenery of the straits it is pleasant to find the weather getting gradually warmer day by day and to be able to regard the morning bath once more as a luxury instead of a terror the change is also thoroughly appreciated by the various animals we have on board especially the monkeys and parrots who may now be seen sunning themselves in every warm corner of the deck in the straits though the sun was hot there was always an icy feeling in the wind owing to the presence of enormous masses of snow and ice on every side Saturday, October 14th light winds and calms prevailed the whole day about 2 pm we were off the island of Socorro in the afternoon a large shoal of whales came around the yacht I was below when they first made their appearance and when I came on deck they were spouting up great jets of water in all directions suggestive of the fountains at the crystal palace we were lying so still that they did not seem to be in the least afraid of us and came quite close swimming alongside, round us across our boughs and even diving down under our keel there was a shoal of small fish about in the whales most of which were about 50 or 60 feet in length constantly opened their huge pink whale bone fringed mouths so wide that we could see right down their capacious throats the children were especially delighted with this performance and baby has learned quite a new trick when asked what do the whales do she opens her mouth as wide as she can stretches out her arms to their fullest extent then blows and finishes up with a look round for applause soon after 8 pm the wind completely died away and fearing further detention we once more got up steam sunday october 15th still calm we had the litany and hymns at 11 am prayers and hymns and a sermon at 5 pm in the course of the afternoon we were again surrounded by a shoal of whales we passed the island of cheload today where it always rains and where the vegetation is proportionately dense and luxuriant it is inhabited by a tribe of peculiarly gentle Indians who till the ground and who are said to be kind to strangers thrown amongst them Darwin and Byron speak well of the island and its inhabitants who are probably more civilized since their time for a steamer now runs regularly once a week from Valparaiso to San Carlos and back for garden produce the potato is indigenous to the island tuesday october 17th at 6 am there being still no wind tom in despair of ever reaching our destination under sail alone again ordered steam to be raised two hours later a nice sailing breeze sprang up but we had been so often disappointed that we determined to continue steaming just before sunset we saw the island of mocha in the distance it is said to have been inhabited at one time by herds of wild horses and hogs but I think they have now become extinct one of our principal amusements during calm weather has been to fish for cape pigeons, cape hens, gulls and albatrosses with a hook and line we have caught a good many in this way and several entangled themselves in the threads left floating for the purpose over the stern the cape pigeons were so tame that they came almost on board and numbers of them were caught in butterfly nets their plumage is not unlike greb and I mean to have some muffs and trimmings for the children made out of it the toxin of the gig skins them very well having had some lessons from Ward before we left England I want very much to catch an albatross in order to have it skinned and to make tobacco pouches of its feet and pipe stems of the wing bones for presents End of Chapter 9 Chapter 10 of A Voyage in the Sun Beam by Anna Brassie this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Davy Cross Taos, New Mexico Chile Sun Beam of summer a what is like the hope of the wilderness joy of the sea Wednesday October 18th at 3.30 a.m. we were close to the land lying south of the Bay of Lota at 4 a.m. the engines were stopped on account of the mist and at 6 a.m. we began to go slowly ahead again though it was still not very easy to make out the distance and bearing of the coast the passage into the bay between the island of Santa Maria and Lavapier Point is narrow and difficult and abounds with sunken rocks and other hidden dangers not yet fully surveyed Tom said it was the most arduous piece of navigation he ever undertook on a misty morning but happily he accomplished it successfully just as he entered the sun broke through the midst displaying a beautiful bay surrounded on three sides by well wooded hills and sheltered from all winds except the north one corner is completely occupied by the huge establishment belonging to Madame Cousinho consisting of coal mines enormous smelting works and extensive potteries the hill just at the back is completely bare of vegetation which has all been poisoned by the numerous vapors from the furnaces this spot from its contiguity to the works has been selected as the site of a village for the accommodation of the numerous laborers and their families it is therefore to be hoped that sulfur fumes are not as injurious to animal as they evidently are to vegetable life as we drew nearer to the shore we could distinguish Madame Cousinho's house in the midst of a park on the summit of a hill and surrounded on all sides by beautiful gardens every prominent point had a little summer house perched upon it and some of the trees had circular seats built around their trunks half way up approached by spiral staircases and thatched lake wigwams the general aspect of the coast which is a combination of rich red earth granite cliffs and trees to the water's edge is very like that of Cornwall and Devonshire we had scarcely dropped our anchor before the captain of the port came on board and told us we were too far from the shore to coal which was our special object in coming here so up went the anchor again and we steamed a few hundred yards further in and then let go close to the shore in deep water captain Mahler waited to go ashore with us introduced our steward to the butcher and postmaster of the place and then accompanied us to Madame Cousinho's gardens where the steep climb up the hill but we were well rewarded for our labor tended by over a hundred men whose efforts are directed by highly paid and thoroughly experienced scotch gardeners these grounds contain a collection of plants from all the four quarters of the globe and from New Zealand Polynesia and Australia amid them were scattered all kinds of fantastic grottoes, fountains statues, infernaries, flights steps leading downwards to the beach and upwards to Sylvan Nooks arcades arched over with bamboos and containing trellis work from Darbisher and mint and tiles from Staffordshire seats of all sorts and shapes under trees, in trees, and over trees besides summer houses and pagodas at every corner where there was a pretty view over land or sea one of the heads of the establishment a great friend of Madame Cousinho's was unfortunately very ill and as she was nursing him she could not come out to see us but she kindly gave orders to her gardener to send some cut flowers and some ferns on board the yacht to decorate the saloon and as she was unable to invite us to luncheon at the big house she sent some champagne and refreshments down to the Casa de la Administracion where we were most hospitably entertained she has had the latter place comfortably fitted up for the use of the principal employees on the works and has provided it with a billiard table, a very fair library and several spare bedrooms for the accommodation of visitors after luncheon we went to see the copper smelting works which were very interesting the manager walked through with us and explained the processes very clearly he could tell at once on taking up a piece of rough ore fresh from the mine what percentage of copper or iron it contained from 10 to 75 percent of the gross weight the furnaces are kept burning night and day and are worked by three gangs of men and the quantity of copper produced annually is enormous in fact three parts of the copper used in Europe comes from here the ore is brought from various parts of Chile and Peru generally in Madame Cosigno's ships and pole is found in such abundance and so near the surface that the operation of smelting is a profitable one our afternoon spent amid smoke and heat and dirt and half naked workmen manipulating with dexterous scale the glowing streams of molten ore with a great contrast to our morning ramble having seen the works and received a curious and interesting collection of copper ore as a remembrance of our visit we started in a little car lined with crimson cloth and drawn by a locomotive to visit the various coal mines first we went through the park and then along a valley near the sea full of wild flowers and ferns and trees festooned with capige the Chilean name for a creeper which is a specialty of this country and which imparts a character of its own to the landscape during the month of May when its wreaths of scarlet cherry or pink flowers are in full bloom we went to the mouths of three coal pits and looked down into their grimy depths but did not descend as it would have occupied too much time they are mostly about 1,000 yards in depth and extend for some distance under the sea we next visited a point of land once we could see an island which closely resembles St. Michael's Mount it is quite uninhabited except by a few wild goats and rabbits the seashore is lined with trees to the water's edge and there are many bold rocks and fine white sandy caves in different parts of it some boats were drawn up high and dry on the beach along which several picturesque looking groups of shellfish collectors were scattered the mussels that are found here are enormous from 5 to 8 inches in length and they together with cockles and limpets form a staple article of food a steam launch had been sent to meet us but it could not get near enough to the shore for us to embark a rickety, leaky small boat half full of water was therefore after some delay procured and in this we were sculled out two by two till the whole party were safely on board outside there was quite a swell and a north wind and rain are prophesized for tomorrow Mr. McKay returned with us to the yacht and stayed to dinner before he left the prognostications of bad weather were to some extent justified for the wind changed and rain the first we have felt for some time began to fall Thursday October 19th we have been persuaded by our friends here to try and see a little more of the interior of Chile than we should do if we were to carry out our original intention of going on to Valparaiso in the yacht and then merely making an excursion to Santiago from that place we have therefore arranged to proceed at once overland to Santiago by a route which will enable us to see something of the Cordillera and the Andes to have a peep at the Aracanian Indians on the frontier and to visit the baths of Calcanes Tom however does not like to leave the yacht and has decided to take her up to Valparaiso and then come on to Santiago and meet us in about five or six days time the anchor was accordingly hope short and the mizzen hoisted when we landed this morning in a drenching rain a coach runs daily from Lota to Concepción the first stage of our journey but a special vehicle was engaged for our accommodation and a curious affair it was to look at it seemed to be simply a huge wooden box suspended by means of thick leather straps from sea springs without windows or doors but provided with two long narrow openings through which you squeeze yourself in or out and which could be closed at pleasure by roll up leather blinds inside it was roomy well padded the rain had made the road terribly greasy and several times the carriage slewed halfway round and slid four or five feet sideways down the hill causing us to hold on in expectation of a spill at last we reached the bottom in safety and crossing a small river emerged upon the seashore at Playa Negra or Black Beach along which we drove for some distance through the deep loose sand the horses being up to their fetlocks and water most of the time then we forwarded another little river and leaving the beach proceeded up a steep road not more than three yards wide with a ditch on one side and a steep precipice on the other to the little village of Coronel overlooking the bay of the same name while the horses were being changed we walked down to the little wooden pier on the seashore and saw the sun beam just coming out of Lota Bay drawn up by the side of the pier was a picturesque looking market boat full of many sorts of vegetables and little piles of sea eggs with their spines removed and neatly tied up with rushes in parcels of three the people seemed to enjoy them raw in which state they are considered to be most nutritious and when roasted in their shells or made into omelets they are a favorite article of food with all classes Coronel is a great coaling station and the bay which is surrounded by tall chimneys and shafts and piers connected with the mines was full of steamers and colliers our road now ran for some time through undulating pasture land in which were many large trees the scene resembling a vast park masses of scarlet verbena yellow calciolaria and white heath grew on all sides while the numerous myrtle mimosa and other bushes were entwined with orange colored nesturiums and a little scarlet trapalum with a blue edge whose name I forget beneath the trees the ground was thickly carpeted with adiantum fern the road over which we traveled was of the worst description and our luncheon was eaten with no small difficulty but with a considerable amount of merriment once when we jolted into an unusually big hole the hole of our provisions basket and all made a sudden plunge towards one side of the coach and very nearly escaped us all together halfway between coronel and Concepcion we met the return stage coach crowded with passengers and looking as if it had just come out of the south kinsington museum or madame tussauds or like the pictures of a coach of queen elizabeth's time it was a long low vehicle with unglazed windows all around it painted bright scarlet decorated with brilliant devices on every panel and suspended like our own by means of memorable leather straps from huge sea springs the seats on either side held three passengers and there was a stool in the middle like the one in the lord mayors coach on which four people sat back to bask soon after we drew up to rest the horses at a little posada kept by two germans called halfway house and seven miles more brought us to a rich and well cultivated farm belonging to mr. herman where we stopped to change horses it was six o'clock in the evening when we reached the bio bio a wide shallow river at the entrance of the town of Concepcion it had to be crossed in a ferry boat carriage and all and as it was after hours we had some difficulty in finding anyone to take us over at last in consideration of a little extra pay six men consented to undertake the job and having set a square sail to keep us from being carried down the river by the current they punted us over with long holes sometimes there was nine feet of water beneath us but often are not more than four or five the boat could not get close to the opposite shore and it was a great business to get the carriage out and the horses harnessed in some 18 inches of water first the carriage stuck in the sand and then the horses refused to move but after a great deal of splashing and an immense display of energy in the way of pulling jerking shrieking shouting and I am quite swearing we reached the bank emerged from the water struggled through some boggy ground and were taken at full gallop through the streets of the town until we reached the hotel commercial where we found comfortable rooms and a nice little dinner awaiting us this was all very well as far as it went but when we came to inquire about our onward route we were disappointed to learn that the line to Angol was closed owing to the breaking down of a bridge and would remain until next month and that with the exception of a contractor's train which runs only once a week there was nothing by which we could travel tomorrow is Friday added Monsieur L'Italie and that is so near Monday what can Madame do better than wait here till then by way of consolation he informed us that there were no Indians now at Angol as the Arakhanian Indians had recently all been driven further back from the frontier by the Chileanos that if we were still bent on trying to get there we could go by boat as far as Nacimiento where we might with some difficulty procure a carriage the river just now however is so low that the boat frequently gets a ground and remains for two or three days therefore taking everything into consideration we have decided to abandon this part of our program for otherwise we shall not reach Santiago in time in any case the journey will be a much longer one than we expected footnote I have lately received a letter from a friend in Paris who says strange to tell it is only a few days ago that poor Orelé Antoine the first ex-king of Arakhania died at Bordeaux in a hospital he reigned for some years and then made war upon Chile which gave him a warm reception even captured his majesty and sent him back to his native land I met him here a few years ago surrounded by a small court which treated him with great deference I found him a dignified intelligent sovereign he attempted to return to his kingdom but was captured on the high seas by a Brazilian cruiser and sent back to France to die a miserable death and footnote Friday October 20th we went out for a short stroll around the plaza before breakfast which meal was scarcely over when Mr. Mackay arrived in a carriage and took us off to see what there was to see in the town the plaza was full of bright looking flower beds in which were superb roses and many English flowers shaded by oranges, pomegranates and doizias each plot belongs to one of the principal families in the town and great emulation is displayed as to whose little garden shall be in the best order and contain the finest collection of plants and flowers Concepcion has suffered and still suffers much from earthquakes the existing town is only 35 years old the houses are all one story high only and the streets or rather roads between them are wide in order to afford the inhabitants a chance of escape should their dwellings be thrown down by a sudden shock in the summer everybody rushes out into the street no matter what hour of the day or night it may be as soon as the first symptoms of an earthquake are felt but during the winter when the shocks are not so severe the alarm caused is not so great the old town was about 2 miles distant from the present site near a place now called Pinco but after being demolished in the ordinary way an immense wave rolled up and completely destroyed all traces of its existence we drove out to Puchakai Mr. McKay's Hacienda a pretty little thatched cottage surrounded by a veranda in the midst of a garden where lebernums lilacs bloom side by side with orange trees and pomegranates round the garden are groves of shady English oaks the first we have seen since leaving home and Norfolk Island Pines the effect of the whole scene being strangely suggestive of the idea that a charming little bit of English rural scenery has in some mysterious manner been transported to this out of the way spot in Chile the interior of the house was gracefully furnished and at the time of our visit was full of fresh flowers arranged with an artistic eye to color there's the same indescribable homelike air we were kindly received and regaled with luncheon including amongst other good things fried pejoray king of fish deservedly so called in the afternoon we strolled about the garden and looked at the farm and stable and were shown the probable winner a lace meeting in the cottages on the estate some specimens of minyanique lace were offered to us a lace made by most of the peasants in this part of the country it varies considerably in quality from the coarse kind used for covering furniture to the finest description used for personal adornment it is very cheap, wears forever and strongly resembles the torchon lace now so fashionable in Paris and London for trimming petticoats with children's frocks the women also spin, die and weave the wool from the fleece of their own sheep into the bright colored ponchos universally worn winter and summer by the men in this country these ponchos are not made of nearly such good material as those used in the Argentine Republic but they are considerably gayer and more picturesque in appearance after dinner there was nothing to do except to stroll about the town and buy photographs they are extremely good in Chile both views and portraits but proportionately dear, the price being double what would be charged in London or Paris, for the same thing Saturday, October 21st having wished goodbye to Mr. McKay and taken our seats on the train for Linares we were now fairly launched on our own resources in a strange country I being the only one of the party who could speak even a little Spanish at San Rom de we stopped half an hour to allow the train from Chilean to pass most of the passengers took the opportunity of breakfasting but as we were not hungry we occupied the time in having a chat with the engine driver a very intelligent Canadian he told us that, as it happened we might have gone to Angol today after all, as a special car and engine were going there to take a doctor to see a patient, returning early tomorrow morning the railroad runs alongside the Biobio all the way to San Rom de on either bank are low wooded hills on whose sides vines are cultivated in considerable quantities the wildflowers grow luxuriously everywhere, Calciolarias especially in huge bushes of golden bloom two or three feet high at San Rom de we left the river and traveled through a pretty and well cultivated country to Chilean which derives its name from an Indian word signifying saddle of the sun and is so called from the fact that the sun shines upon it through a saddle shaped pass in the chain of the Andes like Concepcion, the existing town has been recently built at a distance of about a mile from the remains of the old place of the same name which was overthrown by an earthquake about 30 years ago the destruction was, however not so complete as in the case of Concepcion and some few of the better conditioned houses are still inhabited by very poor people though the walls have great cracks in them from top to bottom and they are otherwise in a deplorable state a large cattle and horse market is held at Chilean every Saturday and it is said that on these occasions $100,000 frequently change hands in the course of the morning in the open marketplace all the business of the day was over by the time we got there and there was nothing to be seen but a few stray beasts and quaint bullet carts and some peasants selling refreshments minyake lace and other trifles in several of the old fashioned shops on the plaza there were curious looking stirrups, bits, spurs and other horse gear all made of solid silver roughly worked by the Indians themselves having had our baths we returned to the hotel where we found dinner laid out in my bedroom which happened to be the largest for our host did not approve of our dining as we should have preferred to do he gave us an excellent dinner with good wine and attended to us most assiduously himself while the gentlemen were smoking I went to see a poor engine driver who had met with a bad accident and who was lying at this hotel he is a fine healthy looking Englishman and he told me that until this misfortune he had never known a day's illness in his life it seems that at four o'clock afternoon of this day week he was sent off with a special engine to convey an important message something going wrong during the journey he slackened speed and in stepping off the engine to see what was the matter his foot slipped and the wheel of the tender went over it he had no one with him who could manage the engine alone so he was obliged to get up again and endeavor to struggle on to talca but after going a few miles further the engine suddenly ran off the track part of the unfinished line that had not yet been sufficiently ballasted they could not get it on again unaided and one of the men had to start off and walk many miles before he could procure assistance altogether poor Clark underwent 42 hours of intense agony from the time of the accident until he received any medical attention in spite of this he is now doing well and though the foot which is in a bath of carbolic acid and water looks very bad he is in great spirits because the three local doctors in consultation have decided that amputation will not be necessary he spoke in the highest terms of the kindness of our French host and his Spanish wife the latter of whom he says has nursed him like a mother he certainly has the one large room in the house and when I saw him his bed was comfortably made and arranged flowers and fruit were on a table by his side and everything looked as neat and snug as possible it was a treat to him to see someone fresh from the old country and to hear all the news and our voyage appeared to interest him greatly while I was with him one of his friends came in who remembered me quite well and who knew one or two people with whom we are acquainted including the manager of Missiers Bouldler and Schaefer's Yard where the Sunbeam was built Sunday October 22nd though it was Sunday we had no choice but to travel on or we should not have been able to start until Tuesday we were therefore up at five o'clock and at the station before seven from San Carlos where we arrived at 8 15 a.m. we started for Linares which was reached a couple of hours later it is a much smaller town than Chilean but is built on exactly the same plan Plaza Cathedral and all today the streets were crowded with men on horseback who had brought their wives in seated pillion fashion on a cover behind them to attend mass our road lay through a rich country intersected by small rivers with a distant snowy chain of the Andes as a background and through thickly planted groves of poplars growing in long shady avenues fragrant with perfume from the magnificent roses which blossomed beneath their shade in the course of our four hours drive we crossed a great many streams in some of which the water was deep enough to come in at the bottom of the carriage and cause us to tuck ourselves up on the seats there was always a little pleasing excitement and doubt as we approached one of these rivulets as to whether we were to be inundated or not we met a good many people riding and walking about in their holiday clothes and at all the cabarets groups of talkers drinkers and players were assembled the cottages we have seen by the roadside have been picturesque but wretched looking edifices generally composed of the branches of trees stuck in the ground plastered with mud and thatched with reeds two outhouses or arbors consisting of a few posts and sticks fastened together and overgrown with roses and other flowers serve respectively as a cool sitting room and a kitchen the oven being invariably built on the ground outside the ladder for the sake of coolness the women when young are singularly good looking with dark complexions bright eyes and luxuriant tresses which they wear in two plaques hanging down their backs far below the waist the men are also as a rule fine looking in fact the land is good and everybody and everything looks prosperous the beasts are up to their knees in rich pasture are fat and sleek and lie down to chew the cud of contentment instead of searching anxiously for a scanty sustenance the horses are well fed and their coats are fine and glossy and the sheep pigs and other animals are in good condition it is therefore a cheery country to travel through and at this springtime of the year one sees in it its highest perfection before reaching talca we had to cross the Malay a wide deep river with a swift current the carriage was first put on board a large flat bottomed boat into which the horses then jumped one by one the last to embark tumbling down and rolling among the legs of the others with a large or the boat was steered the stream down which it drifted about 200 yards into shallow water where the boat men jumped out and towed us to a convenient landing place here we found several people waiting to be ferried over a troop of mules having been driven into the water which they seemed rather to enjoy swam across safely though they were carried some distance down the river about five o'clock we arrived at talca and went straight to the hotel Cologne kept by Gossaroni every Italian who starts in hotel in this part of the world calls it as a matter of course the Columbus Hotel for they are very anxious to claim the great navigator as a countryman though the Spaniards dispute their right to do so on the ground that Genoa where he was really born was at that time an independent state while we were waiting for dinner we walked about the town which so exactly resembles Concepcion and Chilean in the arrangement of its streets buildings and trees that I doubt whether anyone familiar with the three places could tell immediately which town he was in if transported suddenly to the middle of the plaza though I believe talca is rather the largest it still retains its old Indian name meaning thunder doubtless on account of the frequency and violence of the thunderstorms by which it is visited Monday October 23rd soon after midnight I was aroused by a great noise at first I thought I was dreaming very brief reflection convinced me of the existence of an energetically played big drum somewhere in the immediate neighborhood of my bedroom I had once got up and peeping through the window in the door saw a military band of 25 performers standing on the other side of the courtyard blowing and hitting their hardest it must be confessed that they played well and that their selection of music was good but it was nevertheless rather annoying after a long and fatiguing day and with the prospect of an early start to be kept awake until half past three in the morning while they serenaded and toasted the primadonna and each of the other members of the theatrical company who are staying here the noise was of course increased by the reverberation from the walls of the courtyard and finding it impossible to sleep I abandoned the attempt and took to writing instead at last the welcome notes of the Chilean national air gave me hope that the entertainment was over for the night or rather morning and soon afterwards all was once more quiet we left Talca by the 730 train Mr. Budge who had business at Curico accompanying us all the engines enrolling stock this side of Santiago are of American make and pattern Mr. Budge had secured one of the long cars with a passage down the center and a saloon at each end for us so we were very comfortable and he told us it was a great deal about the country as we went along like all Chilean as he is very patriotic and is especially proud of the financial stability of his country he often said if English people would only invest their money here instead of in Peru or the Argentine Republic they would get 8% on good security we heard the same thing from many other sources and it certainly does seem that this country is the most settled and the least liable to be disturbed by revolutions of any in South America at Curico we breakfasted at a little restaurant on Chilean dishes and the wine of the country the latter is excellent and of various kinds but it is so cheap that none of the end keepers can be persuaded to supply it to travelers whose only chance of tasting it therefore is at some small end footnote Curico is an Indian name signifying black waters having reference to the mineral springs in the neighboring mountains end footnote Mr. Budge left us at Peliquin the next station to San Fernando having put us in charge of the conductor who promised to see after us at Caucenis but who woefully betrayed his trust there was no regular station at the latter place but as the train stopped and we saw Benz de Caucenis on a hotel close by we jumped out just in time to see it go on again luckily the other passengers were kind enough to interest themselves on our behalf freaked and hallowed to such good purpose that the engine was once more brought to a standstill and our luggage was put out half a dozen little boys carried it to the inn where I had to explain to the patron in my best Spanish that we wanted a carriage to go to the baths seven leagues off in a wonderfully short space of time four good horses were harnessed to a queer sort of vehicle which held four inside and one out besides the driver and which had to be entered by means of a ladder having all packed in and paid our fare beforehand we were rattled off at a merry pace towards the Andes the road went up and down and round about and crossed many rivers but was fairly good throughout we changed once at a large hacienda where a man went into a large yard containing about 60 horses and dexterously lassoed the particular floor required for our use several horsemen were waiting about and I looked at their saddles which were made of a dozen or more sheepskins laid one on top of the other forming a soft seat to ride in by day and a comfortable bed to sleep on at night early in the afternoon we saw some buildings in the distance which we rightly guessed to be the baths and soon afterwards we passed in at the entrance gate of the establishment by the side of which was a rock with the word welcome painted upon its face the whole distance from the station was 23 miles which we accomplished in a little over two hours driving between hedgerows of roses and full bloom we were not long in reaching the door of the hotel where we were received by the proprietor he told us he was very full but he managed to find us some small rooms and then conducted us to the luxuriously fitted bathing establishment after this came the tabledote to which about 70 set down though many of the visitors were dining in their own rooms in the evening we walked about the garden and chatted with several people who all seemed to have heard of us and our voyage and to be anxious to know what we thought of the straits we saw some English papers too which was a great treat though there did not seem to be much news in them Tuesday October 24th this is a wonderful place built entirely of wood the center part is a square 70 yards in extent surrounded by a single row of one storied rooms with doors opening into the courtyard and windows looking over the river or up into the mountains in the middle of the square are a pavilion containing two billiard tables a boot blacking arbor covered with white and yellow jesamine and scarlet and cream colored honeysuckle plenty of flower beds full of roses and orange trees and a monkey on a pole who must poor creature have a sorry life of it as it is his business to afford amusement to all the visitors to the baths he is very good tempered does several tricks and is tormented from early dawn to dewey eve I remonstrated with our host on his behalf but he merely shrugged his shoulders and said may au fort que le monde s'est diverti, madame from the center square marble steps lead to a large hall with marble baths on either side for ladies and gentlemen respectively a few steps further bring one to a delightful swimming bath about 40 feet square filled with tepid water the water as it springs from the rock is boiling hot and contains I believe a good deal of magnesium and other salts beneficial in cases of rheumatism and gout but the high temperature of the water makes the air very muggy and we all found the place relaxing though perhaps it was because we indulged too freely in the baths which are a great temptation in the afternoon we went for a ride to see a celebrated view of the Andes unfortunately it was rather misty but we could see enough to enable us to imagine the rest some condors were soaring around the rocky peaks and the landscape though well clothed with vegetation had a weird dreary character of its own partly due to the quantity of large cacti that grew in every nook and corner singly or in groups of 10 or 12 to the height of 20 or 30 feet though they say it hardly ever rains in Chile a heavy shower and we all felt very well this afternoon and our landlord thoughtfully sent a boy on horseback after us with umbrellas Wednesday October 25th the bath was so delightful this morning that we felt quite sorry it was to be our last one could very well spend a week or two here and find plenty to do in the way of excursions into the valleys of the Andes which looked most inviting in the distance at half past 10 we set out on our return journey to the same place where we had stopped at coming up and which we reached half an hour before the train was due when it arrived we were allowed to get in with our belongings in rather a less hurried fashion than we had elighted luncheon was procured at Rencagua and we finally reached Santiago at about 4 50 p.m. no sooner had we got fairly into the station than the car was invaded by a crowd of porters touting for employment they are all dressed in white and wear red caps on which is a brass number by means of which they are easily recognized the landlord from the Hotel Inglés Monsieur Tellier met us and we at once drove off leaving our luggage to follow in charge of one of the red capped gentlemen the drive from the station was along the Alameda on either side of which were many fine houses but the road was ill paved and shaky as usual the Grand Hotel which used to be best in South America is now shut up the company who owned it having recently failed so all the smaller hotels none of which are very good are crowded to overflowing the Hotel Inglés is considered the best though I cannot say much in its favor the rooms are good but the situation is noisy being at the corner of two streets the servants are attentive but the cuisine and arrangements are bad independently of all this we have great reason to complain of the conduct of the landlord for my first question as soon as he had introduced himself was of course have Mr. in this brassie arrived yes madam and went away this morning what and left no letter no but Monsieur returns tomorrow imagine my surprise and disappointment but there was nothing to be done but to go to the hotel and wait patiently we afterwards found that Tom had left a long letter and that he had never said a word about returning the wretched man would not give me the letter because he thought he could detain us and he never sent the telegram I handed to him to forward to Tom at once asking for an answer our luggage arrived just in time to enable us to dress for the second table dote at six o'clock after which we went for a walk through some arcades paved with marble and full of fine shops past the Grand Hotel which was situated at the end of the Alameda and is built over an arcade of shops there is a handsome building and must command a fine view the cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace large but rather dull looking brick buildings are close by the surrounding gardens looked pretty by gaslight and the scent of roses pervaded the evening air end of chapter 10