The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-01-06
OHgy.E, PERU, AND MEXICO.

and Mexico. which we have read with plea
sure. and now recommend them to our read !
crs, for their instruction and amusement.
His Maiesty's shin Conway, under my
command. sailed from England on the l0rh
of August, 1920, and having touched at
Teneritre, Rio dc Jancro, ana the Rtvef
Plate, received orders to proceed to Nai-
paraiso, the principal sea port on the coast
of Chill.
The passage round Cape Horn has ac-
CURED such celebrity Of Nautical history,
from the difficulties encountered by Arson,
that no one, acquainted with the popular
narrative of his voyage, can approach INC
spot without some degree of interest ne
progress Of improvement III navigation aha
seamanship has, indeed, stripped inc SaDe
of its terrors, and the passage, winch lorl"et
ly cost so much labor and sutfcflhs' y nov
performed with comparative ease ana ceE-
taintv.-But there is still lett enough oi "
nance about this great promontor! 70 eNel.e
no inconsiderable curiosity and, accofd,ns-
" on the evening of the 25th OF November,
all eyes we're anxiousy directed towards tAe
west. in which quarter the Cape was sltna-
rod Several groups of the more curious 4
monpst the officers were pcrched at the
mast-head. ready, with telescope aha shetca-
books, to take advantage OF the IlFsr a!!liipsc
Of the land. Others, whose energy ald hot
equal their curiosity, mounted 4 lcw Steps y
the rigging, and came down again. saying
they would see ii all i'll the morning. without
tronl3le. The sailors in the mean time, ha-
bitually Indifferent to every thing q TINS NJ
ture. amused themselves with NOISY game
ofleap frog along the deck.
Meanwhile the sun set, and our anHletY
lest we should not discover land before night
increased every moment; but toW'tras tlc
end Of the long summer twilight, tAe lookea-
for Cape, to our great JOY, appeared N INC
western horizon, where the Outline 81 thc
land. distant about fifty or siXtH miles was
4 short time distinctly pencilled on the SKY,
still lighted up BY the last rays OF thc set
tine sun. but was soon lost sight Of ii the DARK
ness.
The night hid no sooner closed IN, than
ne,y and unexpected object engaged our at
tention. brilliant light in the northwestern
Quarter shining at regular intervals ~
first Of bright red, it became fainter ana
fainter, till it disappeared altogether; when
after the lapse Of four o. five minutes, It's
briiliancy was suddenly restored, and il seem
cd as if 4 column Of burning matcri Is mad
been projected into the air. This bright
appearance generally lasted from ten 70
twenty seconds, fading BY degrees rs the SO
lumn became lower till 1t length only q Gull
red mass was distinguishable tn about
minute, after which it again vanished. NJ 1nN
coniectlres were raised as to tn cause u
this internittns light The seatnen st it
down as revolving lighthouse, 70 which,
certainly. it bore no inconsiderlbic rcscm-
blance. Others insisted that it must be 9
forest on ire, accounting for the changes in
brilliancy by the flaws Of wind tanning the
flames. But all who examined the light
carefully through a telescope, agreed in con-
siderinri Il a volcano like StromboI, emitting
from time to time Jets OF red hot stones
which falling on the sides of the mountain
retained, for short space a visible retlness
The light continued i'll sight until mornins
but faded away with the first appearance q
dawn. and although, during the night j
seemed net above eight or ten miles distant
to our surprise no land was now distinguish
able in the direction Of the volcano, and "
found by means Of bearings taken Wiz
the compass, that it was actually q hlAdre
miles from the ship, OH the mlin land 9
Terra del Fuego. 1t is not impr3bapls
that similar volcano may have led 'l4gci
Ian to give the title, Land Of Fire, % tai
desolate region.
By six O'Clock in the morning the 2Gt
November, we had approached within ten .
twelve miles of Cape Horn, and IL aaiin
round TO enter the Pacific, had al oppottl
nifty Of seeing it upon variety OF beaI 9
Under every respect, it presents bold ~
majestic appearance, worthy Of limit to sue
a Continent. 1t is high, precipitous, blac
rock, oonspicuously raised above III tn
neighboring land, utterly destitute Of yegt
alton, and extending far into the sen in b!ca
and solitary grandeur.