The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-27

we ought to take. In running through such in
tricate passages as those we arr now traversing
the eye and the chart are almost the only rrac-
tlcal Instruments of navigation. Ii is, therefore
ne mote necessary to take an accurate dcnar.
turc. This done. a sharp lookout will prevent
the navigator from MISLEADING the channol.
Mount B'lrnoy, $500 feet h,gh is the "monnrch
of mount lins " in King William the Fourih's
Land. The summit In the carly morning. was
cn~hruudpd IN clouds hut We saw the snowy
ndnhs " this colossus " tho antarctic Alps rs
we ISSUED forth from otter Bay Our onward
course to-day was along the western shore ot
the Inrh peninsula. for u distance OF twenty
miles. and thence through succession of tor
tuou- channels separated from thu open waters
N the Pacific hy an archipelago of islands. NJ
ter most agreeable passage we reached tho
hhibpr of Puerto BuenO. on the mnrihnl
shore of the Sdrmiento Channel ut 80 i. VI. NJ
Puerto Bueno. there is fresh water lake. which
H'rc We filed the gig with three tons ct water;
and rrilrnished our empty casks. Wecnloy,ru
Il walk ON the banks Of the lake. whirh nrc leaty;
and in many places mere swamp k N "no
beautiful ferns. and, the b'7''"ls Dd'rWil.
abound. Tho other vegetation consists muilEs
of stuntcd frs. the antarctic bcc'h' ana uW'ri
birch trees. -,
Oci. il was a day of italian summer weather.
our passage northwari. At u distance ot NJ
teen miles from Puerto Bucno' we entcrHd tle
Guia Narrows The scene WIS one 81 such rare
and perfect lnyelincss that we paused while TO
admire its beauty. Advancing from the, south.
the rhnunrl il contracted between the Ladder
Hill "A conical mountain l.2s5 feet in height
and Il massive wall W mountains on the eastern
SIDE Steering between these barriers. you
uuartcr Of a milo in width. which, when
PASSED. is enclosed in such manner that the
pntran q ~ this land locked basin is completely
concerted. The vessel seems to have been
waited rs II 10y the magician's wand. into
mountain lake. whence no outlet can br found.
In tie afternoon we entered Il channel called
the Wide Channel whore the navigation Is often
inpcdcd 10y Ice. We passed. n few floating blocks
to-day. but they were 10y no means numerous.
Having reached the Saumarcz Island. the chan
nrl divides. On the east there is u broad pass
age ON the west u narrow ravine. Ave mil'- IN
length and less than quarter pl milo wide
hcnlmed IN by prccipltuus walls OF rock 5000
feet in height straight as "A canal but in iis
gloon and depth mystcriousy grand. The day
was declining when we steamed into this re-
markabie passage, appropratey named by our
rity ~ we passed from the fun glow of the west
ern sun into the savage. dark ravine give n
most impressive effect H. the enc. The shades
Of night had fallen ere we issued from Chasm
Reach, and it was quite feat OF plotage To
make out the entrance 70 the secure but confined
harbor Of ,Por, Grappler We brought up at
about y. VI. having steamed los miles since
leaving Puerto Bucno this morning.
At5h 4. VI we were once moro under way.
After traversing twelve miles of easy naviga-
ton. We entered Indian Roach. Here great Wig
ianrn is necessary tD avoid several rocks lust
awash. which would cause the destruction of
any vessel that might come in contact with
them. About ten miles from Indian Reach, the
English Narrows the most dim ut passage in
the whole channel. offer another imped lmont to
navigation. For the space OF ten miles the chan
mel is contracted to the dimensions Of a narrow
river now On one side. now on the other sunken
dangers abound and in the most contracted
passage where the width docs not exceed 400
yards. IL is necessary to make sharp turn. un-
der the port helm, at right angles To- the pre-
vious course. In order 10 give more ample
space for this man,ruvre. the vessel must hc
-tesred So close To the western side of the
channel that the houghs OF the trees which
are 10y no means large. sweep through the rig
ging, and tn" side of the vessel is almost
IN contact with the rocks. Brushing close by
the western shore. which we ventured TO do at
YOU. in mid channel. a wooded island, which
seems to present an imrNssahle obstacle. The
navigator however, must put Implicit trust IN
ms charts, ana proceed unhesltathsy, on Ms
/ course, feeling assured that on rounding the
/ island the channel 10 the right Will suddenly
Disclose ltsri. All went well Win Us IN tue exc
/ cutiOn Ui this manuuNre. Hard ABORT was
/ IN" only word of 'umnant unat passed. I'm"
/ order WIS instantly uh'v"d by two smart helms
men. and ia u minute more the sunbeam had
i threaded the most AIM ut of the many mar
/ rows in Smyth's Channel had heard stories.
which Were perhaps "a little col4rcd. of IN" mar
row limits ot the la--ages to be navSatcd. |
had heard of Captains being knocked down on
the bridge. ami Of -ramcn being carried oil ~
I libboom 10y the overhinging branches. IL can
only be in the English Narrows that such adj
ventures would be possible. but there they
might certainly occur.
The South Reach and the Messier Channel
/ extend f'r some eighty miles norihward from
the English Narrows To the Gulf of ienas. The
course -teered ~ almost straight tor the whole
dl-tah e. ana the hhNlsalYh u perfectly slnip','
Grand ranges oi snowclad mountains ON ootil
sides. deep indcntaiiOns running Tor many
miles into the interior OF TINS IRON bound coast
and islands rising 10 an elevation OF from zoo.
To- 5000 feet. AFFORD a succession ot magnificent
views. Al a r. NJ We were close TO the l. .ant
OF sun Pedro /, the scene OF the shipwreck Vi
the Wager. rendered forever memorable hy By
ron spirited narrative. and here We were one,
more ON the broad waters Of the ocean. and had
fairly commenced our long cruise in the Pacific
The masses OF snow. which cnshroud every
mountain on the coast we have reeenty navi
gated, suggest an examination OF the physlea
conditions which determine the level of the linz
Of perpetul snow, and Sause ne formation 10 %
height Of the snow line is from $500 70 400
feet, In Norway, snow does not lie At his low
are iSTs re S NJ Darwin Observes that u,
snow line Is determined rather ,t by "a,
Straits OF Magellan the winter is no
more severe. but the summer is far colder
than in the corresponding, latitude in th'
northern hemisphere. The extraordinarl
number Of glaciers IN Theses regions may IL
cicr descends into almost every arm OF the son
which penetratrs far into the recesses OF tn
mountains and thls phenomenon Is ooserv
coast for $50 miles northward, The glacle
furthest from the pole is IN the Gull Of Penas
miles il broad. and il lcsccnds to the seacoasi
The position OF this glacier Is II. more str X
out. within less than . from whore palm
grow. within less than - from arhOresccn
grasses and less than 2 from orchideous para
sites, aud within "a single degree, looking west
ward. OF tree ferns
One more phenomenon must lac mentioned
In passing through the Me-sier Channel W
were involved for upward Of an hour in a show
er Of dust which. on examination under H.
microscope. appeared Ia be vol anic. Tho II. az
est volcano IL THntee-. in chm III i3 81 south
| and ~ 81 west. our position AZ In" tm", 81
Iceberg Sound. was ~ i5 south, and - =
" -. The distance, therefore, lu 1llalgl
line. 10 tho nearest volcano must have been ~
less than 800 miles.
In all our extensive inland voyage. we met onl
| two canoes. one 900 tine straits ut MdGr4lhi, u.
other oil Ldcn HarbOr, in Smyth Channel.
THOMAS BHAssEY.
The Texas salt Bcds.
Tip0tV I..r 6tS. D,rnyrt