The sun., 1894-09-16
YAHGASs IN CAMP.

fed. and homesick. No mountains seen
through riffs In storm clouds and between
marching columns of freezing rain could seem
pleasant TO them. Besides the windward or un-
sheltered sides Of all these islands are as bleak
and barren as the well-named Cape Desolstion
on the coast Of Greenland.
But in every lee or wherever there Is shelter
from the prevailing gales narrow beach Is found
commonly. Above this grows forest Of trees.
of which the greater number are the antarctic
beech, and about all the rest are species OF
magnolia Some grow TO q diameter Of two feet
and height Of fifty. Nearly all of the trees are
green the year round, and the magnolas are
Of q particularly bright and beautiful green.
As one climbs the mountains the trees are
seen to be Of smaller and smaller sizes until at
from 1000 to 1,5UO feet above the sea the
mosses take the place Of trees, Above the MOSES
come barren rocks and eternal SHOWS In many
parts of Beagle channel. and especially at the
east end. there are fairly level spaces bordering
of cragay. Even at the foot Of Mount Misery.
on the east end OF Navarin Island, mountain
that got its name from the severity OF the
gales that come from Its gulches, the
scenery Is anything but desolate and horrible.
Indeed. natural grassy meadows and green
groves 80 alternate with parklike beauty over
the undulating ground that faces the Beagle
channel that one scarcely can resist the idea
that all those open spaces in the woodland are
the work OF man. The eye involuntarlly seeks
for farmhouse and barn. while the sight OF the
red-haired guanaco makes the scene all the more
pastoral for the wild beasts seem In that picture
very like domestic animals.
My own view of the picture was under pecu-
liarly favorable circumstances, for, although In
the month of May. which corresponds to the
November OF the North. the sun was bright and
warm, the water sparkled, and a breeze. sweet
and gentle, Just stirred the grass on the lawns
and lifted the green-leaved boughs OF the trees.
Seen on another day when whirling snow-laden
squalls came down from the mountain to rip
open the sea and hurl its foam 500 feet into the
air the picture would have had different as
pect, but no landscape which contains green
meadows and green trees the year round can DO
called "desolate" " or bowling"
As TO the meteorological condition among the
islands the experience Of the missionaries there
during twenty odd years has cleared away many
myths. Some OF Capt. Cooks men nearly frozs
TO death in the land OF the Yaheans. but It Is a
fact that even the confined waters salt do not
freeze over often OF remain frozen for any long
time, while a prolonged storm, during which
the thermometer ranged from lO' TO l5' Fab
renheit, is mentioned in the missionary records
as unusually cold spell. As will bs told at
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