Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

CLIMATE. 295 which last frequently for the whole moon, with scarcely a ces- sation, and the wind, at times, is so furious, that the houses are not secure, and the largest trees are torn up by the roots. The weather, when it is fine, cannot be depended upon for any length of time ; not even in summer ; for in the month of January I liave frequently experienced gales, and rain, as severe and copious as in the winter. During the summer months southerly winds are more prevalent, and, while they last, the weather is fine, and clear, and the air particularly dry. " Although the winter months, and a considerable part of the other seasons, are very disagreeable, owing to the severity of the winds, and exceeding quantity of rain, it cannot be denied that the climate is healthy. In Childe no epidemic diseases are experienced. The small-pox and measles are not known ;* nor have tertian fevers, so common in the north, ever been expe- rienced on the island. Spotted fever (tabardillo), and acute pains in the stomach, are the only disorders to which the inha- bitants of this archipelago are subject. Thunder and light- ning are rarely experienced ; but earthquakes have occurred at intervals. In the year 1633 the church and houses were de- stroyed, and in the year 1737 much damage to the village of Isla grande was caused by earthquakes." So far AgUeros. On the whole, the climate is not so unfa- vourable as we had been led to expect from all that we had heard. Captain Fitz Roy arrived there in July, during the latter part of which, and the month of August, the weather was very wet, with some heavy gales from the N.W. ; but in his Meteo- rological Journal for those months there is no record of the thermometer falling below 38°, a'nd it is recorded to have fallen to that degree only on one occasion, the general height being from 45° to 50°. The first part and the middle of September were boisterous and wet ; but towards the end of the month the wind was chiefly from the southward, and the weather dry and • The small-pox was introduced into the island, in the year 1776, by '^ ship from Lima ; but it was confined to San Carlos, and was soon eradi- cated. The measles also w ere introduced by similar means, in the year 1769; but did not re-appear after once ceasing-.