Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

CHONOS ISLANDS WILD POTATO. 375 but Ipun is quite different in structure, being an earthy sand- stone."* Syzygial high water at Ipun takes place at noon, and the tide rises six or eight feet. The flood-tide conaes from the southward. At May Harbour (which may be the Bello Dique of the Santa Barbara), many cypress trees were noticed, for the first time hereabouts, and a svirprising number of otters. The tide rose seven feet. About the Huaytecas Islands, the northern- most of the Archipelago, quantities of excellent oysters were found, quite as good as any sold in London. No quadrupeds were seen, except nutria and otters, which were numerous. Their numbers, and the quantity of birds, show that Indians do not now frequent that quarter ; indeed, no traces of them whatever were found by Mr. Stokes, or any of our party, among the Chonos islands. 10th. While lying at Port Low we caught plenty of fish with the seine ; we obtained oysters from neighbouring creeks, and shot ducks and geese, so there was no want of fresh pro- vision. Some piraguas from Chiloe were in the port : the Chilotes in them were in search of otters, seals, and nutria, and had come across the gulf of Huafo, in their ill-conditioned ves- sels, with no little trepidation. On an outlying islet, near Port Low, I first saw the wild potato. Next to seeing a wild man, I recollect few objects which struck me much more than that group of wild potatoes : — but I have neither inclination nor space here to speak of my own sensations. The stems, leaves, and flowers of these vegetables were as large, and appeared to be as healthy, as those in an English garden, but the potatoes at their roots were small, watery, and insipid. It ought to be recollected, however, that we saw them early in January — corresponding to July many weeks, at least, before one could expect to find eatable potatoes in an English field. It was remarked in the Chonos islands, as well as in Tierra del Fuego, that the trees which grow in thin soil, lying upon • Stokes, MS.