Page:The Columbia river , or, Scenes and adventures during a residence of six years on the western side of the Rocky Mountains among various tribes of Indians hitherto unknown (Volume 1).djvu/33

 of Diego Ramarez; while all around myriads of whales, porpoises, and other marine monsters, emerging at intervals from the deep, and rolling their huge bodies over the placid surface of the surrounding element, agreeably diversified the scene.

This calm was of short duration. On the following day the wind shifted once more ahead, and drove us as far as 61° S. before we cleared Cape Noire, the south-western point of Terra del Fuego. During this period we had a succession of cold boisterous weather, and occasionally came in collision with large masses of floating ice, from which we however escaped without injury.

It is unnecessary to mention to my geographical readers that the period at which we doubled the cape is the summer season in the high southern latitudes; and if such be its attractions in the balmy season of the year, what a region must it be on the arrival of

Barren-Winter, with his nipping colds!

We are informed by the early geographers, that Terra del Fuego was so called from several volcanoes which contrasted their vivid flames with the surrounding icy wastes: and from the