This Plant
Bears A Fruit, In Shape Like An Artichoke, In Which A Number
Of Seed-Vessels Are Packed:
These contain a pleasant sweet
pulp, here much esteemed.
I saw at Low's Harbour the
Chilotans making chichi, or cider, with this fruit: so true is
it, as Humboldt remarks, that almost everywhere man finds
means of preparing some kind of beverage from the vegetable
kingdom. The savages, however, of Tierra del Fuego,
and I believe of Australia, have not advanced thus far in
the arts.
The coast to the north of Punta Huantamo is exceedingly
rugged and broken, and is fronted by many breakers, on
which the sea is eternally roaring. Mr. King and myself
were anxious to return, if it had been possible, on foot along
this coast; but even the Indians said it was quite
impracticable. We were told that men have crossed by striking
directly through the woods from Cucao to S. Carlos, but
never by the coast. On these expeditions, the Indians carry
with them only roasted corn, and of this they eat sparingly
twice a day.
26th. - Re-embarking in the periagua, we returned across
the lake, and then mounted our horses. The whole of Chiloe
took advantage of this week of unusually fine weather, to
clear the ground by burning. In every direction volumes of
smoke were curling upwards. Although the inhabitants were
so assiduous in setting fire to every part of the wood, yet
I did not see a single fire which they had succeeded in making
extensive. We dined with our friend the commandant,
and did not reach Castro till after dark. The next morning
we started very early. After having ridden for some time,
we obtained from the brow of a steep hill an extensive view
(and it is a rare thing on this road) of the great forest.
Over the horizon of trees, the volcano of Corcovado, and
the great flat-topped one to the north, stood out in proud
pre-eminence: scarcely another peak in the long range
showed its snowy summit. I hope it will be long before I
forget this farewell view of the magnificent Cordillera fronting
Chiloe. At night we bivouacked under a cloudless sky,
and the next morning reached S. Carlos. We arrived on the
right day, for before evening heavy rain commenced.
February 4th. - Sailed from Chiloe. During the last week
I made several short excursions. One was to examine a
great bed of now-existing shells, elevated 350 feet above
the level of the sea: from among these shells, large forest-
trees were growing. Another ride was to P. Huechucucuy.
I had with me a guide who knew the country far too well;
for he would pertinaciously tell me endless Indian names for
every little point, rivulet, and creek. In the same manner as
in Tierra del Fuego, the Indian language appears singularly
well adapted for attaching names to the most trivial features
of the land. I believe every one was glad to say farewell
to Chiloe; yet if we could forget the gloom and ceaseless
rain of winter, Chiloe might pass for a charming island.
There is also something very attractive in the simplicity and
humble politeness of the poor inhabitants.
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