seen fluttering about delicate flowers, and parrots feeding amidst the
evergreen woods; and in the sea there, we should have a Voluta, and all
the shells of large size and vigorous growth. Nevertheless, on some
islands only 360 miles northward of our new Cape Horn in Denmark, a
carcass buried in the soil (or if washed into a shallow sea, and
covered up with mud) would be preserved perpetually frozen. If some
bold navigator attempted to penetrate northward of these islands, he
would run a thousand dangers amidst gigantic icebergs, on some of which
he would see great blocks of rock borne far away from their original
site. Another island of large size in the latitude of southern
Scotland, but twice as far to the west, would be "almost wholly covered
with everlasting snow," and would have each bay terminated by
ice-cliffs, whence great masses would be yearly detached: this island
would boast only of a little moss, grass, and burnet, and a titlark
would be its only land inhabitant. From our new Cape Horn in Denmark,
a chain of mountains, scarcely half the height of the Alps, would run
in a straight line due southward; and on its western flank every deep
creek of the sea, or fiord, would end in "bold and astonishing
glaciers." These lonely channels would frequently reverberate with the
falls of ice, and so often would great waves rush along their coasts;
numerous icebergs, some as tall as cathedrals, and occasionally loaded
with "no inconsiderable blocks of rock," would be stranded on the
outlying islets; at intervals violent earthquakes would shoot
prodigious masses of ice into the waters below. Lastly, some
missionaries attempting to penetrate a long arm of the sea, would
behold the not lofty surrounding mountains, sending down their many
grand icy streams to the sea-coast, and their progress in the boats
would be checked by the innumerable floating icebergs, some small and
some great; and this would have occurred on our twenty-second of June,
and where the Lake of Geneva is now spread out! [21]
[1] The south-westerly breezes are generally very dry. January 29th,
being at anchor under Cape Gregory: a very hard gale from W. by S.,
clear sky with few cumuli; temperature 57 degs., dew-point 36
degs.,--difference 21 degs. On January 15th, at Port St. Julian: in the
morning, light winds with much rain, followed by a very heavy squall
with rain,--settled into heavy gale with large cumuli,--cleared up,
blowing very strong from S.S.W. Temperature 60 degs., dew-point 42
degs.,--difference 18 degs.
235