The mountain sides, except on the exposed western coast, are covered from the water's edge upwards by one great forest.

The trees reach to an elevation of between 1000 and 1500 feet, and are succeeded by a band of peat, with minute alpine plants; and this again is succeeded by the line of perpetual snow, which, according to Captain King, in the Strait of Magellan descends to between 3000 and 4000 feet.

To find an acre of level land in any part of the country is most rare.

I recollect only one little flat piece near Port Famine, and another of rather larger extent near Goeree Road.

In both places, and everywhere else, the surface is covered by a thick bed of swampy peat.