As the whole landscape is thus coloured, it has a sombre, dull appearance; nor is it often enlivened by the rays of the sun.
DECEMBER 20, 1832.
One side of the harbour is formed by a hill about 1500 feet high, which Captain Fitz Roy has called after Sir J.Banks, in commemoration of his disastrous excursion which proved fatal to two men of his party, and nearly so to Dr.Solander.The snow-storm, which was the cause of their misfortune, happened in the middle of January, corresponding to our July, and in the latitude of Durham! I was anxious to reach the summit of this mountain to collect alpine plants; for flowers of any kind in the lower parts are few in number.

We followed the same watercourse as on the previous day, till it dwindled away, and we were then compelled to crawl blindly among the trees.

These, from the effects of the elevation and of the impetuous winds, were low, thick and crooked.

At length we reached that which from a distance appeared like a carpet of fine green turf, but which, to our vexation, turned out to be a compact mass of little beech-trees about four or five feet high.

They were as thick together as box in the border of a garden, and we were obliged to struggle over the flat but treacherous surface.