Whenthecondorsarewheelinginaflockroundandroundanyspot，theirflightisbeautiful。Exceptwhenrisingfromtheground，Idonotrecollecteverhavingseenoneofthesebirdsflapitswings。NearLima，Iwatchedseveralfornearlyhalfanhour，withoutoncetakingoffmyeyes：theymovedinlargecurves，sweepingincircles，descendingandascendingwithoutgivingasingleflap。Astheyglidedcloseovermyhead，Iintentlywatchedfromanobliqueposition，theoutlinesoftheseparateandgreatterminalfeathersofeachwing；andtheseseparatefeathers，iftherehadbeentheleastvibratorymovement，wouldhaveappearedasifblendedtogether；buttheywereseendistinctagainstthebluesky。Theheadandneckweremovedfrequently，andapparentlywithforce；andtheextendedwingsseemedtoformthefulcrumonwhichthemovementsoftheneck，body，andtailacted。
Ifthebirdwishedtodescend，thewingswereforamomentcollapsed；andwhenagainexpandedwithanalteredinclination，themomentumgainedbytherapiddescentseemedtourgethebirdupwardswiththeevenandsteadymovementofapaperkite。Inthecaseofanybirdsoaring，itsmotionmustbesufficientlyrapidsothattheactionoftheinclinedsurfaceofitsbodyontheatmospheremaycounterbalanceitsgravity。Theforcetokeepupthemomentumofabodymovinginahorizontalplaneintheairinwhichthereissolittlefrictioncannotbegreat，andthisforceisallthatiswanted。Themovementoftheneckandbodyofthecondor，wemustsuppose，issufficientforthis。Howeverthismaybe，itistrulywonderfulandbeautifultoseesogreatabird，hourafterhour，withoutanyapparentexertion，wheelingandglidingovermountainandriver。
April29th——FromsomehighlandwehailedwithjoythewhitesummitsoftheCordillera，astheywereseenoccasionallypeepingthroughtheirduskyenvelopeofclouds。Duringthefewsucceedingdayswecontinuedtogetonslowly，forwefoundtheriver-courseverytortuous，andstrewedwithimmensefragmentsofvariousancientslatyrocks，andofgranite。
Theplainborderingthevalleyhadhereattainedanelevationofabout1100feetabovetheriver，anditscharacterwasmuchaltered。Thewell-roundedpebblesofporphyryweremingledwithmanyimmenseangularfragmentsofbasaltandofprimaryrocks。ThefirstoftheseerraticboulderswhichInoticed，wassixty-sevenmilesdistantfromthenearestmountain；anotherwhichImeasuredwasfiveyardssquare，andprojectedfivefeetabovethegravel。Itsedgesweresoangular，anditssizesogreat，thatIatfirstmistookitforarock_insitu_，andtookoutmycompasstoobservethedirectionofitscleavage。Theplainherewasnotquitesolevelasthatnearerthecoast，butyetitbetrayednosignsofanygreatviolence。Underthesecircumstancesitis，Ibelieve，quiteimpossibletoexplainthetransportalofthesegiganticmassesofrocksomanymilesfromtheirparent-source，onanytheoryexceptbythatoffloatingicebergs。
Duringthetwolastdayswemetwithsignsofhorses，andwithseveralsmallarticleswhichhadbelongedtotheIndians——suchaspartsofamantleandabunchofostrichfeathers——buttheyappearedtohavebeenlyinglongontheground。BetweentheplacewheretheIndianshadsolatelycrossedtheriverandthisneighbourhood，thoughsomanymilesapart，thecountryappearstobequiteunfrequented。Atfirst，consideringtheabundanceoftheguanacos，Iwassurprisedatthis；butitisexplainedbythestonynatureoftheplains，whichwouldsoondisableanunshodhorsefromtakingpartinthechase。Nevertheless，intwoplacesinthisverycentralregion，Ifoundsmallheapsofstones，whichIdonotthinkcouldhavebeenaccidentallythrowntogether。Theywereplacedonpoints，projectingovertheedgeofthehighestlavacliff，andtheyresembled，butonasmallscale，thosenearPortDesire。
May4th——CaptainFitzRoydeterminedtotaketheboatsnohigher。
Theriverhadawindingcourse，andwasveryrapid；andtheappearanceofthecountryofferednotemptationtoproceedanyfurther。Everywherewemetwiththesameproductions，andthesamedrearylandscape。WewerenowonehundredandfortymilesdistantfromtheAtlantic，andaboutsixtyfromthenearestarmofthePacific。Thevalleyinthisupperpartexpandedintoawidebasin，boundedonthenorthandsouthbythebasalticplatforms，andfrontedbythelongrangeofthesnow-cladCordillera。Butweviewedthesegrandmountainswithregret，forwewereobligedtoimaginetheirnatureandproductions，insteadofstanding，aswehadhoped，ontheirsummits。Besidestheuselesslossoftimewhichanattempttoascendtheriveranyhigherwouldhavecostus，wehadalreadybeenforsomedaysonhalfallowanceofbread。This，althoughreallyenoughforreasonablemen，was，afterahardday’smarch，ratherscantyfood：alightstomachandaneasydigestionaregoodthingstotalkabout，butveryunpleasantinpractice。
5th——Beforesunrisewecommencedourdescent。Weshotdownthestreamwithgreatrapidity，generallyattherateoftenknotsanhour。Inthisonedayweeffectedwhathadcostusfive-and-a-halfharddays’labourinascending。Onthe8th，wereachedtheBeagleafterourtwenty-onedays’
expedition。Everyone，exceptingmyself，hadcausetobedissatisfied；
buttometheascentaffordedamostinterestingsectionofthegreattertiaryformationofPatagonia。
OnMarch1st，1833，andagainonMarch16th，1834，theBeagleanchoredinBerkeleySound，inEastFalklandIsland。ThisarchipelagoissituatedinnearlythesamelatitudewiththemouthoftheStraitofMagellan；itcoversaspaceofonehundredandtwentybysixtygeographicalmiles，andisalittlemorethanhalfthesizeofIreland。AfterthepossessionofthesemiserableislandshadbeencontestedbyFrance，Spain，andEngland，theywereleftuninhabited。ThegovernmentofBuenosAyresthensoldthemtoaprivateindividual，butlikewiseusedthem，asoldSpainhaddonebefore，forapenalsettlement。Englandclaimedherrightandseizedthem。
TheEnglishmanwhowasleftinchargeoftheflagwasconsequentlymurdered。
ABritishofficerwasnextsent，unsupportedbyanypower：andwhenwearrived，wefoundhiminchargeofapopulation，ofwhichrathermorethanhalfwererunawayrebelsandmurderers。
Thetheatreisworthyofthescenesactedonit。Anundulatingland，withadesolateandwretchedaspect，iseverywherecoveredbyapeatysoilandwirygrass，ofonemonotonousbrowncolour。Hereandthereapeakorridgeofgreyquartzrockbreaksthroughthesmoothsurface。Everyonehasheardoftheclimateoftheseregions；itmaybecomparedtothatwhichisexperiencedattheheightofbetweenoneandtwothousandfeet，onthemountainsofNorthWales；havinghoweverlesssunshineandlessfrost，butmorewindandrain。[4]
16th——IwillnowdescribeashortexcursionwhichImaderoundapartofthisisland。InthemorningIstartedwithsixhorsesandtwoGauchos：
thelatterwerecapitalmenforthepurpose，andwellaccustomedtolivingontheirownresources。Theweatherwasveryboisterousandcold，withheavyhail-storms。Wegoton，however，prettywell，but，exceptthegeology，nothingcouldbelessinterestingthanourday’sride。Thecountryisuniformlythesameundulatingmoorland；thesurfacebeingcoveredbylightbrownwitheredgrassandafewverysmallshrubs，allspringingoutofanelasticpeatysoil。Inthevalleyshereandtheremightbeseenasmallflockofwildgeese，andeverywherethegroundwassosoftthatthesnipewereabletofeed。Besidesthesetwobirdstherewerefewothers。Thereisonemainrangeofhills，nearlytwothousandfeetinheight，andcomposedofquartzrock，theruggedandbarrencrestsofwhichgaveussometroubletocross。
Onthesouthsidewecametothebestcountryforwildcattle；wemet，however，nogreatnumber，fortheyhadbeenlatelymuchharassed。
Intheeveningwecameacrossasmallherd。Oneofmycompanions，St。
Jagobyname，soonseparatedafatcow；hethrewthebolas，anditstruckherlegs，butfailedinbecomingentangled。Thendroppinghishattomarkthespotwheretheballswereleft，whileatfullgallop，heuncoiledhislazo，andafteramostseverechase，againcameuptothecow，andcaughtherroundthehorns。TheotherGauchohadgoneonaheadwiththesparehorses，sothatSt。Jagohadsomedifficultyinkillingthefuriousbeast。
Hemanagedtogetheronalevelpieceofground，bytakingadvantageofherasoftenassherushedathim；andwhenshewouldnotmove，myhorse，fromhavingbeentrained，wouldcanterup，andwithhischestgiveheraviolentpush。Butwhenonlevelgrounditdoesnotappearaneasyjobforonemantokillabeastmadwithterror。Norwoulditbeso，ifthehorse，whenlefttoitselfwithoutitsrider，didnotsoonlearn，foritsownsafety，tokeepthelazotight；sothat，ifthecoworoxmovesforward，thehorsemovesjustasquicklyforward；otherwise，itstandsmotionlessleaningononeside。Thishorse，however，wasayoungone，andwouldnotstandstill，butgaveintothecowasshestruggled。ItwasadmirabletoseewithwhatdexteritySt。Jagododgedbehindthebeast，tillatlasthecontrivedtogivethefataltouchtothemaintendonofthehindlegafterwhich，withoutmuchdifficulty，hedrovehisknifeintotheheadofthespinalmarrow，andthecowdroppedasifstruckbylightning。Hecutoffpiecesoffleshwiththeskintoit，butwithoutanybones，sufficientforourexpedition。Wethenrodeontooursleeping-place，andhadforsupper“carneconcuero。”ormeatroastedwiththeskinonit。Thisisassuperiortocommonbeefasvenisonistomutton。Alargecircularpiecetakenfromthebackisroastedontheemberswiththehidedownwardsandintheformofasaucer，sothatnoneofthegravyislost。Ifanyworthyaldermanhadsuppedwithusthatevening，“carneconcuero。”withoutdoubt，wouldsoonhavebeencelebratedinLondonDuringthenightitrained，andthenextday17thwasverystormy，withmuchhailandsnow。WerodeacrosstheislandtotheneckoflandwhichjoinstheRincondelTorothegreatpeninsulaattheS。W。extremity
totherestoftheisland。Fromthegreatnumberofcowswhichhavebeenkilled，thereisalargeproportionofbulls。Thesewanderaboutsingle，ortwoandthreetogether，andareverysavage。Ineversawsuchmagnificentbeasts；theyequalledinthesizeoftheirhugeheadsandneckstheGrecianmarblesculptures。Capt。Sulivaninformsmethatthehideofanaverage-sizedbullweighsforty-sevenpounds，whereasahideofthisweight，lessthoroughlydried，isconsideredasaveryheavyoneatMonteVideo。Theyoungbullsgenerallyrunaway，forashortdistance；buttheoldonesdonotstirastep，excepttorushatmanandhorse；andmanyhorseshavebeenthuskilled。Anoldbullcrossedaboggystream，andtookhisstandontheoppositesidetous；weinvaintriedtodrivehimaway，andfailing，wereobligedtomakealargecircuit。TheGauchosinrevengedeterminedtoemasculatehimandrenderhimforthefutureharmless。Itwasveryinterestingtoseehowartcompletelymasteredforce。Onelazowasthrownoverhishornsasherushedatthehorse，andanotherroundhishindlegs：inaminutethemonsterwasstretchedpowerlessontheground。Afterthelazohasoncebeendrawntightlyroundthehornsofafuriousanimal，itdoesnotatfirstappearaneasythingtodisengageitagainwithoutkillingthebeast：
nor，Iapprehend，woulditbesoifthemanwasbyhimself。Bytheaid，however，ofasecondpersonthrowinghislazosoastocatchbothhindlegs，itisquicklymanaged：fortheanimal，aslongasitshindlegsarekeptoutstretched，isquitehelpless，andthefirstmancanwithhishandsloosenhislazofromthehorns，andthenquietlymounthishorse；butthemomentthesecondman，bybackingeversolittle，relaxesthestrain，thelazoslipsoffthelegsofthestrugglingbeast，whichthenrisesfree，shakeshimself，andvainlyrushesathisantagonist。
Duringourwholeridewesawonlyonetroopofwildhorses。Theseanimals，aswellasthecattle，wereintroducedbytheFrenchin1764，sincewhichtimebothhavegreatlyincreased。Itisacuriousfact，thatthehorseshaveneverlefttheeasternendoftheisland，althoughthereisnonaturalboundarytopreventthemfromroaming，andthatpartoftheislandisnotmoretemptingthantherest。TheGauchoswhomIasked，thoughassertingthistobethecase，wereunabletoaccountforit，exceptfromthestrongattachmentwhichhorseshavetoanylocalitytowhichtheyareaccustomed。
Consideringthattheislanddoesnotappearfullystocked，andthattherearenobeastsofprey，Iwasparticularlycurioustoknowwhathascheckedtheiroriginallyrapidincrease。Thatinalimitedislandsomecheckwouldsoonerorlatersupervene，isinevitable；butwhyhastheincreaseofthehorsebeencheckedsoonerthanthatofthecattle？Capt。Sulivanhastakenmuchpainsformeinthisinquiry。TheGauchosemployedhereattributeitchieflytothestallionsconstantlyroamingfromplacetoplace，andcompellingthemarestoaccompanythem，whetherornottheyoungfoalsareabletofollow。OneGauchotoldCapt。Sulivanthathehadwatchedastallionforawholehour，violentlykickingandbitingamaretillheforcedhertoleaveherfoaltoitsfate。Capt。Sulivancansofarcorroboratethiscuriousaccount，thathehasseveraltimesfoundyoungfoalsdead，whereashehasneverfoundadeadcalf。Moreover，thedeadbodiesoffull-grownhorsesaremorefrequentlyfound，asifmoresubjecttodiseaseoraccidents，thanthoseofthecattle。Fromthesoftnessofthegroundtheirhoofsoftengrowirregularlytoagreatlength，andthiscauseslameness。Thepredominantcoloursareroanandiron-grey。Allthehorsesbredhere，bothtameandwild，arerathersmall-sized，thoughgenerallyingoodcondition；andtheyhavelostsomuchstrength，thattheyareunfittobeusedintakingwildcattlewiththelazo：inconsequence，itisnecessarytogotothegreatexpenseofimportingfreshhorsesfromthePlata。AtsomefutureperiodthesouthernhemisphereprobablywillhaveitsbreedofFalklandponies，asthenorthernhasitsShetlandbreed。