The country north of 45' S. lot differs from the southern plains. The shores are fronted by rocky reefs, extending from two to three miles from high-water mark, which are dry at low tides, and in many places covered with seals. The beach I. rather steep, and consists of shingle. Above it extends an undulating country, which at some distance rises into hills. Though the soil here also is gravelly and parched, and in most places exhibits a very scanty vegetation, the valleys and lower elevation' are mostly covered with grass and shrubby plants. In several places there are tracts covered with good grass and stunted trees, especially at Camerones Bay and north of it Ou the banks of the Chupat River and the western shores of New Bay (Bahia Nueva), there are extensive tracts covered with a floe dark soil, and producing abundance of fire-wood and excellent pasturage. Wild cattle abound, and are very numerous on the natural meadows which extend far inland on both sides of the Chupat River. The river Chupatla believed to rise in the Andes, but at the distance of 20 miles from its mouth it ie only 100 yards wide and 6 feet deep at low-water, so that only vessels drawing 7 feet can enter its mouth at high-water. This river runs with a winding course through a wide and fertile valley, over which an immense quantity of drift timber is scattered, and large trees are found several hundred yards from its hanks.
The climate of the plains differs greatly from that of the mountain, sterility is pertly to be ascribed to the nature of the a rattly to the want of rain. Westerly winds are prevalent dariag aloe months of the year, and though they drench the western of the Andes with rain, not a drop falls on the plains while they blow • and men daring the throe winter months (from Juno to August), Ltti. rein falls except on rare occasions. when It comes down heavily for three or four days in succession. Sea-winds sometime. bring assail floe rain for a few hours, all through the year, but not enough for the support of vegetable productions. But It appears that rata is more abundant hr the interior of the plains north of 45' S. lat. The Rio Negro covers the adjacent country with water to a great extent in autumn (May and June), when no snow on the Andes is dieeolved. In rummer the heat is scorching, but not sultry; and in winter, though the weather Is sometimes very oobl, especially during winds, the air is always elastic and wholesome. Changes of wind are sudden, and cause rapid though not very great variations of betoperat um.
The plains differ from the mountain region both in vegetation and in animals. The natives have dogs and herds of horses, and there are wild cattle, as already mentioned, on the banks of the river Chupat. Guanacoes are very numerous, especially in the southern plains. Pumas are found everywhere, and wolves on the northern pining. There are several species of foxes, as well as envies, armadilloes, and tuagotneu, • little animal like a rabbit. On the coast there are com mon sods, fur-seals, and see-liona Laod-birds are not numerous, except anus, condors, and carrion-hawks. Teals, partridges, dotes, snipes, and rails however are frequently met with, which peas south ward or northward according to the season. The sea-birds consist of rim, reborn, and penguins. On the coast fish are rather plentiful, the larger species resembling cod, ling, and salmon. Between Cape
Blanco and Port Desire there are numerous &Minna, or extensive hollows filled with mit, in which the solid mass is several feet thick, and consists of very white and good salt. Near Port San Julian there are salt lakes, in which the salt crystallises in great cubes.
inhabitants' of the mountain region are different from those of the plains. The natives of the plains are called Patti gooisns, or lIorse.loslians, as they wander about in the interior on horseback, and do not live on the shores. The natives of the moun tain region are called Canoe-Indians, because they live only on the sea coast, and frequently remove from one inlet to another in canoes; they belong to the lame race with the inhabitants of the western part of del Fuego.
The Patagonians were so called by Magalhaens when he saw them at l'ort San Julian in 1620. lio described them as being of a gigan tic stature, 7 feet in height, but the statement was disbelieved even in his own day, and Winter, who visited Patagonia a little later than Ilagalhaem, saw no natives of unusual stature. About the middle of the last century Captain Byron met with a number of Patago nian', of whom the men were not lees than 8 feet, and some even exceeded 9 feet in height; the women were from 74 feet to 8 feet This account eosin was contradicted by Wallis and Bougainville. The fact however appear. to be now established that though no men of the height said to here been peen by Itlagelhaens and Byron are to be met with at the present day, the Patagoniana are really distinguished by their size. Captain Fitzroy (Amerces that among 200 or 800 of these people scarcely half a dozen men are seen whose height is under b feet 9 or 10 Inches, though none have recently been measured who much exceeded 6 feet; while the long mantle of skins which they wear adds so singularly to their apparent height, that it is difficult to believe, till they are measured, that they are not really much higher. Their is rather broad, but not hi4h, and except in a few instances, the forehead is small and low. Their hair, which hangs loosely, is lack, coarse, and very dirty. Their brow is prominent, and the eyes rather small, black, and ever restless. Their faces are roundish, and the projection of the cheek-bones makes them look unusually wide. The nose is a little depressed, narrow between the eyes, but broad and fleshy between the nostrils, which are rather large. The mouth is huge and coarsely formed, with thick lips. All the features are large except the eyes. They have little hair either on the face or the body, and they attempt to eradicate it. Their bands and feet are com paratively small. Their limbs aro not so muscular as their height and apparent hulk would banes one to suppose; they are also rounder and smoother than those of white mon. Their colour is is rich reddish brown, between that of rusty-iron and clean-copper, rather darker than copper, yet not se dark as good old mahogany. The Prange pima wander about In the exteueive plains south of the Rio Negro, and traverse that immense distance (b00 miles) in a comparatively short time. Their principal nub aistence is the flesh of mares, emus, calla!, and guanstooes, with two wild roots, one called the, and the other chalsa.