38/56 On the way we had a glimpse of the lake Tagua-tagua, celebrated for its floating islands, which have been described by M.Gay. "Annales des Sciences Naturelles" March, 1833. M.Gay, a zealous and able naturalist, was then occupied in studying every branch of natural history throughout the kingdom of Chile.) They are composed of the stalks of various dead plants intertwined together, and on the surface of which other living ones take root. Their form is generally circular, and their thickness from four to six feet, of which the greater part is immersed in the water. |