A Voyage to the South Atlantic and round Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean, etc./Chapter 6
1793.
June 24.At day-break, 24th June, the land bore from West 10° South, to West 10° North by compass, having the appearance of two isles. It was my first design, to get round to the Southernmost land, which was visible, and I accordingly hauled on a wind, but was induced to alter my intentions, from a mistaken opinion, that I was further South than it afterwards appeared. I was led into this error, from having a North East current, during the two preceding days, setting at the rate of from twenty to thirty miles in the twenty-four hours. On rounding the North East point, which we passed at noon, the Latitude from observation was 40′ South, the East point bearing South East, and South West point South, 35° West. The soundings were ninety fathoms, and the distance, from the nearest land, eight or nine miles. The land, towards the East, the land was covered with small trees or bushes without leaves, and very few spots of verdure were visible to us; a few seals were seen on the shore. The land rises at short intervening distances in small hills or hillocks, of very singular forms, which, when observed through a glass, and at no great distance from the shore, have the appearance of habitations, while the prickly pear-trees, and the torch thistles, look like their owners, standing around them. In other parts, the hills rise so sudden on the low land, that, having a small offing, they appear to be so many separate islands. About four miles off the North East end, there is a small islet, which is connected by a reef with the main isle: it is covered with seals, and the breakers reach some distance from the shore. The highest land, at this part of the isle, is of a very moderate height, descending gradually to the shore, which consists, alternately of rocks, and sand: some, of the rocky parts, being much insulated, they form winding inlets, of two or three miles in depth, and from one to two cables in breadth.
At the distance of two or three miles, to the Westward of the islet, I hove to, and sent the chief mate on shore to sound and land. At eight, P. M. he returned with green turtle and tortoises, turtle doves and guanas; but they saw no esculent vegetable, nor found any water that was sufficiently palatable to drink. He run four miles along the coast, at three quarters of a mile from the shore, without getting any soundings; at that length, found bottom at ten fathoms. This was near the distance we had fallen to leeward, from the time the boat had left us. I had sounded, several times with the deep sea lead, at four or five miles from shore, and got no bottom, with one hundred and fifty fathoms of line. We stood off and on during the night, the wind being between the South and South East. At break of day, we discovered that the current had taken a different direction, and had set us considerably to the Northward and Westward, and we could not fetch our situation of the preceding night. At noon, we were by observation, in latitude 37′ South.
I now thought it prudent to come to an anchor, in order to refresh the people, and to determine the situation of the isle. As we drew in with the shore, I kept the deep sea lead going, and at the distance, of about five or six miles, we obtained soundings, from thirty-eight, to thirty-six fathoms, which continued to diminish, till we were within a mile of the shore, when we got into nineteen fathoms water, fine sand bottom, and near the center of the isle; in which depth we came to anchor.
The land forms a kind of bay, the extremes of which bore, from South 43° West, a high bluff; to East 34° North, a low point; there is a distant high rock, off the South West point. West 33° South, which lays off the East part of a deep commodious bay. South by East of us, was a small bay, formed by two rocky points; in the East part of which, was one of those small creeks, already mentioned. I sounded round the ship with two boats, as well as between us, and the shore: here we found a good bottom, the soundings increasing or decreasing as we distanced or neared the land.
Two boats now landed abreast of the ship, and the crews dividing, took the separate courses of East and West, in search of water and vegetables: a third boat I sent off to the large bay, which is distinguished by the high rock, on a similar pursuit, but they all returned in the evening, without having attained the objects of their search. The boat from the West, had found an uncommon kind of sand; we supposed it, from its weight, to contain some kind of ore, and which we afterwards found, to be small topazes.
This isle is of a moderate height, the highest parts being to the Westward. All the North side descends gradually to the sea, forming low points. Many parts are well wooded, but as it was winter, there was no appearance of verdure, but from the evergreen trees and plants, such as the box and the prickly pear, with the torch thistle, and the mangrove. The middle of the isle is low land, and at a very small distance has the appearance of being divided into two parts, particularly on the South side. On the Western part of the bay, in which we anchored, the land is barren and rocky; in some parts, it has the appearance of being covered with cinders; and in others, with a kind of iron clinker, in flakes of several feet in circumference, and from one to three inches thick: in passing over them, they sound like plates of iron: the earth is also frequently rent in cracks, that run irregularly from East to West and are many fathoms deep: there were also large caves, and on the tops of every hill, which we ascended, was the mouth of a pit, whose depth must be immense, from the length of time, during which, a stone, that was thrown into it, was heard. Many of the cavities on the sides of the hills, as well as on the level ground, contained water, but of such a brackish taste, as to render it unfit to be drank. In most of them, there were considerable flocks of teals, which were by no means shy, and were easily caught; they are of the same kind as those known in England.
This island contains no great number, or variety, of land birds, and those I saw, were not remarkable for their novelty or beauty: they were the fly-catcher and creeper, like those of New Zealand; a bird, resembling the small mocking bird, of the same island; a black hawk, somewhat larger than our sparrow hawks, and a bird of the size and shape of our black-bird. Ringdoves, of a dusky plumage, were seen in the greatest number: they seldom approached the sea till sun-set, when they took their flight to the Westward, and at sun-rise returned to the Eastward; so that if there is any water on the isle, I should suppose it would be found in that part. Besides, it is the highest land, and a small quantity of water, lodged in the hollow of a rock, would supply these birds for a considerable time. My second visit, to these isles confirmed, my supposition, as small oozings, were then found, at the foot of two or three hills, which may be occasioned by pools of rain water collected on the tops of them, as is frequently seen on the North West coast of America. An officer and party, whom I sent to travel inland, saw many spots, which had very lately contained fresh water, and about which, the land tortoises appeared to be pining in great numbers. Several of them, were seen within land, as well as on the sea coast, which, if they had been in flesh, would have weighed three hundred weight, but were now scarcely one third of their full size.
I was very much perplexed, to form a satisfactory conjecture, how the small birds, which appeared to remain in one spot, supported themselves without water; but the party on their return informed me, that, having exhausted all their water, and reposing beneath a prickly pear-tree, almost choaked with thirst, they observed an old bird in the act of supplying three young ones with drink, by squeezing the berry of a tree into their mouths. It was about the size of a pea, and contained a watery juice, of an acid, but not unpleasant, taste. The bark of the tree, produces a considerable quantity of moisture, and, on being eaten, allays the thirst. In dry seasons, the land tortoise is seen to gnaw and suck it. The leaf of this tree, is like that of the bay tree, the fruit grows like cherries, whilst the juice of the bark dies the flesh a deep purple, and emits a grateful odor: a quality in common with the greater part of the trees and plants on this island; though it is soon lost, when the branches are separated from the trunks, or stems. The leaves of these trees also absorb the copious dews, which fall during the night, but in larger quantities at the full and change of the moon; the birds then pierce them with their bills, for the moisture they retain, and which, I believe, they also procure from the various plants and ever-greens. But when the dews fail in the summer season, thousands of these creatures perish; for, on our return hither, we found great numbers dead in their nests, and some of them almost fledged. It may, however, be remarked, that this curious instinctive mode, of finding a substitute for water, is not peculiar, to the birds of this island; as nature has provided them with a similar resource in the fountain tree, that flourishes on the Isle Ferro, one of the Canaries; and several other trees and canes, which, Churchill tells us in his voyages, are to be found, on the mountains of the Phillipine Islands.
There is no tree in this island, which measures more than twelve inches in circumference, except the prickly pear, some of which were three feet in girth, and fifty feet in height. The torch thistle, which was the next in height, contains a liquid in its heart, which the birds drank, when it was cut down. They sometimes, even extracted it from the young trees, by piercing the trunks with their bills.
We searched with great diligence for the mineral mountain, mentioned by Dampier, but were not so fortunate as to discover it; unless it be that from which the heavy sand or small topazes were collected, and of which, I ordered a barrel to be filled, and brought it away.
This great rock, bearing from our anchoring place, South 43° West, makes the East point of a large bay, in which, I anchored, at our return. The winds that prevailed, while I lay here, were from South, South East, to South, South West, always moderate weather, but the tide runs very strong, particularly the flood, which comes from the Eastward: so that we were never wind rode; the ebb returns the same way, but not so strong; it is high water here, at the full and change of the moon, at half past three, and its rise twelve or thirteen feet. I place this isle between Latitude 45′ South, and 1° 5′ South, and Longitude 89° 24′, and it bears from Cape St. Helena, West 5° North, by compass, one hundred and thirty-five leagues. It lays in a North East and South West direction; and its greatest extent is thirteen leagues in length, and ten miles in breadth.
The various kinds of sea-birds, which I had seen on the Coast of Peru, we found here, but not in equal abundance. There were also flamingos, sea-pies, plovers, and sand-larks: The latter, were of the same kind, as those of New Zealand. No quadruped was seen on this island, and the greatest part of its inhabitants appeared to be of the reptile kind, as land tortoises, lizards, and spiders. We saw also dead snakes, which probably perished in the dry season. There were, besides, several species of insects, as ants, moths, and common flies, in great numbers; as well as grass-hoppers, and crickets.
On the shore were Sea guanas and turtles; the latter, were of that kind, which bears a variegated shell. The guanas are small, and of a sooty black, which, if possible, heightens their native ugliness[1]. Indeed, so disgusting is their appearance, that no one on board could be prevailed on, to take them as food. I found the turtles, however, far superior to any I had before tasted. Their food, as well as that of the land tortoise, consists principally, of the bark and leaves of trees, particularly of the mangrove, which makes them very fat; though, in rainy seasons, when vegetation is more general, their food may be of a more promiscuous nature. The green turtles are extremely fat, and would produce a large quantity of oil. Their shell is also very beautiful; and if that should be an article of any value, a small vessel, might make a very profitable voyage, to this place. The land tortoise was poor at this season, but made excellent broth. Their eggs are as large, and their shell as hard, as those of a goose, and form a perfect globe. Their nests, are thrown up in a circular form, and never contain more than three eggs, which are heated by the Sun, an hole, being so contrived, as to admit its rays through its daily course. The shell is perfectly smooth, and when highly polished, receives a beautiful and brilliant black.
We saw but few seals on the beach, either of the hairy or furry species. This circumstance, however, might be occasioned, by its not being the season for whelping; as those, which were killed by us, had some time to go with young; but a few hundreds of them, might at any time be collected without difficulty, and form, no inconsiderable addition, to the profits of a voyage.
Dampier mentions, that there is plenty of salt to be obtained here, at this season, but I could not find any; though that article does not appear to be absolutely necessary; as the skins will be more profitable, by drying and cleaning them, and then taking them to a China market; as I managed with the otter-skins, which I collected in a former voyage.
The rocks are covered with crabs, and there are also a few small shells and winkles. A large quantity of dead shells of various kinds, were washed upon the beach; all of which were familiar to me; among the rest, were the shells of large cray-fish, but we never caught any of them alive. On several parts of the shore, there was drift-wood, of a larger size, than any of the trees, that grow on the island: also bamboos and wild sugar canes, with a few small cocoa nuts at full growth, though not larger than a pigeon's egg. We observed also, some burnt wood, but that might have drifted from the continent, been thrown over-board from a ship, or fired by lightning on the spot.
The deep-water fish, were of every kind, that is usually found, in the tropical Latitudes, except spermaceti whale, and of them we saw none, but sharks were in great abundance.
The dip of the needle I found here to be at 84°, and the variation of the compass 8° 10′. The thermometer was never higher than 73½, and in the morning, evening and night, it was below summer heat in England. I consider it as one of the most delightful climates under heaven, although situated, within a few miles of the Equator. The barometer generally stood at 29-8-4. The evening, night, and morning, were always clouded; and during the nights, there generally fell, as heavy dews, as off the main.
Every one was charmed with the place; but, as all apprehensions of the scurvy or any other disease was at an end, and we had got a large provision of turtle on board, the anxiety of my people, to commence the fishery, in which, they all had a proportionate interest, began to shew itself; nor was I disposed to check their spirits, or delay their wishes; being well assured, that they would be overjoyed to return hither, at no very distant period, when I should have an opportunity to visit the rest of these islands.
June 28.On the twenty-eighth of June we weighed anchor, and sailed round the East point, with a view of beating a small distance to the Southward, in order to determine the particular isle, we had visited, according to the description of the Buccaneers and the Spanish map, but my endeavours were not successful. While we were at anchor, it was supposed, that we saw land in the North West, at the distance of fourteen or fifteen leagues; but this was by no means ascertained; though, according to Dampier, most of the isles ought to have been in sight of us, by allowing the difference of a few miles of Latitude between us and him.
July 1.On the first of July, we saw a small isle which I beat up to; and, taking observations within a few miles of it, place it in Latitude 1° 24′ South, and Longitude 89° 47′ West. It bears, from the East point of the isle, before which we had anchored, South, distance five leagues, and lays in the direction of North, North West, and South, South East, and may be fourteen miles in extent. The side we saw, resembles the East point of the large isle, but is enlivened with an higher degree of verdure: we also saw a greater number of seals, off this, than off the other island. I do not hesitate to consider it, as the Southernmost and Easternmost of the Galapagoe isles. In the accounts of Wood, Rogers and others, the Spaniards are said to be acquainted with an island in the Latitude of 1° 16′ South, which has plenty of water on it. This may be true during a rainy season, or for some time after it; but I am not in the habit of giving an implicit faith to Spanish accounts.
As I could not trace these isles, by any accounts or maps in my possession. I named one Chatham Isle, and the other Hood's Island, after the Lords Chatham and Hood.
- ↑ The sea guana is a non descript: it is less than the land guana and much uglier, they go to sea in herds, a fishing, and fun themselves, on the rocks, like seals, and may be called alligators, in miniature.