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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film^s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. f errata d to It le pelure, ;on d n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 NARRATIVE (tV I'HK m-' i .•'; < X r- O mm s '"■i > n 3, 2 < X J. VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD DURING THE YEARS 1815-51, rXDEU TIIK COMMAND OF ('APTAIN HENRY KELLETT, R.N., C.B.; HKINOr ^ Circumnabisatiou of tfte Sloljc, AND THREE CRUIZES TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS IN SEARCH OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. BY BERTHOLD SEEMANN, F.L.S., MKMBEn OF THE IMPERIAL L.C. ACADEMY NATURAE CCRIOSORrM, XATITRAIIST OP THE EXPEDITION, ETC. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON : REEVE AND CO., HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1853. \/-\ I i^ ^ -^ 267835 I'KINTKD MY JOUN EDWABD lA.TLOB, LITTLE QUkEN STUBET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS. TO SIR WILLIAM JACKSON HOOKER, K.H., D.C.L. OXON., LI„D., F.E.A.8., A., AND L.S., VICE-l'UKSlDENT OK TJIE LINNEAN SOCIETY, AND DIEECTOB OF THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, ETC. ETC., WHOM SCIENCE NVMHEKS AMONGST 1T8 MOST ARDENT PUOMOTEHS. AND TO WHOM THE AUTHOR IS SO DEEPLY INDEBTED FOB HIS GENEROUS ENCOURAGEMENT AND READY ASSISTANCE, THIS Narratibe of tfjf FotJagr of ?^.|H.^. ^txalti IS DEDICATED, WITH FEELINGS OF ESTEEM AND GRATITUDE, BY BEKTHOLP SEEM ANN. I' [I E V A (; \< In July, 1S40, after the death of Mr. Thomas Ediiioii- stoii, I had the honour of being ap})ointe(l Naturahst of H.M.S. Herald, — having been reconnnended to that office l)y Sir W. J. Hooker, — and directed to join the vessel at Panama. Proceeding by one of the >V^est India Mail Steamers to Chagrcs, I crossed over the Isthmus, and arrived at the city of Panama on the 22nd of Septend)er. The Herald not having returned from the Straits of Juan de Fuca, I employed my time in exploring various districts of Panama and Veraguas, a task which was rendered comparatively easy by th(^ assistance I received from Her Majesty's Consul, Wil- liam Perry, Esq., to whom I had a letter of intro- duction from Lord Palmerston. In January, 1847, the Herald returned to Panama, and from that time, until she was paid oft', I accompanied her. On the return of the expedition to England, a repre- i Vlll I'RKFACli. sL'iitjitiuu vv'is miuio to Her MajcHty's (iovcruiiiciit by several in.'ii of eiiiineiice, that scieiiCH! would be «jjreatly l)eiiefit« d if the various collcetioiis of Natural History foruied during the voyage could be brought before tiie pubhe in a manner worthy of the times and the country. The (lovernment responded to these wislies by gnmting ii siun of money to defray part of the expenses of such a publication, and Professor Edward iMjrbes, with a dis- interested zeal truly praiseworthy, volunteered to edit the zoological section, while 1 engaged to undertake the phytological. These works are partly before the public, and may, together with the scries of charts laid down in our survey, and issued by the llydrographienl Office, and the present Narrative, l)e looked ii[)on as the prin- cipal result of the voyage. It is but fair however to state, both in justice to the Captain who concUicted the expedition and to the officers engaged in it, that a great mass of the nifiterials still remain unpublished. Tlie nautical, meteorological, magnetical, astronomical, and other observations are so numerous that they would fill several thick quarto volumes, and coidd not possibly be comprised within the limits of an appendix to this Narrative ; but it is to be hoped that they will not be lost to science. 'l^he present Narrative was to have been written by the PUFFACK l\ rnnuMit by bf great 1\ •al lliston before tlie lie country. )y gnintinii" ;s of siieli a with a (lis- •ed to edit idertako the ! the public, i hid down ihical Office, as the priu- however to conducted n it, that a luipul)lished. strononiical, they would lot possibly dix to this will not be itten by the ('oMHiumder of the expedition ; l)Ut as Captain Kelh;tt was eahed upon to renew the search for Sir John Franklin's Kxp(ulition, and all those oliieers of the Herald who were either willing or able to |)erfonn the part of historian of the voyage had left these shores, I was compelled to engage in an undertaking for which I fear I was but ill (jualitied. I have coninicnced it the more reluctantly hecause 1 am fullv aware of the diiliculties. Formerlv, wlien everything was new and striking, both to the author and the reader, an anmsing and instructive work was easily written. But now, nearly every school-boy is able to give a tolerably accnrate account of the most renu)te corners of the globe, and if a traveller wants to bring forward something new, he nuist dive into details which, valuable as they maybe to science, are not always appreciated by the general reader. The materials from which this work has been com- piled are not so rich as could be wished. That portion of Captain Kellett's journal relating to the first volume is entirely wanting, and cannot, in the absence of its author, be procured. Commander J. Wood's diary has not been sent to me, and this must be considered as the reason why the movements of the Pandora are not more frequently alluded to. Lieutenant (now Com- mander) Henry Trollope made ample notes during the I'UKFACE. first year of the voyage, whicli have supplied the sul)- stance of the aceount of tlie eriiizc of the IKiakl during that period. Mr. Bedford I'ini ke[)t a journal when in the Arctic regions, and also dnrhig his j(Hirney with nie in Peru and Ecuador, of which 1 liave been allowed to avail myself. Mr. WhifHn, Mr. Jago, and Mr. Hull have suppUed me with extracts from their diaries, luid Mr. Chimmo with the illustrations for this work. I have thought it the more uecessary to make this state- ment, in order to escape the charge of having given precedence to my own journal, which, in many instances, Avas the only source of information. As 1 did not join the Herald before January, L*547, and had to write an account of the voyage from the beginning, I sid)mitted the proof-sheets relathig to the J^razils, the I'alkland Isles, Chile, and Peni, to Dr. J. D. Hooker and John Miers, Esq., who, having themselves explored those countries, were kind enough to pohit out any inaccuracies they detected, and add here and there a passage calculated to improve my account. I have {dso had the advantage of the valuable assistance of Conmiander li. Trollope, who looked over every proof- sheet, and have derived great benefit from the liberality of Sir William Hooker, who pi'rmitted me to consult his extensive library and Ueibanuni, I'KKI'ACK. XI Fact is tlu* ()l)ji'ct f have iiiiiu'd jit thron^liout \\\v lol- lowing pngt's, on the strict adlitM't'iicc to which will rest their s()l(! recomiiieiidntioii. If however, while iil)8taiiiiii^- t'roiii all lictitioiis colouring, and witli a paucity of ad- venture, I have succeeded in [)r()ducin<^ an arrangement not iidiarinonions or (lis[)leasing, I shall have attained a position I'ar beyond that to which I have been carried by my most tlattcring ho[)i's or sanufuinc expectations. Kar ( I /'!■('// y /hcriufjc/'M, Ib'iH. i m r Til CONTENTS. CHAPTEK 1. Departure from England — Madeira — Porto Santo — Dcsertas Teneriile — A Ship in distress — San Antonio — Soundings- Fernando de Noronha — The Jangadas — Rio Janeiro PllpTR CHAinM^:R IT. Departure from Rio de Janeiro — Fort of Santa Cruz — Falkland Islands — Passage round Cape Horn — Valdivia — Wreck of IT. M.S. Challenger — Concepcion — Talcalniano — Old C'oncep- cion — Aconcagua — Valparaiso ...... •20 CHAPTER III. Fapudo Bay — Departure for Peru — Callao— Road to the capital — Lima — Arrival of H.M.St.S. Cormorant — Leaving Callao — The Lobos Islands — Payta — Santa Clara .... CIIAT^TER IV. The Galapagos Islands — Charles Island — James Island — Chatham Island — Coast of Ecuador — Bay of Atacamas — Rambh; in the forest — Mr. T. Edmonston — Ilis death and a sketch of his life — River Esmeraldas — Gallo Island ..... 54 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. Page Boundary line of Niicva Granada — Commencement of the Survey — Bay of Choco — River Iscuande — Gorgona — Buenaventura —The Vinda of St. Peter and St. Paul— Bay of Panama . 73 M CHAPTER VI. City of Panama — Ruins of Panama Vicjo — The islands of Fla- minco, Taboga, and Taboguilla — Departure for the Straits of Juan de Fuca — Coyba — Death of seamen — An American vessel — Seaweed — Cape Flatteiy rocks 84 CHAPTER YII. Cape Flattery rocks — Tatooche Island — Indians — Entrance into the Straits of Juan de Fuca — Historical notice — Port Victoria — Harbour of Esquimalt — Fort of Victoria — Port Discovery — Townshend — New Dungeness — Quadra's and Vancouver's Islands — Race Islands — Neagh Bay — Departure for the South . 95 CHAPTER VIII. Cape Mendocino — San Francisco — Visit to the Mission — Mon- terey — Islands on the coast of Lower California — Excursion on Cerros Island — Mazatlan — Tepic — San Bias . . . .113 CHAPTER IX. Siguantenejo — A party taken prisoner by the Mexicans — Don Vi- cente Amaro — Mr. Wood proceeds to Acapulco — Captivity — Departure — Acapulco — Death of William Harris — Cape Velas — Coast of Nueva Granada — Arrival at Panama . . .126 CHAPTER X. Survey of the western coast of Nueva Granada — Return to Panama — Departure for Peru — Coyba — Iguana Island — Payta — Callao — Viscount d'Ozery — Lima — Payta — Journey through the desert — Piura — TravoUing in the interior . . . .139 CONTKNTS. XV ClIAPTKR XL I'lij;,' U.i;piil)lic of Ecuador — Hiicicnda of Soviango — Sasaranga — Tambn of Colosncapi — Cariamango — Gonzanaraa — Eiver ( ataiiiayo — Arrival in Loja — Mr. Pirn's Journey to Piscobamba . . IGl CHAPTER XII. T;jr.^^ ^*^^* ^?v li Poll" oi' »*"r«*«lr9t "1 •'' Yuhit,ik- Tropu* of Capri t'o rai VOYA( I3T' 'E.^r..ig-j.^JETJ. I'liblialied PiiWislied by Rcm'o A C". 5, Henrietta Street, Cmcnl Gm-dc wo ~ iji; HO •H) H) !.j:>!t--r-'T ■R-t t. rr et- fc.^ -gJ -t^- *?f-«t- jhi' •.i<> liyi- JU i -'i roiij'f WaptTtonl. ^' \jiS\" ■, 3 ^^ ^-w ,1.11' .1"' ..^■y I I V ■J' ! I C. KK K .\ I, AN 1) )i? » . ili'olaii'l ft) [,•■■/ I BelirinSIs "»Scii K U 1 (' AX j> !..A-A.\roin:ii i. >,;j„ V^ j -4- . t;^ IVUITtSII l»l.^«J^S XrKVA 'OHANAIU 'f / C . Fitity(mi4 " ^■, ^ tofia ,, . ^ / Lost 'lit SKilhtth ,,1,1, ,-, c5^=,; ;. , V SJntnm^. (,l)ill.<.^>i> ■. .. .■• I . -•■■■■ ?<-•»•. j I \ C.ttcVil.Tc I' 5 \lm nl,t,\y:/lhi ,ir ; >^',i./i/(vS/l*.'. \, . ^Ja^^^— / >^ / .'i.ffrfro. / -^y - 'j»niiiiu. , ''/ ! / ) istrat iiis>' {}V T1!K Hn IMaStriERALD le coiiimaiid of * Petern.iini, F.R.Ct.3. lalfiannitiYLti o;{ Juaiit'enuuiiiit'p \fm , i>p«t(>uayi.q.ul2 ,^ .1 JP^' . '^" ; * ' '^ ') • SI' "0°'i*'"'" '■■■ v. ■ if' til/ '^.,'' ■ A / ^._x i^^. I nlnjaj, ^ Kui./uiicir ' %\ f* .SIVn./,iV~ o ( i: A X •HH Dtt^o Ratturev- r.Hlopn j^jb Slantn Kniyiuua i? •^^ Oct/>brrjaif •A' • Trtifkaf II.M. S llcral.l i„ t/u. iianl.S-f.i-IN-h'/. CfffnfrrXStflff fjlf flf^t vnv/tnf f^t tI*M Ari-ltr- tin... ..t, m ArcHc Rf if I Otis, contfrrisrriff thr first vnytttfe to (JreArrtir Rctfit>ti>9. JVtMckirt IfiSO anfl 1^6] .aitupn.tintf the thtrtl vnvatfo (•><> ' -*() JO ^?, 5, Henrietta Street, Cv R. NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAfiK OF ll.xM.S. IT EU Alii). CHAl'TEH I. Departure from England — INladcira — Porto Santo — Desertas — Tene- rift'e — A Sliip in distress — Sau Antonio— Soundings — Fernando tie Noronha — The Jangadas — Itio Janeiro. On Thursday, June 26th, 1845, 11. M.S. Herahl, twenty- six guns, under the comniand of Captain Henry Kellett, C.B., accompanied by her tender, the Pandora, Lieutenant Commander James Wood, sailed from Plymouth Sound. It was fine and clear, but heavy clouds were gathering in the south-wxst, and on the following day she was visited in the chops of the Channel by a gale with all its accompaniments — the topgallant masts and yards on deck; barometer down to 29"48 ; wind, sea, mist, rain, and fog. This weather, with occasional gleams of sunshine, con- tinued until the 4th of July, when we were off Cape VOL. I. B 2 TIIK \()Y.\(I1', Ol II. M.S. IIKHM.n. \Julii, r*mist(Tiv*. Till' liind was in sifrlit for two davs, and we n|)pr(>a('lu'(l it ncnr (Mi()ii}i;li to meet many Spanisli l)ar(|U('s, brigs, and scIiooiuts, mostly Hnc-hiiilt vessels, f)iit sloveidy in sails and rigging-. On the 7tli of July we exchangeii, by Marryatt's sig- nals, mnnbers witii the 'i'liames steam-vessel, sailing and steaming for Madeira and the AVest Indies. On the I Ith we sighted Porto Santo, a barren roeky spot, bnt, as its name indicates, viewed by its first tempest-tossed discoverers with thankful hearts, when, in their endea- vours to circumnavigate Africa, they were driven out to sea, and on the ])oint of [)erishing. The island, when discovered, was, according to some accounts, inhabited ; according to others, (h^solate. In 1418 l)on Henry of Portugal caused it to be colonized, and Pcrestrello, a gentleman of the Prince's household, was appointed its first governor. Observing from time to time a cloud to the south-west, the settlers sailed to examine it, and dis- covered Madeira, l^he sup(a'ior advantages of that island caused Porto Santo to be neglected, and jMadeira re- sumed its intercourse with Europe. We say resumed, because, as the story goes, in the reign of Edward II. an Englishman named Machim fled to it with his newly- married wife, the beautiful Anna d'Arfet. Love how- ever, it seems, was not sufficient to compensate for the many hardships they had to undergo, and the many privations to which they were exposed, as both, it is stated, died of grief. Some corroboration to this strange * Our observations verified what has been commonly remarked in the passage across the Bay of Biscay, — that there is an easterly current of about half a mile an hour. [./"«///, ■\.:,.\ I ) K S K II T A S T K N M H 1 1 ' V li . ilavs, niul ' Spanish It vossfls, yatt's sig- ailing aiul On the spot, bnt, )t*st-t()SSl.'(l t'ir cndoa- am ont to and, when inhabited ; I Henry of ivstrello, a )ointed its a clond to t, and (Us- hat island adeira re- resumed, ;dward II. liis newly- ove how- te for the the many oth, it is lis strange remarked in sterly current story is lent by there being on the soiitli-east coast a plaee called Macliio or Machico*. Poito Santo appears at first sight lik(; two islands. Passing to the eastward, the town on its southern coast has a conspicuous and j)Ieasing aspect ; the chin'ch tower heing very prominent gives an air to the place Avhich prohahly would hardly he borne out on closer ac((uahitance. The island pro- duces corn, but is said to be deficient in good water; it contains l()0() or 1700 |)eople, and its anchorage is, in the winter, ])referahl(! to that of Kunchal. The highest |)eak is 1000 feet above the sea. The Desertas were seen at noon. They bear south- east eleven miles from Madeira, and are three in nundx r, perfectly l>arren, and only frecpiented by fishermen, who repair thither for collecting Orchil. The nortlu^rnmost isle is a high pyramidal rock, often mistaken for a sail, which indeed it much resembles. From th<> Desertas the Salvages bear south 17°, east 145°. We did not sight the latter, although it was rjither wished to do so ; ii fresh breeze from the eastward appeared to cause a coi're- sponding set to the westward, and thus prevented ns from carrying oiit our intention. At dayUght on the I3tli of July the Peak of Teiierilie was in sight — a grand and solitary object, towering in all the pride of desolation ; for though there; is a vast deal of fertility, it is not very apparent from seaward, and the island seems almost to rival Ascension in rugged ness and aridity. The breeze was so strong in the offing, that it was necessary to reef topsails ; but it fell light and * Barboau, however, says it was known to tlio ancients under the name of Clone Athintice. — Mappe-Monde Historique. 17.')9. i> ^ TIIK VOYAdK Ol II. MM. IIKHALD. .//////, variahic as our vessels neared Santa ('niz. Wc; ancliored about iKKUi. Tlie town of Santa Cruz is t'aiuous in naval Instoi'v. Kolxit hlake, an Oxonian, a nienilx r of Par- lianient, a colonel, and an admiral, there pertorined his most adventurous and daring action. On the :2Uth of April, l()")7, he attacked and utterly destroyed the Span- ish fleet strongly phiced under the batteries, and, aided by a sudden shift of wind, drew oil' his s([ua(lron with comparatively little loss. This singularly gallant exploit, after a career unparalleled for daring, was performed while suffering from dropsy and scurvy. If there is one name hi English history connnaiiding admiration for all the (pialities which became a man, for goodness and greatness combin(Ml, it is that of the soldier-admiral, whom the great Protector and the noble historian of tlu; Royalist cause have alike united to honour. It was a sudch'u shift of wind that led Nelson to undertake the expedition against Teneriffe ; an expedi- tion which, unsucc(;ssful and disastrous as it was, dis- played the most exalted heroism, and showed a generous enemy able to apjn'cciate the merits of an opponent, and not carrying waifare l)eyond certahi limits. There arc few more interesting episodes than the intei'view of Captain Samuel Hood with Don Juan Guttierez, in the citadel of Santa Cruz, when the boldness and presence of mind of the Englishman was met by the generosity aud admiration of the Spaniard. The tattered remains of some of the English ensigns are retained in the church, and the inhabitants still bear in mind the attack and repulse of the 24th of July, 1797. On the loth of July, at daylight, we made sail. 4. .//////, ls^; SHir IN DISTUKSS SAN ANTONIO. i aiuhoiH'd IS in imviil nv of I'lir- ormcd Ins lie 20tli of I the Spim- aiul, aided adron witli int exploit, perfoi'Mied here is one tion for all jdncss and ier-adniiral, )rian of the Nelson to an expedi- it was, dis- a generous opponent, Its. There nterview of I'rez, in the id presence generosity led remains [the church, lattack and made sail. So light a. id variiiMe was the wind, that we were haflled for some \\\nr. under the land, and it was not nntil ten or eleven A. M. that the hreeze heeanie steady from east-north-east. 'Die trade-wind took ns smoothly and delightfully along to thr south-west, and at sunset we lost sight of the i'eak. ii'mut forty miles distant. On the following day we fell in with a Spanish selrxau'r of twenty-Hve or thii'ty tons, which sent a boat to ns ask- ing for water. Having hecn Hshing under Cape Hlaneo for mullet, bream, rock cod, snappers, and soles, the vessel had been blown otf the .\frican shore by strong south-east breezes, and been six wcM'ks from (Jran Vn- naria. She was nearly full, but in sad want in other respects. In the wretched craft there were upwards of twenty people, living more lik(> savages than civilized men. Their only instrument aj)peare(l to be a compass, and having got oH' their reckoning, they would have suf- fered great distress had we not accidentally relieved them. In addition to water, Cai)tain Kellett gave them a bag of bread, so that their mishap proved their gain. Meeting the frail barque on this spot and in distress reminded us of Prince llenrv's (>arlv navi^j-ators and their siifi'eriims, in attempting to round the terrible Cape Hoiador. A heavy surf prevails on this coast, and landing is both dangerous and difHcult, and tailing in with this vessel gave sonu^ notion of what navigation must have been in the caravels and phuiaces of former days. The trade-wind took us smoothly along six or seven knots an hour. On the 21st of Jnly, the ])e<'ik of San Antonio, Avhich, according to Ow^en, is 9700 feet above the sea, was in sight. The wnnd fell light jis we ap- "l! () THE VOYAGE OK 11. M.S. HERALD. \Julij, proaclied the island — an occurrence so common, that it is given jis a reason for avoiding the gronp : with us, liowever, it soon freshened, but we stood off west for a few hours to flcar the isle. Except Santiago, San Anto- nio is the largest of the Cape de Verde Islands, and Ter- rafal Bav, at its south-cast extremity, is said to be a most convenient place for obtaining refreshments. Charles Darwin, the companion of Captain Fitzroy, notices the peculiarly hazy appearance of the atmosphere, and attri- butes it to an impalpable dust which constantly falls, even on vessels far out at sea. This dust is of a brown colour, and supposed to be produced from the wear and tear of volcanic rocks, either among the islands or on the African coast. The drier the atmosphere, the more extensive is the dusty cloud. On Fridav, the 25tii of Julv, in 11° north and 24° west, we lost the trade-whid, and calms, light whids, and heavy rain prevailed for the next two days. From Sunday, the 27th, in 9° north and 23° west, south-west breezes were more steady than could be expected in " the Variables." We encountered a head sea and sharp squalls, with occasional showers, until the 1st of August, when the south-west hauled into the trade in 6° north, 24° west. A disagreeable head-swell still continued ; the trade-wind had much southing in it. We were rather far to the westward, and began to feel anxious about Cape San Rocjue. The passage between Africa and America is a broad one ; still vessels have been set to leeward, and obhged to bear up for Barbadoes. On the 5th of August we crossed the line in 29° 15' west, and on the following day, in 2° south and 30^ west, 4 ■t {July, 1845. SOVNDINOS. 1011, that it I : with us, west for a San Aiito- Is, and Ter- ) be a most \. Charles notices the \, and attri- y falls, even own colour, and tear of the African extensive is th and 24° gilt whids, lys. From south-west ted in " the and sharp of August, n G° north, hiued ; the e rather far bout Cape d America [eward, and in 29° 15' d 30' west, }k >\ in the middle vvatch, tlie look-out man reported breakers. These ap})eared to be himinous bands in the water, stretching: north-east and south-west, so like reefs or over-falls, that, had we been less sure of our ])osition, we might well have imagined them to be such. At intervals of 200 or 800 yards wc; continued passing these streaks or bands for upwards of an hour; they (piite ilhimined the sea, and presented a brilliant spectacle. In a dark night we were able faintly to distinguish writing, holding a watch-bill over the gangway. This fact will perha[)s give a notion of the mass of light they emitted. On the 7th of August, in hit. 2° 32' south and long. 30° 53' west, the j)imiace was hoisted out to try for soundings in the deep sea. Her windlass had 3500 fathoms of five-yju'ii spunyarn w oimd round it, and the sinker was iron ballast. When it had taken 2005 fathoms out, it sto})])ed ; thirty or forty fathoms more were jjaid out, and the boat drifted to the current, which before it did not do ; it Avas hauled in, and the boat again be- came stationary ; veering once more, she again drifted to the current — signs tolerably conclusive that bottom was struck. The experiment occu])ied four hours. On l)oard we sounded with 400 fathoms of line, trying the tempe- rature at ditt'erent depths ; that of the air was found to be 80°, of the water on the surface 78°, and at 400 fathoms depth 50 5°. The current was setting nearly two miles an hour to the south-west-by-west ; this residt agreed tolerably w ith the difference between the dead reckoning and the observations, and also corroborates all former ex- })erieiice. On the 7th of August the trade-wind was hanging 8 THK VOVAGi: OK 11. M.S. HERALD. [^A(t(/USt, SO much to tlic southward, aud the current setting so strongly to tlie south-west, thjit we felt anxious about weathering Ca])e St. Augustine. At 8 a.m. Fernando de Noronlia was in sight. This group consists of two islands and several rocks, exposed to the Avhole swell of the Atlantic Ocean, and the surf breaks constantly and heavily u})on its shores. The islands are strange speci- niens of volcanic formation ; needle-like rocks, sugar-loaf pinnacles, and over-hanging cliffs, rival even the Pieter Botte in fantastic forms. The current swept us down on the islands ; at noon we i)assed five miles to windward of them, the centre pyramid or minaret 1)earing north 6° w(!st, the south-west point north 36° west. The centre peak is an extraordinary rock, nearly 800 feet high, and so regular and exact in its form that at a distance it is difficult to believe it is not a work of art. A fort, strong in appearance, is the principal object in view, and is oc- cupied by the Brazilian Government chiefly as a convict estabhshment. There is something horrible in looking at such a spot. To think of the countless sighs and curses of those whose crimes or misfortunes have caused them to be thus penned up by a half-civilized people ! What feelings of despair and wretchedness must be theirs, as, day after day, they view the cliffs and peaks which form but a break in the monotony of a voyage — a sub- ject for conversation, to be forgotten in other scenes of an ever-changing life ! For the safer custody of the prisoners^ no boats are allowed. Fish is abundant; fine cattle are pastured ; fresh beef, milk, vegetables, and fruit can be obtained in cases of necessity. The islands were at one time a rendezvons for whale-ships ; now, visits [^Ai((just, 1845.] THK .TANC.ADAS. 9 setting so kms about . Fernando ists of two )lc swell of stantly and mge speci- 1, sugar-loaf the Pieter )t us down windward ng north 6° The centre 't high, and istance it is fort, strong and is oc- as a convict in looking sighs and lave caused ed people ! st be theirs, eaks which ge — a sub- T scenes of ody of the iidant; fine s, and fruit ilands were now, visits are discourair<'d, nor, considering the cliansc in the state O' k '\ of ihazil diu'ing the last thirty years, wouhl any vessel wish to touch at an exposed and (hmgerous ancliorag(3 when everything can be got from the ports on the main- land. On the Uth of August, in T 30' soutli and :34° 15' west, the coast of Brazil was sidited. After sunset, )emg m twentv-two fathoms, we stood otf the shon 'o latnoms, we siooa on ine snore, and fell in with the harbingers of land in those parts, the Jangadas. A ship is a wonderful thing, but it seems even more wonderful to meet these extraordinary rafts in the open sea. Mr. Koster, who published his inter- esting travels in North Brazil, 1809-1812, thus de- scril)es them : " The Jangadas are rafts of six logs, of a peculiar species of light timber, lashed or ])inned together, a large lateen sail, a paddle used as a rudder, a sliding keel let down between the two centre logs, a seat for the steersman, and a long forked pole upon which is hung the vessel containing water, provisions, etc. These rude floats have a most shigular appearance, no hull being apparent even when near them. They are usually managed by two men, and go closer to the wind than any description of vessel." The nights were now beautiful ; the Centaurus, the Southern Cross, the Ship Argo, and the fiery Antares, Avere so many novel spectacles, while Venus setting in the west, Mars and Jupiter rising in the east, and Cas- siopeia and the Great Bear standing in the north, carried back the mind to home and friends. Brilliant meteors wit] I rocket-like trains added to the beauty of the firma- ment. Breezes, generally steady, and varied by a squall 10 THE VOVACJK OF IJ.M.S. IIKUALJ). [Au(/thHf, i or a calm of a few hours, carried us six or seven knots an hoiQ', until witliin 200 miles of Cape Frio, when, to our sui'prise, land was re])orted ; the exact resemblance of some vapours deceived almost every one, and even at first caused fears as to the chronometers, but a sounding of forty-eight fathoms having been obtahied and an altitude of Jupiter givhig 23° 11' south, we hauled up three points, from west-south-west to west-by-north, and at daylight made Cape Frio. This observation was a very usefid one ; since noon on the Sunday a current had set more than twenty miles to the southward, and had the west-south- west course been continued we should have been to the southward of Ilha Raza with wind and cm'rent against us. In coming from the southward, bound to Rio Janeiro, ships have often been more than a week getting up the last hundred miles of the voyage, from an error in making the land too far to the southward and westward. Approaching the coast of America, the trade- wind at this season usually fails, or rather changes its direction on nearing the land. Between March and September the change is the least apparent, east-by-north and east- south-east being the prevalent direction ; but betw^een the months of September and March it is frequently alto- gether reversed — north-by-east and north-east-by-east are then the prevalent winds. This circumstance w^as always taken advantage of by the conmianders of the Falmouth packets, who in the former mouths touched at Bahia and Pernandmco in the retvn*n voyage ; while in the latter, between September and March, they called at those ports in the outward voyage. But steam, mighty steam, will cause these local circumstances, im- 4 [Auf/ufif, 1845.] RIO JANEIRO. 11 en knots an A\{i\\, to our ;ml)lance of even at first sounding of [ an altitude three points, at daylight f usefid one ; t more than west-south- been to the •rent against Ilio Janeiro, jtting up the I an error in d westward, ade-wind at its direction I September th anil east- between the uently alto- east-by-east istance was ders of the hs touched age ; while they called [But steam, tances, im- portant as tliey have hitherto proved, to be overlooked and forgotten. Although it was the season for easterly and east- south-east Wahids, we had a touch from the north-north- east, bringhig with it thick hazy weather, and not until the 18th of August did we make Ilha Raza lighthouse. The province of Rio Janeiro between Cope Frio and Ilha Grande is extremely mountainous ; a succession of peaks occur, which incline to the westward with one excej)tion, the Pao d'Azucar, or Sugar-loaf. This rock guides the navigator, for the harbour of Rio is only a blind one ; and Don Juan de Solis, the discoverer, found that the aborii>ines called it " Xitherohv," that is, the hidden water, a very appropriate name, the entrance being con- cealed until in front of the inlet. The breeze failed us just on entering the port ; at eight p. M. it fell calm, and the ebb tide making strong, we were obliged to anchor. Rio Janeiro is famed as one of the marvels of beautiful scenery, and there is only one place to be compared with it, perhaps to excel it, that is in the Bosphorus, where for twenty nnles the channel of the Ottomans unfolds in succession hill, valley, and plain, towers, palaces, and mosques. There is something of this kind at Rio, but tlie coitj) crceil seems to burst more upon the spectator in meridian splendour, whereas at Constantinople fresh beauties, new charms, hidden splendours, open on one as he advances. The mind, carried away by the ever-changing, ever-beautiful scene, almost asks, can this be real ? — as if one was in a plea- sant dream, and would fear to awake. The first visit to Rio is not easily forgotten : the wooded heights, the S \'2 TIIK VOYACiK 01" II. M.S. UKRALD. {August, green valleys, the nigged ])eaks, and distant mountains, are looked upon with all the interest that the tirst sight of the New World causes, l^ut to describe tlu; harbour itself words utterly fail. Siu'prise, admiration, delight, all that earth (an imagine, seems to open out, and one looks back to that pleasure as the purest ever enjoyed. On the 19th of August, at one p.m., when the flood tide made, we got under way. The breeze, however, Avas so light, in fact the ship was drifting up Avith the tide only, that we were again obliged to let go the anchor, to avoid foidino; some vessels in the fair wav ; and it was not until three t.m. that we took up our position off the city, where II. M. ships Grecian, Crescent, Seagull, Pen- guin, and Spy, thel'.S. frigates Raritan and Bainbridge, and the Brazilian frigate Isabella, were met with. Rio Janeiro is, properly speaking, the name of the bay which Solis discovered and mistook for the mouth of a river ; it is a fine inlet, upwards of forty miles in cir- ciunference, having no stream of any importance falling into it. A French adventurer, Villegagnon, at the head of an expedition which professed to afford liberty of conscience to the Huguenots, took possession of an island in the bay ; but after conunitting various atrocities in endeavouring to found a colony, in which the Protestants suffered more persecution than they had left behind, he was driven out on the 20th of January, 1540, never having occupied more than the small island still called after him. Struck with the advantageous position, Mem de Sa founded the new city, destined to be the capital of Brazil, and named it after the martyr San Sebf^^i'H.i, and also in lionour of Sebastian, the then King of Por- inouiitnins, ) tirst sight lu; harhour m, delight, it, tiiul one • enjoyed, in tlie flood e, however, ip witli the the anehor, and it was ition oft' the ^agull, Pen- Bainbridge, tvith. anie of the le mouth of Iniles in cir- anee falUng at tlie head Hberty of if an island trocities in Protestants left behind, 540, never still called lition, Mem the capital Sebf^>i!H.a, Ing of Por- IS-lf).] HIO JANIIUO. I:? tugal. The name, however, has Ix'come obsolete. San Salvador (Hahia) and Pernaud)ueo were cities of repute before Rio Janeiro was thought of, but the advantageous position of the latter, and its e.\em])tion from the dis- putes between Portuguese, Spaniards, and Dutcli for the possession of the l^razils, conduced to its prosperity. " IIa})py is the country the history of which is a blank." Nothing remarkable ap[)ears to luive happened to Rio until 1710, when the place was attacked by a Prench force. The attack was defeated, but the Portuguese exercised their victory with so nmch barbarity that the celebrated Duguay Trouin was sent by Louis XIV. to revenge his countrymen, who stormed, took possession of, and at last consented to ransom the city for the sum of 600,000 cruzadoes (about £()0,0()0), a large sum in those days, and giving a notion of the wealth of the in- habitants. The discovery of the gold and diamond mines in the province of Minas Geraes gave Rio Janeiro fresh im- portance ill the eyes of the Portuguese ; it was also more easily defended than Bahia : and in 1703 the Viceroy Conde d'Acunha was ordered to transfer to it the seat of government. In November, 1708, Lieutenant Cook visited the place. The illustrious navigator gives a some- what ludicrous account of the ignorance and jealous for- mality of the Government. He considered the town about the size of an English seaport, not exce[)ting Bristol or Liverpool. The former at that time had about 40,000 inhabitants, the latter less than 50,000, so that Rio probably contained between 40,000 and 50,000. On the arrival of the Court and Prince Regent of Portugal 14 TlIK VOVAGK OF U.M.S. II KH Al,|). Au(/lfst, # it was estiinntcd nt less than 1 00, 0(10 ; and sucli was the; iiupulsotliis arrival gave, that it is supposed 20,000 j)er- sons, Portuguese, English, Germans, etc., in the course of the year 1808-1809 settled in the immediate neigh- bourhood. The population never appears to have been known by an accurate census ; in 1810 it was estimated at 120,000, in 1833, 140,000, and in 1845, 100,000, or by some at even 180,000, which last, from the crowds seen in the streets and the extensive suburbs, does not seem to be overrated. Rio Janeiro is a disagreeable town, and, like the city of the Sultan, it nmst be viewed from afar, — " distance lends enchantment to the view." It is a city of contra- dictions. Charmed with the prospect of its beauty, the traveller is eager to land, but ere he reaches the shore he is assailed with noisome smells which well-nigh drive him back. He sees a magnificent hotel, where every luxury that French cookery can afford is to be procured, and a negro mnnching farinha, the simplest food in the world. The old city, that visited by Cook and Lord Macartney, lies between Cobras Isle Point and Ponta de Calabou^a, and occupies an irregular quadrangle, more than a mile in length and less than three-quarters of a mile in breadth, but bears no more proportion to the present capital of Brazil than " the citij' does to the metropolis of Great Britain. Nevertheless it has a pe- culiar aspect, and, as a momunent of a bygone age, an interest w^iich the more modern part of the town does not possess. Landing and turning to the right, you see before you a large square ; the Imperial palace, a large house, neat I Au(/nst, ich was tlu! >0,()()0 per- tlie course liate iicigli- » hiive been IS estimated 1()0,0()0, or the crowds bs, does not like the city — " distance y of contra- beauty, the es the shore 11-nigh drive tvhere every be procured, food in the and Lord and Ponta quadrangle, Iree-quarters L'oportion to does to the t has a pe- ine age, an town does before you I house, neat I \^ih.\ HIO JAN Kino. 1.') and regular in its exterior, occupies the Nouth side, and coinniunicates with other apartments on the west side. These buihUngs and tlie adjoining chiu'ch were ])iirt of a Carniehte convent. The north siik' of the s(piare is formed by shops and cafes; the east si(U; is o])en to th sea. Akhougli liaving nothing imposing or even [)leas- ing about it, yet tlie scpiare is convenient as the cliief landing-place of a Iju'ge conunercial city. From the north-west corner of it the Rua Dirieta runs due north and south ; from this narrow streets diverge at right angles, and these are crossed by numerous others. Th(^ Rua Dirieta is the most bustling, as tlie general mart of traffic ; the Rua d'Ouvidor tlie gayest and most splen- did, being the abode of the French and Portuguese jewellers, goldsmiths, milliners, etc. ; the Rua d'Alfandeza the richest, being chiefly occupied by the merchants and agents of Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Leeds ; and the Rua dos Pescadores the most respectable, con- taining the houses of the staid English merchants, who for forty years have been as Avell known as the heads of the Government. These streets liave a similar aspect ; the buildings are generally three or foiu* stories high, and gloomy and dull in appearance, with balconies to the windows. Li plan they resemble the generality of London houses, — long narrow passages, steep staircases, rooms mostly comnumicating with one another, lofty and w^ll proportioned, but plainly furnished. The ground- floor is the store or shop, whether wholesale or retail ; the first story, counting-house, and the second, dining and sleeping rooms. Surrounded by European goods, with here and there an English, German, and French 10 TIIH VOVAlil-: Ol' II. M.S. HICHM,!). .Iltf/iisf^ ( ' face, stunned and jdniost run down by bands of sturdy negroes, heavily laden, and singing as tliey run along at a pace that would astonish even a London porter, one is reminded how inueh this busy scene is connected for good or evil with both high and low in Lancashire and Yorkshire, or wherever industry and talent find scopi^ for exertion. 'V\\*i llua Dirieta is terminated by steep eminences, on which stand the Convent of San BencKlict and the Bishop's palace, said to be more connuodious than that of the Emperor. The Convent, a ])lain building, is from its size not devoid of grandeur. It is generally under- stood that the Government has prohibited any new en- tries into the order of the Benedictines, so that in a few years the Imperial treasury will have the disposid oX its revenues and estates. To the westward, the Cariipo (U; Santa Anna was the termination of the old town ; it is now nearly in the centre of the city, and a large square; still unfinished forms more a separation than a connec- tion with the new city. From this part ,a\ embankment of tAvo miles in length, called the Atterrado, crosses a marsh formed by an arm of the sea, presenting an excel- lent and level road that conmmnicates with Engenho Velho, and leads to the Palace of Sao Christovao, when; the Emperor conunonly resides. The conthiuity of the city on the south side is broken by a hill of some extent and of considerable elevation called the Castle Mill, (m which several public buildings are erected, and on its summit is seen the well-known Telegraph. At some distance in the same direction, on the road to Calete, and forming a prominent point on the margin of the Bay, # [ .ttff/tisl, < of sturdy in along at rtcr, one is me'ctcd for Misliirc and find scopes onnncnci's, L't and tlie \ than tliat ng, is from •ally undt-r- ny new tn- at in a few posal t^.f its ! Campo dc town ; it is rge square; a coniiec- nbankincnt crosses a 2 an excel- Engenlio vao, when; Liity of the ome extent le Hill, on and on its At some to Calete, )f the Bay, 1845.J mo .lANKIIU). is the (iloria Hill, with the (chapel of \ossa Senl Ta (I i (iloria. This editiee, which in itself oilers nothi ^ nc- markahle, constitutes one of the crowning objects ,,; the panorama of Rio, as seen from the shipping. The ascent to the chapel from the land si(h' is steep, but it is never- theless nmch frequented. Many go there to behold from the terrace in its front one of the most beautiful land- scapes that can be imagined. Tlu; liill is studded with houses, which arc chiefly occupied by English merchants, who retire there after the fatigues of business, to enjoy the lovely prospect and cool bri'czes, that especially con- tribute to the charm of the situation. The suburbs to the south, C ileto and Hotafogo, are in a great measure new" ; the slopes from the Corcovado, such as the valley of Laranjeiros and the Largo de Ala- chado, show evident signs of increasing elegance and im- provement. In 1841 the latter was little better than a Held; it has now a fountain in the middle, and is planted iuid laid out as a garden, while houses smTound it on all sides. The aqueduct is really a noble work, constructcjd in the year 1740 in imitation of the one at Lisbon. There are few more pleasant walks than in the morning to trace it from the city to the foot of the Corcovjulo. The aque- duct is solidly built, and consists, Mr. Luccock says, " of two walls, about six feet high, arched over, with sufficient space for workmen to enter it occasionally and i)ass through the whole length ; at suitable intervals there are openings for the admission of light and air. Within is laid the canal, about eighteen inches wide, twenty- four inches deep, and three miles long." There arc numerous fountains in the city, many supplied by this VOL. I. c IS Tin; VOYACiK OF H.M.H. IIKUAI,!). \j1ff(/ttxf, a(|ii('(hict, others from wells and sprinj^s ; the supply, however, is far from ])eing a(h'(|nate to the (Kinand. Tlie new town is more airy and pleasant than the old ; it is like emerj^ing from the ohh'r parts of London into the rej^ions of St. Paneras and ('amden Town ; there is little taste displayed, but more freshness and ehuudiness. The Brazilians do not associate nuieh with the English ; we were told, however, hy more than one resident of long standing, that they were kind and friendly j)eople, and were never more delighted than when they eould confer any little kindness or civility, hut, not having had the advantage of education, they were diffident in seeking the society of foreigners. The scenery about Rio will ever be the charm of the place, and the Corcovado is perhaps the l)est point from wdiich to view it. The panorama is magnificent. Around the foot of the mountain and on its sides is the primeval forest ; further on, the bay of Botafogo with the smooth beach lined with houses and walks, at many bearings resembling a mountain lake. The infinite diversity of tropical vegetation is here in all its grandeur ; but not- withstanding its brightness and splendour, which learned naturalists and enthusiastic travellers have described, and cannot describe too vividly, is there really, we may ask, so much superiority in tropical scenery ? There is a wildness, a rank luxuriance almost defying cultivation and control, but docs that compensate for the milder beauties of more temperate climes ? Coffee is the great produce of the province. Formerly it was said to have a peculiar taste, and w^as not consi- dered e(]\ud to that of the West Indies, its inferiority I \Att(/tif :.'() CHAPTER II. Dopartiirc from Rio de .laiiciro — Fort of Santa Cruz — I'alkland Islands — Passage rotmd Capo Horn — Yaldivia — Wreok of H.M.S. Chal- lenger — Concepcion — Talcahuano — Old CJoncepcion — Aconcagua — Valparaiso. Ox the 28tli of August we made sail, our own boats and those of the foreign shi])s assisting to tow us out. The entrance to tlic harbour of Rio is less than a mile broad, and has a bar across, generfilly causing a swell, which, un- less the breeze is strong and steady, renders the towing a necessary precaution. This obstacle passed, sufficient breeze is generally found to take a ship clear of the land, and, if there is not, she can anchor and be ready for the first wind that springs up. The foreign boats cast off before we reached the fort of Santa Cruz. This fort mounts thirty guns to seaward and thirty-three towards the city, and if well served they would seriously annoy an enemy, but with a fresh sea-breeze would hardly repulse an English squadron of seven or eight linc-of-battle ships. In the afternoon it fell calm, and we had an opportunity of judging of the Raza lighthouse. The fight is but a poor one, revolving, or rather irregularly intermittent, and seen perhaps six or seven miles off, certainly not more. 1845.] FALKLAND ISLANDS. :U - .* kland Islands I.M.S. Chal- Acoucagua — . boats and out. The mile broad, which, uti- :he towing , sufficient f the land, dy for the ts cast off This fort e towards annoy an ,ly repulse Lttle ships, iportunity it is but a ittent, and it more. On the 3()th a fresh breeze s[)rang np from south-east and east-south-east, eontinuinjr three days, when it hauled round to the north-north-east, varying in strength, but carrying us to the southward. On the 3rd of f^eptember our course w.'is interrupted by a few hours of light sou- therly breezes, the weather becoming cold and the atmo- s})here so clouded, that for several days the sun was not seen. Throughout the voynge we rounded-to at the end of every watch, and tried for soundings with as much line as was practicable, sometimes seventy or eighty fathoms, rarely one hundred. Moderate breezes, nlter- nating Avith fresh gales, brcmght us on the 19th at diiy- ligiit off Berkeley Sound, Falkland Islands. A l)()at came off to inform us that the Governor had chanoied his abode from Port Louis, or Anson, as it is now termed in honour of the navigator, who it is sjiid first pointed out the Falkland Islands as a desirable acquisition. A de- sirable acquisition indeed! I seful ports no doubt they are, but while yet imreclaimed land exists in any morc^ denial climate, it will onlv he neeessitv that draws anv one thither. The desolate aspect of the islands is pro- verbial, and we had a good opportunity of seeing it on entering Port William, a bay or soiuul next to Berkeley Sound. The wind, which hnd been right aft, was dead against us ; working up we stood close to the shore. The Avater Avas perfectly smooth, although the breeze Avas very fresh. Every danger Avas })ointed out by the kelp, Avhich, as it AATre, lies moored off all the rocks and })oints. When Ave had readied the head of Fort William, the en- trance to Stanley Harbour opened out, through Avhich Ave ran, and anchored in a basin, a perfectly land-locked •)•> THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [September, sheet of water. In this a(hnira})le harbour we had some s([ualls, the strength {uul fury of wliieh coukl liardly be surj)assed. AVhctlier it is tlie gh)oni of the ehniate that makes peo])k^ think more of tlie wind than in other phices, it is difiicuh to determine ; but tlie islands eertainly have not imdeservedly the reputation of a breezy place. For a week it blew incessantly, alternating with hail and snow showers. True it was the vernal ecpiinox, for which some allowance ought to be made, but several of us had been here in December and January — midsummer — when, except that it did not snow and hail, it blew as hard, and the weather seemed nearly as cold. The breezes, however, strong as they were, affected us no more than if we had been in the basin of Portsmouth dockyard, to which this harl)our of the Falkland Isles may with justice be compared. It would be impossible to find a better harbour of refuge, situated at the easternmost ex- treme of the group ; the dangers are mostly apparent, the prevalent winds off the land, smooth water to work up to the anchorage, and the necessaries of Ufe, or at least some of them, may be procured. The settlement had been moved from Port Louis, or Anson, more than a year ago, and consisted of the Go- vernor, Lieutenant R. C. Moody, of the Engineers, a stipendiary magistrate, a surgeon, a clerk in charge of stores, and a detachment of twenty-five men of the Sappers and Miners. It was certainly advancing, but presented, like all new settlements, a miserable aspect. The establishment at Port Louis will not be given up ; the land is far better in that neighbourhood ; and when a road has been formed, it will conduce greatly to the September, 1845.] FALKLAND ISLANDS. 23 liad some hnrdly bo mate that ler places, ainly have ace. For and snow hich sonic had been 3r — when, as hard, e breezes, more than ckyard, to may with to find a nmost ex- apparent, r to work hfe, or at Louis, or the Go- fmeers, a charge of n of the Icing, but |e aspect, ^iven up ; [nd when llv to the t * advantage of the ishmds, having two j)orts instead of one. The glowing terms in wh.ch some writers speak of tliis group are difficult to be accounted for. Captain Mowett says, " it has a good soil, clear of rocks, suscep- tible of easy tillage and high cultivatioiL" All these ad- vantages, however, can only be proved upon trial. That it hns fed vast herds of wild cattle is well known ; but in this part of the world good pasturage will not alone enable man to live comfortably. Hides and beef are not so profitably exchanged at such a distinice. That the islands are invaluable to the seaman in distress is evi- dent ; that they will ever be anything more is doubtful. It is not pei'haps generally known, that they have already proved a refuge from utter destruction to the crew of a British man-of-war. In 1770 the Swift was wrecked in Port Desire, on the coast of Patagonia ; under cir- cumstances of peculiar hardship, and at the approach of winter, her conunander. Captain William White, suc- ceeded in reaching Port Egnicmt, upwards of 300 miles distant. There he fell in with the Favourite, which pro- ceeded to the assistance of the rest of the crew. The Favourite had been engaged in forming the settlement at Port Egmont, which was so summarily dismissed by the Spaniards, who however disavowed the act of their officer. Although the English Government, from the coming distress of the American war, never re- established the settlement, yet the question, apart from politics and the bickerings of rival nations, has still an interest as the subject of one of Johnson's pamphlets. Stanley, at the time of our visit, numbered twenty-four 24 THE vovac;k ui" u.M.s. HERALD. [September, houses and about VIO jktsoiis, who were employed in buikling houses, wharfs, and stores. All the military force the Governor had with him were Sappers and Miners, the rest of the inhabitants being only under his civil jurisdiction. The islands occupy a space about half the size of Ireland, 120 miles by 60. Their aspect is most desolate and wretched ; an undulating land covered with }jeaty soil and wiry grass, and intersected by ranges of hills, boggy streams, and rivulets. The geological structure is curious ; in the neighbourhood of Stanley there is a cliff so nmch resembling a wall, that until it has been visited it is thought artificial ; the strata of white granular quartz are frequently arched A ith perfect symmetry ; seats of an amphitheatre, streams of stones, are connnon in East Falkland. The lower country consists of clay, slate, and sandstone, covered over with a peaty soil, which serves for fuel ; the tussac grass is common. Birds are abundant, though since Bougauiville's tune (1766) much diminished. Our sportsmen shot snipe, plovers, hawks, owls, and a kind of buzzard, called the Cara Cara. The penguin, that combination of fish and bird, might, as Darwin says, when crawling through the tussac grass, be readily mistaken for a quadruped. Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. The upland goose {Anas leucopterd) was brought on board by scores, and eaten and even relished by many, while others de- clared that, after tasting it once, only the fear of starvation would make them try it again. It is, however, said that if skinned and kept for some tinu; it may be deprived of the strong fishy flavour ; decomposition might change it, 1845.] Vat-ki,axt) islands. '1\ but iiotliing else. The rock goose {J/u/s Jnfarcfica) lives exclusively on the sea-beach, and tastes even worse than the former ; the most hardy were deterred froiii eating it ; in the autumn however, when feeding on berries, })oth kinds lose in a measure this disagreeable quality. The logger-headed duck, which Darwin so ai)j)ropriately styles ' the steamer,' is another inhabitant, and wiughs at times twenty })ounds. It has received the name from its manner of propelling itself by paddling and splash- ing in the Avater ; its wings are too small and weak to allow of flight, but by their aid, partly swinnning and partly by fla})})ing the surface of the water, it moves very quickly, making a very ciaious noise. The steamer is able to dive for a short distance only ; it feeds on shell- fish from the kelp and tidal rocks. At S])arrow Cove, at the head of Port William, we saw some horses nhich sprang from those brought by Bougainville ; they are of a small and weak growth, a contrast to the bullocks, which are generally fine animals. The horses have never left the eastern part of the island, although there is no natural boundary to prevent them. In mal g the Falkland Islands a strong colony for the benefit of vessels in distress, it would be desirable to add a couple of cutters of from forty to fifty tons, or a small steamer of one hundi'ed tons, to visit the distant parts of the group. A vessel might now be wrecked to the westward, and her crew, unable to reach Stanley, would reap no more benefit from the establishment than did the unfortunate Wager's crew from the proximity of the Anna Pink. Since our visit a triangular beacon has been erected on Cape Pembroke, the easternmost part '20 THE VOYAGK OF II. .M.S. HERALD. [Octodcr, of the islands; it is paintt'd wiiilu and red, and can be seen ahont five miles otl' at sea. Water of pjood taste was proenred from two or three streams near the town; we used the engine, — without one the operation woidd not have been so easy. The 27th of September was a beautiful day. What a difference ! The desolate shores of Sttudey Harbour and its embryo town looked cheerful when under the influence of a cloudless sky and a gentle breeze. It is not to be wondered that the English hi their changeable climate arc talking so much about the weather. The pleasure of a fine day after the long continuance of fog, sleet, wind, and rain, is not appreciated by those who live under a brighter sun. On the 30th of September we weighed and made sail out of Stanley Harbour ; the wind was light, and as we cleared the narrow entrance, only three hundred yards wide, it hauled round to north-east, compelling us to beat out ; a fog also got up. About noon we cleared the land. The Pandora was not in sight ; we regained her however l)y means of a rocket, but on the 3rd of October ^ve lost sight of her a second time, nor did we nieet again until we arrived at Valparaiso, where she preceded us upwards of a fortnight. On the 1 5th of October w* e were under storm-sails and close-reefed maintopsail. In the middle watch it was bitterly cold, unusually so, — ropes, deck, and bulwarks were coated with ice ; this was accounted for at day- light by an iceberg being not far off. It was a fine object, about two miles in length and 150 or 200 feet high. 1845.] PASSAGE ROUND CAPE HORN. 27 Heavy gales, squalls, cold drizzling rain, snow, hail, the main-deck stove in, the gangway boarding washed away, a low temperature, and a man falling overboard, was the sunnnary of a month's battering off the Horn. On the 15th of October we were witlun thirty miles f Diego Ramirez, that group so singularly placed, that perhaps another fifty years may see it the site of a linrhthouse. We tacked at sunset to avoid it. Towards midnight the wind hauled round again to the wcst- sonth-west, blowing strong with storms of hail jind snow, but it moderated again on the 17th. This was pro- bably the turning point or crisis of the voyage ; had we stood to northward on the 15th of October, in- stead of tacking to avoid the Diego Ramirez, we should, in all probability, have made the same passage that the Pandora did, but against that advantage is to be placed the risk of getting on that group ; the result with us was a detention for nearly, a fortnight in this miserably inclement, blustering climate. The passage round Ciipc Horn, although stripped of its terrors by experience, the aid of chronometers, and the superior maimer in which ships of the present day are found, is still an anxious and fatiguing voyage. The quick succession and violence of the gales make it remarkable. There does not appear to be the least objection to nearing the coast, particu- larly since the admirable surveys of Captains King and Fitzroy, although cast of Cape Horn fifty or sixty miles is the closest approach that, on account of the diversity of the currents, ought to be made. On the 3rd of November a westerly breeze sprang up, varying to the north-west, which, though rather adverse, » 28 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. \Novembei\ carried us out of the inclenieut regions of the south. In 44° south and 70° west we passed Ji whaler, trying out, as the phrase is, hoihng her bhibber down ; as tlic wind was blowing fresh, and having never seen the operation at sea before, we did not at first know what to make of it. We passed two others on the following day engaged in the same manner. The Americans engross nearly all the whaling trade of the Pacific Ocean ; for one English ship we met with ten American. On the 9th of November we made the land, fifty miles south of Valdivia, Chile. The weather was now beau- tiful, and we enjoyed it the more from our tedious pas- sage. Valdivia will at some future day be an important place ; it is the only opening to a magnificent tract of country called Los Llanos, or the plains lying between Chiloe or the Gulf of Ancud and Bonifacio Head, ex- tending from the steep hills which line the coast to the Andes. The prhicipal rivers, forming what Captain Fitz- roy calls the deceiving port of A^aldivia, are the Calla Calla, on which the town stands, and the Cruces. The har- bour, though in appearance extensive, is, from the accu- mulation of mud and sand, very limited in the accommo- dation it affords to vessels of any size. The adjacent country reminds one of the neighbourhood of Plymouth. We were near enough to observe fine herds of cattle ; but the pathless forest, bounded on one side by the Andes, and on the other by the ocean, seemed barely traversed by man. Valdivia, perpetuating the name of the daring and a\aricious Pedro de Valdivia, is, although called a city and the capital of a j)rovincc, merely a village, em- bosomed in orchards. It was founded in 1551, a few ^ovewber, 1S45.] VALDIVIA. 0() ith. In iiig out, :lic wind iperation make of engaged I early all English fty miles w beau- ons pas- nportant traet of between ead, ex- t to the ain Fitz- la Calla, ^he har- le accu- eommo- djacent mouth. le ; but Andes, aversed daring tailed a ^e, eni- a few years before Valdivia fell in battle with the imronciucr- able Araueanians, whose deeds of valonr in defenee of their liberty are so well detailed bv llrcillii in his * Aran- There is somethinji: f^rnnd in the ener a Fuera in Captain Pitzroy's chart, an island about ten miles in circumference and forty-five miles from the main- land. This place is famous in the buccaneering annals. Woodes Rogers says, " The inhabitants have neither wood, water, nor any vegetable ; the soil is a white clay mixed w^ith sand and rocks, and several veins of sl.'ite ; here is, however, good riding for ships in about twenty fathoms water. Penguins, pelicans, boobies, and a kind of fowl like teal, that burrow in the ground, and seal abound." The good anchorage he mentions would ap- pear to refer rather to Lobos de Ticrra, thirty miles N. by W.^W. of Lobos dc a Puera, and only ten miles from the mainland. On the 28th we made the Silla de Payta, a remark- K 2 '■•;■ il THE VOYAOK OF H.M.S. IIK.HMJ). [DcCCiuhcr, a])lc range of liills, 1300 fret higli, and of nineli darkev eolour than tlu; lower eliffs. We had now nearly reached the extremity of the great desert which, with little in- termission, extends 1800 miles, from Cocjuimho in C'hile, to within a few miles of Parina Point, near Payta. The sndden change from the extreme aridity of this barren tract, to the dense foliage of the forests of Gnayaqnil, is striking. On a smaller scale the same phenomenon may 1)0 witnessed at every port on the coast, Avlicrc a little rill descending from tlu; Andes produces cm each side a belt of verdure, which disappears as soon as the influence of the stream is overcome by the mighty desert. In th(^ afternoon another Lobos, or Seal island, was in s'jht, making like a part of the mainland. On drawing to the northward with the fresh southerly wind, the channel between it and the continent became distinct. The cliff's are very white, and resemble a ship under sail. The extreme regularity ef the shore is extraordinary ; the ramparts of a line of fortification could hardly be more exact or formal in their outline. Having hauled round Payta Point we anchored. Several American whalers, a Peruvian schooner of war of one hundred tons, and a few small coasters wer(3 lying in the bay. We were in- formed at Callao that at this time of year, on the change of moon, a heavy swell is generally ex})erienced. It was new moon on the 28th, and on the .^Oth of Decem- ber the Captain's gig was swamped in landing, and the Pandora's very nearly so. This swell is said to be com- mon on the coast. Payta is chiefly visited by the whale- ships, but it is also a port of some note in sup})lying the interior; Lima, even when Callao was blockaded by the h II 45.J SANTA ("I. AHA. 3 Cliilcno s(|iin(lr()n uikKm" Lord Cocliraiu', and iv^iuu in ls;}r), received evervtliiim- from toreijiJi eountries l)v w of Pnvta. On the 2()tli of l)e('end)(>r we sailed from Pavta, and on the 8 1st anchored in the* Gulf of (jiuaya(|uil. We were looking out for the liglitliouse on the island of Sanla Clara, or, as more conunoidy called, Amortajado, hut were unable to see it, for a good i-eason, because it was not lighted, and being uiuiccjuainted with the set of the currents we were compelled to anchor. Amortajado lies {d)out midwav between Tumbez and Puna, about four leagues from either shore. It is a small rocky island, of little service, except as u station for a lighthouse at tlu^ entrance of the river (jiuaya(piil. Since l!S8l one has been erected, but the su[)erintendent told us that it was indiffereutly supplied with oil, and could not be kept always alight. The siu-f is heavy, particularly at liigh water, when some difficulty is experienced in land- ing. The island should not be ap})roached too closely, especially on the east and south-east side, where detached rocks with deep Avater between are lying two and three miles from the slum At our anchorage we felt the strength of the river Guaya([uil, the ebb setting south- south-west, and the flood east, about one knot or a knot aiul a half an hour. It was at Tuud)ez, about twelve miles south-east of this island, that Pizarro first st(;})ped on the soil of Peru. He landed on Santa Clara, which was then uninhabited, and only o(!casionally visitiid by the warlike ])e()ple of Pima, for purposes of sacrifice and worshij). 54 i li CJIAPTER IV, Tli(! Galapagos Islands — Charles Island — James Island — Chat ham Island — Coast of Eeuador — Bay of Atacamas — Kamhle in the {''orcst — Mr. T. Edmonslon — His Death aiu' a sketch of his Life — lUvcr Esmeraldas — Gallo Island. On the 1st of Jiuiuary, lb4-(), wc dcpurtud for the Ga- hipagos Islands, and, carried along by the trade-wind, made on the Gth at daylight Gardiner's Island, and at noon the sontli end of Charles Island. Standing to the northward, along the sonth-west shore, the whid fcll light, accompanied with haze. We therefore shaped om* course for the night. On the following djiy we sailed along the west side of Charles Island, with light winds and driz- zling rain. The land was gloomy in the extreme. Black lava clifts bounded the shore, and wherever a glimpse of the interior was caught, tangled underwood and ])rickly pear were seen. We passed IMackbeach Bay, which offers good anchorage, and the [)ath leading to the settlement is pointed out by a boat-shed in a small sandy bay. A re- markable hill, which the look-out men reported as Saddle Hill, lies about five miles to the southward of this bay, l«K).] CHAULKS ISLAND. 55 and is an excellent land-mark. A rouk niakinj*; like a sail elears up any donht one niijj;lit have as to the plaee. Ronnding the west extremity of Post-ofhee I^ay, a heavy surf breaks on the eastern point, whieh is still further marked by a small islaiul covered with cactuses, almost remindini; one of the ■r? covei Gunner's Quoin ott' the north-east end of Mauritius. The wet season extends here from Novmnber to March, but it is said not to bi', so contimious as on tlu; main- land. Heavy rain continued until January 8th, when a fresh southerly breeze cleared the mist and gave us sun- sliine once more. At noon we came to an iuichor in Post-oiKce Hay, Charles Island. A party pulled round to Blaekbeach Bay, to visit the settlement, about four miles from the anchorage in Post-ofUce 1-Jay, which re- ceived its name from a custom among the whale-ships of leaving a box with letters in one of the clefts of the rock. The landing in Blackbeacli l^ay is easy. On looking about we discovered a path, whieh we followed. 'J'he thickets on each side were so tangled, the cacti so large, and armed with prickles three or four inches in length, that attempting to proceed without first clearing n path would have been im[)ossible, and the lal)our would have been out of the ([uestion for a party like ours without machetes or hatchets. Large locusts were seen in ex- traordhiary numbers. The naturalist, the late Mr. I^d- monston, obtained some very fine specimens. As we got inland the country improved ; the trees became larger, the soil less rocky, or, to describe it more exactly, the masses of lava became pulverized. After a walk of 50 TIIK V()VA<;ii Ol' ll.iM.S. llKKAIil). [.J((ttK(tn/, H? I! ri I il^ !'l! less tliaii ail liour, tlio cruwiiiijf of cocks, the hraying of donkeys, and the bjirking of dogs, announced our a[)- proach to the abode of man. A few ruined hovels stood round a level green spot. The houses were small, formed of straight poles placed close together with thatched roofs, but devoid of cleanliness, so easily at- tained in such a [)lace, ii sloping declivity with a l)r()ok at the bottom ottering every convenience for the comforts and decencies of life. We were soon ottered fowls, wood, and potatoes for sale, which however were then not oiu* object. Inquiring for the Governor, we were conducted to a larger house, but more dirty and in worse repjur even than the rest, where wc found three or four good-looking women, swinging in their ham- mocks, and not at all hiterru})ted by our entrance, and a Senor Alee, styling himself temporary governor, and acting for Don Jose Villamil, tlu; person mentioned by (va})tain Fitzroy as the proprietor of the greater part of the stock then (1S35) upon the island. An English- man named Gurney, who had married a sister of Sefior Alee, gave us a variety of information. Captain Titzroy mentions a penal settlement having been in 1832 esta- blished in the island by the RepnbUc of Ecuador. It was chiefly intended for political offenders. About a year before our visit a revolution took place, and the greater number of the exiles were recalled by the party who at- tained power. There never appears to have been much control exercised over these delinquents, for the most suf- ficient of all reasons, because the governor had no power to enforce any. At the time of our visit the exiles were certainly not those from whom a government could feel ] 8 ].().] ( IIAHI-KS ISLAND. 57 iiuich fear, consisting of an inccu'rigiblc drnnkard, an inifortnnatc mud woman, and a murdcrci' ; they were all at large. The cattle luul increased wonderfully, and were esti- mated at 2000 head, besides wild pigs, goats, and dogs. The cattle are hunted down with dogs, and we were ottered any (juantity we re([uired, on giving previous notice. The wild dogs keep the goats and pigs down very nuich. At Juan Fernandez it is stated they have extir- pated them, and the same result will take place in this island unless means are adopted to reduce the number of the dogs. There were only two or three tame cows ; the difficulty of taming the wild cattle is so great as to be almost impracticable. The people are accustomed to send them to Chatham Island, where an establishment to sup- ply whalers with refreshments is forming. Water is abun- dant here ; at present hoAvevcr no pains are taken to render it available for shipping ; this might be done by laying pipes down from the wells to a reservoir formed in Blackbeach Bay. As it is, the gullies and little valleys in Post-office Bay are, in the rainy season, tor- rents ; so that if encouragement were ottered by a suf- ttcient demand, a supply might be obtained from this som'ce alone. We continued our walk to the plantations on the side of a conical hill further inland, or to the eastward of the Puebla, and soon got sight of Post-office Bay, where the Herald and Pandora were riding at anchor. The bay appears equally near with Blackbeach Bay, and the anchorage is more protected. When the settlement was (established, the labour of forming the road to Post-office 5H THE VOYAtiE OF II. M.S. IIKIIAM). \Jtint(ftri/, lltl 11^ i* ]ky would not have })ccn grcjiter than to IMnckhcacli Hay; landing?, however, as far as our experience goes, is easier in the hitter than in the former. The phnitations are in tlie valley and on the side of the conical mountain, which is plainly seen from Post-ofKco Jky, and serves to pohit out the settlement from the west side of the island. The fertility of this vale seems unbounded. For a mile wc walked through enclosures in which Indian corn, melons, bananas, ])umpkins, sugar-cane, and limes were growing most luxuriantly. The largest tree wc saw was the Palo santo, which, on being scored, exudes a gum found useful in healing sores aiul wounds ; it grows as large as a pear-tree, but resembles an ash in appearance. There is another and smaller tree, the gum of which is employed for similar purposes. Tlu; Palm Cactus {OpiDitia Galapaycia, Ilensl.) is remarkable, re- sembling the cactus engrafted upon the palm, with large oval compressed articulations springing from a cylindrical stem. After rain the atmosphere was so clear that Inde- fatigable, or Porter's Isle as the Americans call it, Albemarle, and Barringtons, though they were at least forty or fifty miles distant, could all be defined. The peaks of Albemarle Island are 8700 feet high. The absence of the palm, that attribute of tropical scenery, is remarkable. The palm is a never-failing indica- tion of water, and often of the abode of man ; but not- withstanding its absence, we found the island more fertile and wooded than, from Darwin's description, wc were led to expect. Since Dampier's visit the pro- gress appears to have been great. We cannot doubt the 1^4(1.] DAI-RYMI'I.K AND KK'KKK HOCKH. 5U truth of timt navigator's (Uiscriptiun, and were apffoi'uhly snr[)risc'(l at all wc saw. No turpin, or terrapin, arc living; on this ishind ; but turth; arc abuiuhuit. 8cals trc([uont the coast in considerable (piantitics ; ten or twelve were shot during our stay, but none of the fur kind. The l*andora got a haul of tish with the seine that few had seen ccjualled. On the 1 Ith of Jaiuiary we made sail, standing cast- north-east round the north point of Cliarles Island; the current was strong against us, and wiUi a two-knot breeze we could hardly stem it. At Urn \.m. we observed M'Gowan's njcf — tlie water breaking upon it, but not heavily. The |)Osition of this reef is 1°H' 4 5" south and 89° 50' west, lying midway between Charles and Chatham Islands, The similarity of these islands is great, — a tame rounded outline, with peaks or extinct crators throughout ; the more minu ^' features often reminding one of Htnji and the environs of Catania. At three p.m. Dalrymplc and Kicker rocks were in sight. The first is sixty-tivc feet high, and resend)lcs a shij) under sail — if that fa- vourite comparison of navigators may be used once more ; — its summit is covered with masses looking like ill-made chinmey-pots — one of the freaks every now and then occurring, as if to remind one how nnicli beauty and synnnetry there is in nature ; so nuich indeed that until the contrary is sisen we pass it by miheeded. The Kicker is still more remarkable. A schooner was seen in Wreck Bay, Chatham Isle. At first it was reported as a flag flying among the trees ; then a vessel lying inside a bar harbour, with a heavy surf breaking right across ; but as we drew to the north- (10 TIIK V()VA(iK OF II.M.K. HKKALI). {JfUHfanf, mst, and the \my opened more elearly, vve were nl»l(^ to (listin}i;iiisli tlu! seliooiier, under luMiiidor colours, lyiuj^at niieljor off a small villafjje elos(! to the i)eaeh, with little or no surf at the laudinjjj-plaee. We ran pas, > >»vcv(r, and eame to an anehor in an open bay on the i: ,11 jide of Chatham Island. On the 1 2th of January we landed on a sandy l)eaeh to take siglits for time. Hu; surf was ineonvenicnt, and in the afternoon increased so nnich that Ave experienced some ditticulty in getting otF. The rollers were licavy oil' the extreme point of St. Ste[)hen's J^v> •'i'^ nnich as eight or ten feet high. This would ajjpear to resemble the rollers at St. Helena and Ascension, occurring without aj)parent cause ; for there was, and had been, little wind, and it was besides the Ice side of the island. Captain Kellett went round in the Pandora to Freshwater ]^ay, where the Beagle watered in l!S35. lie landed without much inconvenience, there being little surf, notwithstanding its being the weather side of the island. Ships well provided with anchors and cables may lie there and water without difticulty or danger ; but w^e were told that at Charles Island a whale-shij), rather than anchor, had purchased water from the settlement, and carried it to the beach on donkeys. On the 13th wc went to examine St. Stephen's Bay, but found landing impossible, on account of the surf. There is deep water and good anchorage, ten and twelve fathoms, within half a mile of the shore ; but according to Captain Fitzroy it is subject to calms and bafltling winds. During the few hours we were in it, we found this pecu- liarly the case, 'i'he Kicker oft" this bay is one of tlu; I >s k; HT. HTK1MIKN s H\V (II most cxtnuH'dimiry n»cks in tli<' world, and inijj;lit linvc Ix'cii ciiIKmI the Sea-horse, liavin}j; iiiucli the appciinmcL' ol' (hat animal when l}'in{i; (K)\vii witli lu'ad erect and tore feet a httle advaneed. It is 400 feet higli, and in two dis- tinct parts. A jolly boat conld be pulled throujjjh if tla^ watc!!' was tolerably smooth. It has one or two arches in the larger part, throu*];!! which the sea rushes with violence. We could get no bottom with tifty fathoms all round it. Finger Point has a heavy surf beating upon it. Ca[)tain Fitzroy gives its height as 51(1 fec't : it is almost as renuwkable as La I'ouce at tlu; Maiu'itius. St. Stepheu's Hay, though it looks well upon the chart, would appear to offer no inducement to a ship, as far as landing goes. The bay Me anchored in is better, aiul that was biid enough ; our boats were half-swampcjd more than once. Wreck Hay, where the settlement, a few poor huts, is formed, is a good snug anchorage, with easy landing. The i)urser procured wood cheap, but not good. There, for the first time, we saw the terra[)in, or galapago, those animals which have given their name to the group. We bought them at the rate of six shil- lings a-piece ; they were two feet two inches in length, one foot ten inches broad, standing one foot two inches off the ground. On the 1 Ith we sailed for James Island, standing to the north-west. The nights had been beautiful for the last week. The stars were seldom moi'c brilliant. Jupi- ter shed new lustre npon Aries ; Vemis and Mars seemed to light up Aquarius and Pisces ; Orion, Sirius, Procyon, shinhig unrivalled; Auriga, Aldebaran, and (Jemini were seen on the northern meridian, i) in Argo Navis on the 02 THE VOYAOK OF H.M.S. HKH ALl). [JantfCm/, Hi southern, — a glorious galaxy, helping to pass away an hour of the tedious night-watches. On the 15th, at day- light, wc were off' James Island, hut to leeward of the north-west point, round which we had to go. The wiiul baffled us for a few hours, but afterwards came fresh from south-south-east, and at eleven a.m. we ancliored in James's Bay, on the west side of the island. The iGuayacjuilenians call Charles Island Ploriana ; the Spa- niards used to term it Santa Maria del Aguada. These islands were named after the chief people in England, when buccaneering v»\is at its height. Charles and James after the royal brothers, Albemarle after Alonk, and Narborough after the admiral. James Island appears covered with larger timber than either of the others we visited, and seas of lava, cliffs, phmacles, and craters an; more numerous. The sportsmen shot a fcAv teal, snipe, curlew, and hawks. It rained heavily during the night, but cleared up in the morning. Sights, for latitude and time wi're ob- tahicd; giving lat. 0° 12' 20'' north, long. 90° 55' 30" west. The place of observation was a sandy b(\ach to the left of th'3 sea of lava. Uampier was at these islands in June, when rain never falls, — we in the middle of the rainy °i,ason ; which probably accounts for his de- preciathig accomit of the group. It is not hkely either that he ever went so far inland as the present settlers have done. On the lOth of January we departed from the Gala- pagos Islands, and stood across for the mainland — a trip often made by the enterprising buccaneers*. * Oil the 20tli of Jinniary, at 9li. 40m. to lOh. 3nm. a.m., in lat. \inuarii, iway an , at (lay- [ of the lie wind le fresli ncliored I. The :lic Spa- Tliesc "England, d James ik, and appears tilers we iters arc; d, sni[)e, I up in ob- 80" '(?rc ;3o )eaeh to islands Iddle of liis de- )itl eitner se ttlers |e Gala- -a trip ill lat. 1840.] COAST OF KCUADOU. 03 On the 22nd we were off Cape San Francisco, standing round Galera Point. " The country inland," says Dam- pier, " is high and mountainous, and a})pears to be woody ; by tlie sea it is full of small points, making as many little; sandy bays between tliem. It is of indiiierent height, covered with trees, so that sailing l)y this coast you sei; notliing but a vast grove or wood, wliich is so much the more pleasant because the treses are of several forms, both in respect of their growth and colour." Reading this account with the coast within three or four miles, one cannot do more than repeat it, and acknowhMlge its Hdelity and truth. Pohit Gfdera is low and shelx iiig ; Cape Sjui Francisco vtcep and Avell wo()d(>d, tlu; clilfs in many parts are white, somewhat resend)]ing those.of Sus- F,ex and Kent. About 2 P.M. we anchored off the river Sua in the bay of Atacainas. Very good anchorage is found in this bay, and as it seldom or never blows, vessels can anchor almost anywhere ; but off Sua especially, the water is not deep, U" 18' south and long". 83° west, \vc sounded with 500 fatlionis of line, and found the temperature as follows : — Surface TC'^ 10 fathoms 75 20 , 70 30 „ G7 40 „ 07 50 „ G5-5 100 „ r,2-5 200 „ 54 300 „ 51 400 „ 48 500 „ 47 On the 21st of January, in lat. 0^' 15' north and 81^" 30' west, w<' tried for soundings with 700 fathoms, but got no bottom. ()l. TlIK VOV \(iK OK M.M.S. HF,H AM), J(uu(an/, III fel and tlu; lioldiiig-gnnmd good, hcsidcs having llu^ advan- tage of a village within a mile or two, whence snpplies can be procured*. " On the 2 Uh a i)arty was going wooding, and several of us," says one of the journals, " took .idvantage of the boat to get on shore. A ])ull of about two miles brought us to the mouth of the river, which empties itself into a beautiful little bay. The right-hand side of the l)ay is formed of high white cliii's, which are crowned with trees, and termhiated in one, isolated by a sandy isthmus, called Sua Head. The left side is a sandy beach, inter- spersed with rocky points, by which, at ebb tide, Ataca- mas might be reached. On landing, we sej)arated into two })iirties, — the one intending to reach Atacamas by the beach, the other by the forest. The l)arty to which I belonged struck into a path said to lead to the villagi;. The excursion being my first in a tropical forest, 1 was both i)leased and surprised -. a perfume pervaded th(> air ; a contimied buzz was kept up by the insects ; beautiful birds and butterflies were seen in every direction. \ walk of about two miles brought us to a house i)uilt upon piles, raised ten or twelve feet from the ground, and thatched with palm-leaves. The inhabitants were civil, and gave us some pine-ap[)les,— a great treat after the walk. " After leaving the house, and walking about five miles without reaching the village, all became conscious that * Marks of tlu- anchorage : — Sua Point just clear of Aguada Head ; llic latter should not shul in the former, as from the shallowness of the water the swell is often inconvenient. In six fathoms. Month of Sua liivcr, south angle from Aguada Head, 10". Extremes of land, west- south-west ami iiorth-east-l)V-<;asl. Otl" sliore t'Ao miles and a half. IS/IO.) IIAMBLE IN THE KOUKST. 05 wc liad lost our way. [[cariii'"; the l)arking of dogs, we proceeded towards the (Urection wlience tlie sounds came. Tlie path lirouglit us to a thicket, hut to no inhahitiul pkice ; and after trying several others witli no ])etter suc- cess, we deternihied to r.'turn. lUit lo ! the original path was lost; we were bewildered. Here one of the [)arty, recpiiring a stimulant, found that he had lost his pocket- flask, — a vessel which always accompanied him on his excursions. " At last the rush of the river was heard ; and know- ing that by keeping along the banks we shoukl reach the beach, we contrived, not without a good scratching from the underwood, to get to the river. We found ii small house, and, as the owner was absent, amused our- selves by examining his household goods, — his cala- bashes, trunks, bows and arrows. We also fell into a path which led to the first building passed, and, thougli disappointed at not finding the village, we were glad to Hnd our way. Having rested, and tilled our pockets with limes, we made towards the beach, and were joined by Mr. T. Edmonston, the naturalist, who had been bo- tanizing. " At the sea-shore we met the first party, who, though having reached Atacamas, were half-drowned on their way. One of them had been in a dangerous situation, from which he was only rescued with the loss of his shoes, jacket, and cap ; and to finish all, on arriving at the vil- lage he had his gun stolen. Returning by the wood, a stream was met with. An ardent conchologist belong- ing to the party had collected in a handkerchief a few shells. Crossing the river with it in his mouth, his foot 00 TllK VOYACJE OF H.M.8. HERALD. I \Jauuary^ .1? \ struck against a hard sii1)stancc. He took it to be an alligator, though sonic cvil-disposcd people declared it to be merely a sunken log. Be this as it may, the thing so frightened him that he opened his mouth and lost the collection. In line, there was hardly one that did not meet with some misfortune. This of coiu*sc afforded a great deal of anmsement, the one laughing at the otherij* expense. But the comedy was over, a tragedy was about to begin. " It was getting late ; we were tired and heartily glad to go on board. The surf ran high, bui ])eing pretty dani}) it did not give us any concern. Several were already in the boat, and I was getting hi, with the naturalist close l)ehind me, when the leg of my trowsers lifted the cock of a rifle. The piece went off, sending its charge through the arm of Mr. Whiffin, and making a perfect furrow through the skull of the imfortunate Edmonston. He uttered a slight exclamation, and fell irto the water. A man innnediately raised him to the sm'face, but life was gone. So suddenly had the accident taken place, that nobody in the boat knew what had happened, Mr. Whiffin not even being aware of his wound. When the melancholy news became known on shore?, every on.', by tacit consent, discharged his gun, and each report ope- rated u])on me like an electric shock ; I almost fancied I beheld another death. " The boat sent for wood was also in a perilous posi- tion. Being heavily laden, the rollers seemed to threa- ten her destruction as she passed the bar. The captain, in his gig, ke})t close to her, and every one felt relieved on seeing her safe in deep water. The night was in 1840.] MR. T. KDMONSTON. (•)7 keeping witli the day ; it rained only as it does in tro- pical countries, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and heavy gusts, alternating with dreadful calms. The next day wc buried the body of our unfortunate shipmate. His remains were laid on a beautiful bank leading to the sandy isthmus of which I have spoken. His loss was felt by all, he being universally beloved for his kind dis- position and agreeal)lc manners ; wlilk; his talents ren- dered him a most useful and important accpiisition to the duty the ship was employed upon. The shock that the sad news produced was awful ; every one seemed to feel it as a personally afflicting calamity." Thomas Edmonston was the eldest son of Dr. Laurence E(biionston, of the Shetland Islands, and was born on the 20th of Septeml)er, 1825, at the seat of his uncle at Buncss. He was a very delicate child, and the utmost care was necessary to restrain his brain from work until his constitution had become strong. He had hardly completed his fourth year, when, to the surprise of his parents, he taught hnnst;lf to read in a most pecidiar manner. Having an extraordinarily quick and retentive memory, he asked whomsoever he could get to read to him. Two or three readings were suffi.cif nt to impress the matter e « his mind, and then he lenriit the words from the book, thus avoiding all spelling out of syllables. When four years old he began to show a predilection for natm'al history, especially ornithology. No doubt his father's taste for these studies tended to lead him towards them. So great was the boy's faculty of observation, that if a bird was placed before him he could find out its name by referring to Bewick's ' British Birds,' and V 2 08 TIIK V()Y\(;i': OF II. MS, !IKn\I,l). Janiian/. this was at a time wlu'n lie could not yet speak plainly. lie was ii(!V('r satisfied nntil he knew tin; seientifie ap- pellation of ev(!ry aninud he met with, and this desire led him early to the study of Latin and subsequently to (iireek. He was eight years old when lu; began to pay attention to plants. At the ag(; of twelve lu; met with Mr. James M'Nab, who was on a tour in Shetland, and to whom he showed the Areiuwid Norrcf/ica, his first addition to the British Fh)ra. Mr. M'Njd) encouraged hiui, and from that time the pursuit of botany became his ruling jmssion. When foin'teen, Ik* made an ex- cursion over the Shetland Islands, gathering malerials, afterwards of course augmented, for his Flora of Shetland, I ui)lished in 1S45. His education had 'v.cii ccmducted lit home by his father until IS 11, when he was sent to '^e college at Edinburgh, where he attended natural j)hiloso})hy, languages, mid Dr. (iraham's Botany. In ! V t;^ he d(;livered a course of lectures on his favonriti' scieiicc in Lc^rwick, and m the following year in Elgin and Forres. The winter of 1843-44 he spent at Aberdeen, under Dr. Macgillivray's instruction, and dis- covered a new species of inollusca now bearing his name. In the spring he became a candidate; for the professorship of Natnral History, in the Andersonian University, Glas- gow, and rained the election by a large majority. He had jus<^ prepared his lectures and settled in Glasgow when ;he appointment as naturalist of H.M.S. Herald was offered to hin). His ardent wish was now fulfilled ; and looking forwaid to a situation most congenial to his taste and feelings, he joined the vessel without having even had time to wish his family farewell. plainly, ilic ap- i desire t'litly to to pay let witli lul, and his lirsl ouraged lu'eaine • nil e\- lalevia.Is, ^lietland, )vuliu'(ed ; sent to iintmal ISIO.J MU. T. KDMONSTON. (it) my. In tavonrite ill Elg-in j)ent at and dis- is name, ssorship ,y, Glas- iity. He jilasgow Herald rulfiUed ; tenia! to having If his friends and I'elations weep for oni" of whom tluy might he jnstly proud, seienee has no less reason to regret the loss of so entlmsiastie a student. Had liis lif(! been spared he wonld no donht have heeome one of the first botanists of the day. He had already, yonng as he was, pnblislied a Fhmi of tlu; extreme north of the Hritish Islands, and contribnted many able artieles to Newman's ' Phytologist,' and other seientilie periodicals. The piece of oak which was ])laced at the head of his grave will in fntnre be searched for in vain ; bnt his brother natnralists will meet on the shores of the ocean on which their talented colleagnc^ died, an evergreen shrnl) with dark red panicles. It is the Ednioa^loitui /)((('ljlcf( (Seem.)*, a monnment erected to his memory by an ardent admirer of his talents. Onr station in the bay was on acconnt of the gronnd- swell so inconvenient, that we shifted onr berth a mile fni iher oil' shore, where we rode mnch easier ; and on tlu; •2Gth of Jannary, before daylight, we were again nnder way, standing for the Esmeraldas river, a few miles to the northward ; bnt the wind failed and we had to anchor at sunset ofl* Pohit Gordo. Gordo is a common appellativ)n on this coast, being usually applied to a bluff rounding point, such as this one is. The point should not be hugged too closely ; there is a shallow patch oft* it four or five miles to the westward, having in many parts not more than four and four and a half fathoms ; it extends from the town or river of Atacamas * This plant has been figured in phitc xviii. of the l^otany of the \ ovngo of II. M.S. llcraUl, and is so dill'crcnt from all known gi luTa thai it will prubiibl\ btconic liic Ivpc of a new KaUiral Order. 70 TIIK VOYAOK OF H.M.S. IIKUAI-D. [J((nnan/, on the south, up to Point Cionhi, and the shallow water goes four or five miles off' the coast, so that, luitil accu- rately sounded, it would be prudent to keep thus much off* the land. Among the products of these regions there is the India-rubber tree, a straight tree, gronuig to the height of sixty feet, at the upper part sending off numerous branches covered with rough bark. The natives make boats of the elastic resin, and a kind of cloth similar in its uses to oil-cloth and to Mackhitosh's famous article ; they also make it into torches, which emit a pure and brilliant light. On the 27th of January, before daylight, we got under way, th(; weather behig gloomy and threatening rain, and in the forenoon anchored oft* the Esmeraldas river. The river has a course of 350 miles and upwards. Rising in the neighbourhood of the volcano of Cotopaxi, and pass- ing through the elevated region of Ecuador, it increases by a munber of tributaries, and becomes, next to Gua- yacpiil, the largest river on this coast; for connnercial purposes it will never be of great avail, except for the smallest class of vessels. It is extraordinarily nipid : although we were lying three miles from the mouth, in ten fathoms water, yet the sea was much discoloured, and our boats had considerable difficulty in pulling against the current. The town of Esmeraldas, a poor and ill- built ])lace, has about 1000 inhabitants, and is situated on the left bank, about ten miles from the mouth of tlu; river. The prosperity of Guayaquil has been nMidered so high by its connnerce as to cause jealousy in the ('a])ital, and tlie Goverinnent of Ecuatlor has therefore \\ water til accu- is much is the 13 height iiuei'ous 38 make uiilar ill article ; lire and f)t uiuler aiii, and V. The lising in id pass- ncreases to Giia- iniercial for the rat)id : nitli, in led, and against liiid ill- situated of the bidered in the leiviore 1840.] (iALLO ISLAM). 71 endeavoured to make Eameraldas a port ; but Esmeraldas is far from possessing the advantages of (Juayaciuil, v'\{\\v\ as to magnitude or external communication. Cocoa, sugar, various sorts of wood, large bamboos, used much in building, and a species of Qi'hut, arc; exported. There is little direct trade with these productions ; they are mostly transported on the balsas and in small coasters to Guayaquil. On the 28th of January we weighed and stood to the northward. Heavy rains and light variable winds con- tinued throughout the night. On the following day w(; were off Gallo Island, which almost adjoins the main, and is famous as behig the place where Barthoh)mew Ruiz, the hardy and experienced pilot of Pizarro's fleet, first anchored ; and where Pizarro himself spent part of that dreadful season when Almagro returned to Panama to obtain rehiforcements. Even now, \\itli some ac- (piaintance with the geography of the country, we are amazed at the exploits of that hardy band hi persevering in their attem])t to discover and coiupier Peru. The entangled roots of the mangroves, the vast swam})s, pathless forests, high mountains, wani, of wholesome or sufficient food, are obstacles which v.ould have deterred almost any man. Ihit the Spaniards seem to have been endued with almost superhuman powers ; the lust of gold and the fire of fanaticism appear to have animated them tvith zeal, energy, and powers of endurance, which, though the relation of their deeds make us shudder with abhorrence and indignation, must ever command admi- ration. 7-2 CHAPTER V. I^oiiruliiry liiu; of Nucva (Jraiindn — Oonnncncomcn!. of llic Survey — Bay of (Jlioco — Uivcr Iscuaudc — (iorfijoiia — lUiciiavciitura — Tlie Viiula of St. I'ctcr and St. Paul — Bay of Panama. Wk now entered upon tlie coast of n new State, that of Niu!va Granada. With a continent ])efore them, tlie inhabitants dis})ute about boundaries. The river Mira, falling into tlie sea, is the boundary, but which of the mouths to take is the question. Those who wish to join Nueva Granada say the chainiel flowing south of Point Mangles is the one intended, while the Ecuadorians niahitain that the Tuniaco branch, about twenty miles to the northward, is the true one. As far as the natural divisions of the country go, one would say that it ai)per- tains to Ecuador ; and in a late ma]) the boundary line of the two coimtries is moved altogether to the river Paitia, or Patia, sixty miles north of Tiunaco, falling into the sea just north of Point Guascamo. The freshes, the rolling swells, and the numerous trunks of trees we were continually meeting, plainly indicated that we were in the vicinity of a huge river. i^M). ( OMMKNCKMKNT (H I'llI Hl'KVK^ a The streams, although not hirj^c tor a continent, or deep, still send a eonsidemble volume of water into the sea ; and draining a country of some elevation, they have more force than might he expected. In the afternoon the island of Gorgona was in sight ; three peaks being its prominent featiu'cs. Tlie coast appeared to have a heavy surf breaking upon it ; the trees were actuall)' in the water; the tall mangroves, with roots exposed for twelve or fourteen feet, formcul a lmg»' tangled trellis- work, from which the tall straight stems rose to a height of sixty or seventy feet. Having anchored (hu'ing the night, we weighed Jit daylight on the 3()th, and stood towards Gorgona. The wind being light, and varying . tween south-south- west and west-south-west, we made little j)rogress, and at ten a. m. anchored about five miles from the mahi- land, the centre peak of Goj'gona being about five leagues distant. The barge was hoisted out, and with the rest of the boats was prepared for surveying. The Pandora stood on upwards of five miles, then moored and fired three "wn^ to measure the distance bv. There oiu* sur- veying work began ; it was the base whence om* proceed- ings in the Bay of Choco were to be carried forward. The boats then left the ship to sound ))etween the two base stations. Herald and Pandora, and the mainland. The shores are densely wooded, the tides strong, and the swell heavy on the banks and shoals lying ofi' the creeks imd streams with which this coast is inter- laced. The province of Choco is a marshy country ; the houses are built u])on posts to avoid inundation or the ledundanry of vegetation. One can tlnnk of nothing IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) iJ" i 1.0 I.I 1.8 1.25 1 M ^ ^ 6 " - ► ^w ^ °^:) ^? Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 74 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. \jTanuari/, save these circumstances; they are brought to mind on every occasion. On landing, the rank hixuriance of the vegetation is surprising. The aUuvial soil is not only saturated with the rain which descends in torrents nearly every night, but is overflowed with the burst- ing waters of the numerous branches of the Patia, Is- cuande, Ammirales, and Sanguayange. The tall man- groves are seen actually growing in the water, forming a grove of innumerable pillars, at a distance quite orna- mental, but from their intolerable monotony soon be- coming hideous ; the desert docs not exceed in gloomy weariness these trackless forests. The mangrove-trees, however, are not useless ; the wood, though it has a disagreeable smell, is much used for firing, and ignites quickly. The tall straight stems form posts for the houses. In this season the atmosphere is generally murky, so that a sight of the lower range of the Andes was rarely gained. One mass of foliage was all that could be perceived from Guascama to the mouths of the river San Juan. • The breakers, as seen from the ship, appeared to line the coast, but a channel w^as found, through which a line-of-battle ship might have entered. Inside also an extensive basin opened out, well protected by the outside shoals. The natives spoke slightingly of it ; but if trade flourishes, such a place on a coast seldom or never visited by storms must become important. There is a rise and fall of eleven or twelve feet, and the tide-stream has con- siderable force near the shore, more than two knots an hour. We did not, however, observe them accurately. The name of this inlet was the Sanguayange. We met anuari/, 1840.] RIVER ISCUANDE. 75 3 mind iance of is not torrents i burst- itia, Is- all nian- fonning te orna- ioon be- gloomy (ve-trces, it has a 1 ignites for the generally le Andes all that hs of the rii eared to which also an outside if trade r visited rise and has con- knots an curately. We met two or three people and saw only one house, and heard afterwards that the natives had been frightened by the appearance of the ships, there having been rumours of a disturbance between tlic republics of Ecuador and Nueva Granada. We were told that many had even gone so far as to leave their houses and retire up the country. On the 1st of February we remained in the same posi- tion. The natives came off in some numbers, two or three rude boats with some decently dressed people; they brought fruit, but, from the little intercourse they had with the world, could give no information. On the 2nd we went into the river Iscuande. As in the S.'in- guayange, we found the depth of water considerable, but variable, still capable of affording protection. The houses were all built upon posts, made of the mangrove stems, and ascended by rude ladders, merely thick planks cut in notches. The ground-floor was often not even enclosed, and an enemy with a sharp axe might have brought the house down in a short time. The rafters of these houses in the air were of bamboo covered with matting and cloth made from bark, of admirable con- sistency, and almost like leather. The roofs were formed of palm-leaves, thatched much in the manner of our straw sheds, though they did not present the same neat and finished api>carance. The sides were perfectly open, so that every breath of air could enter, which in such a climate, to an idle, lounging, lolling race, is a comfort. We were surprised to see so much neatness in the con- struction. In England the buildings would have been cpJled elegant summer-houses ; but the bamboo affords great facility for such pm'poses, and may be said to be 76 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. [Fehi'uarij, in arcliitccturo what the Banana is in food, the most hountifnl and beautiful production in nature, and, by the very faciUty with which it is procured and applied, an incentive to indolent ease, an encourager of the too prevalent idleness of the tropics. An uninhabited place, however beautiful, has always a forlorn and desolate aspect. In this region, where the mangrove forest and the jungle occupy by far the greatest space, a few cottages, simple as they were, gave quite a dift'erent impression. The inhabitants were civil, and all had a swarthy aspect; in fact it is unlikely that there is any pure Castilian or Spanish blood in South America. In the ages that have elapsed since the conquest, the races have mingled so much as to be almost indistinguishable. The very fact of their pretending to classify them into sixteen varieties would prove this assertion \ and when we consider the con- tempt in which the old Spaniards professed to hold the Creoles, and the desire they had to return to Europe when a fortune had been amassc;d, it is not remarkable that the descendants of the original discoverers and cx- [)lorers should soon have amalgamated. On the 5th of February both vessels anchored off Gorgona, procuring wood and water, an easy task, streams being abundant, and the soil covered with the tinest timber. In this island Pizarro and thirteen fol- lowers, whose names are deservedly commemorated for their courage and devotion, passed seven dreary months. We were disposed to look upon it as an earthly paradise, but the Spaniards, to whom it had been the scene of so nuich sutlering juid such undaunted resolution, had dif- hruari/, e most 11(1, by ipplicd, the too always , wlicro far the y^ were, abitants ict it is Spanish elapsed nuch as of their s would he coii- lold the Europe larkable and ex- )red off task, dth the leen fol- ited for hionths. laradise, le of so lad dif- 1840.] OORflONA. 7/ ferent fe(!lings towards it. ''The; TT(;11," " tlie detested isle," were tlie terms they applied to it. Few people live on the island, and tliey appear to (>njoy the state of dolcc far niente in whieh Creoles delight, and wliicli ajipears to have been carried to its height among the inhabitants of Guanahani and Haiti on their discovery by Columbus. Guavas, pine-apples, oranges, limes, bananas, and ramotes or sweet-potatoes are abundant. The guinea-hen, the conmion barn-door fowl, and a pig or two gave not only the necessaries, but the luxuries of life. The houses arc similar to those on the mainland. The most airy summer-house in an English garden is more enclosed than these tropical domiciles ; but they are adapted to the climate, and the 1 broad caves with a mat hung up inside would suffice if wind and rain should come on together, a conjunction that does not often occur. The rise of the tide we ascertained to be five feet six inches ; its highest was at lOh. 30m. a.m., and its lowest at 4h. 50m. p.m. By reduction therefore it woidd be high water at full, and change about 3h. p.m., and the rise and fall would be nine feet. Among other reminiscences of Gorgona, it maybe noted that in 1705 the Cinque Ports, after leaving Alexander Selkirk on Juan Fernandez, was here run on shore by Captain Stradling, and the crew obliged to surrender to the Spaniards. On the 7th we departed and took up a position on the Main, off the river Iscuande. The evening was clear and bright, but it rained heavily during the night, and we were given to understand by the natives that the wet season was following us ; that northward rain is later in 78 THK VOYAGE OF H.M.s. HERALD. [Fchruciry, the year than near the equator. On the 9th we stood to the north-east. Our plan of proceeding was very regidar. The Pandora, the first day, took up a position more than five miles north-east of the Herald ; this distance, mea- sured by sound, formed the base for our future opera- tions. On the following day we shifted our berth five miles, or thereabouts, beyond the Pandora ; each day the boats went away sounding, or taking up stations for others to angle to ; while true bearings, and measuring the angle from any boat showing her flag, employed those on board. The dense mass of foUage at a distance of five or six miles presented no objects of interest ; in fact, the first station, in 1° north, could hardly be distinguished from the last, 120 miles further north. As far as esti- mating the tides by observation and sounding on board, we found the flood setting north-by-east, one knot an hour J the ebb south-south-west, about one and a quar- ter knot an hour. Heavy rains visited us chiefly diu'ing the night ; the days were generally fine. A land-breeze usually blew off" about east-south-east in the morning, but died away towards eight or nine in the forenoon. About noon, or rather before, the sea-breeze sprang up, faintly at first, but freshened up in the afternoon; towards sunset it was generally strongest, then it died away : the nights were commonly calm. We meet no ships, and only a few inhabitants. It is an unfrequented coast in an uncivihzed country, or rather a half-civilized and almost wholly unoccupied country. In England the confines of a wood remind one of a park ; trees excite ideas of refinement, elegance, luxuriance, and retirement : there are so many feelings connected 184G.] nUENAVKNTURA. 79 with trees, that it cannot but influence one in behoUling for so many leagues the vast forests with which the Pacific Ocean is skirted. There is a grandeur in the very deso- lation, with nothing human about it, but few and far between a poor palm-thatched cottage, inhabited l)y a race holding little intercom'se with the world, and mostly either overcome by the chmate or indifferent to exertion. The monotony is great; trees, and nothing but trees, ever since we made the land, relieved, and hardly re- lieved, by entrances into rivers lined with mangroves or swampy jungles. On the 1st of March we were off the river Buenaven- tura, one of the chief estuaries on this coast, and pro- mising to become a considerable emporium for the com- merce of Nueva Granada. Some days, or rather nights, of heavy rain had cleared the atmosphere, and on Mon- day, the 2nd, we had a fine view of an inland range of the louver Andes, towering up to the height of several thousand feet. We proceeded up the river with the end of the flood, and found a channel of very regular somid- ings, quite sufficient for all the purposes of commerce. The banks displayed more scenery than we had been accustomed to, — little bays, nooks with islands, projecting chfFs. The intolerable mangrove Avas not quite so com- mon as it had been in the southern part of the bay. On the 3rd of March the Pandora and four boats from the Herald ascended the river. The town of Buenaventm'a is situated on the left bank of the river, about six miles from the entrance. The site offers many advantages for commerce, and when population increases it will doubt- less rise in importance. At present it is a miserable HO THE V(»V.\(iK OF II. M.S. IlKHAF,!). \}fan'/l, collection of houses, containing abont one; thousand in- habitfuits. At the town the river is about a mile broad j at the entrance upwards of two miles, but full of sand- banks, and the channels somewhat intricate : buoys would greatly obviate these difficulties. If the Spaniards had not trammelled connnerce in every possible way, aiul the republican governments hindered it almost as nuich ])y squabbling among themselves, it would long ere this have hud a lighthouse and a pilot establishment. It is, in fact, the stai)le for the southern part of Nueva Granada and the towns of Cali, Po})ayan, and Cartago. The Government of Bogota has no control over the south-east part of the Isthmus of Panama; there is no land connnunication between Panama and the capital, the native tribes being independent, and holding little or no communication with the Spanish descendants ; all communication nmst go by way of Buenaventura. The roads in the Ulterior are, however, a great bar to its prosperity ; they are rugged and difficult to traverse. Cattle arc useless in transporting merchandize, and mbn unaccustomed to the almost perpendicular passes could not attempt it with- out the most imminent peril. The natives of the coun- try, accustomed to these precipitous roads, supply the place of animals, and show extraordinary skill and cou- rage in carrying on their backs, not only burdens, but men and women seated in chairs. Buenaventura and its neighboiu-hood has the reputa- tion of being damp and unhealthy. The country is sur- rounded by high mountains, and the rain is incessant. Dampier's description of it is as true as it is naif; he says, "It is a very wet coast, and it rains abundantly ]fan'/i, Ls|0.] UrKNAVENTlH \ SI iiul ill- broad ; F saiul- 5 would ds had [Uid the iich l)y lis have , in fact, and the }rnnicnt t of the nication 3S being nication on must interior |hcy are eless in 1 to the it with- e coun- [ply the id cou- bs, but |reputa- is sur- kessant. W; he lidantly here all tlie y^'^r long; then' are but few fair (hiys, for there is Httle ditt'ereiu'e in the; seasons of the year, Im;- tvveen the wet and tlie dry, only in that season which should be the dry time the rains arc less frequent and more moderate than in the wet season, for then it pours as out of a sieve." On the 3rd Mr. ITill, the master, landed to take observa- tions for tune in a little bay near the curious rock called the Vinda of St. Peter and St. Paul, and shot a curasson, tlu^ American turkey, weighing about nine pounds. WIumi first seen this bird was pronounced a turkey buzzard, and on lieing brought on })oard, a rush was made for tlu; cooks to pronounce upon it. A favourable opinion having been given, the dinner was ordered to be delayed, that the seasonable arrival might be dressed. Considering our short commons, Mr. Hill was voted unanimously the thanks of the mess. Attempts have been made to domesticate the bird in Europe, and from the ease with which it is tamed it would probably not be difficult to introduce so valuable an addition to the poultry-yard. The Vinda, or look-out, of St. Peter and St. Paul, is an islet, steep, rocky, and clothed with trees. There is a narrow passage between it and the mainland, having four fathoms water, but it is not likely to be used, nor from its narrowness would it be desirable, more particularly as vessels would have no reason for being so near the land. Between the Wheatsheaf — as we styled it, or the Culo de Barca, as the natives call it, a remarkable rock — and the continent, there is no passage, even for a dingy, though it stands at some little distance from the land ; reefs and a breaking surf prevent a passage either by land or water. VOL. 1. (i > ^' li!/'^ :i' t'' 'J S2 'P THE VOYA(iK OV II. M.S. HKRALl). [^farc/t, riio tides arc strong and irregular, a rise and fall of eight fiu!t at tlu^ n(>a])s and twelve at the springs ; the ebb sets to the south-west, and the flood to the east-iiorth-cast. On tlic 7th we had a Buenaventura gale, a singles rcHifed topsail and top-gallant brtieze, rather fresh, and aceonipanied with heavy rain. After continuing for two or three hours, it settled into a cahn, dull, miu-ky day, hardly enabling us to work against the tide. The ship tried to shift her Ixvrth more to the northward, but being unable to do it, anchored about sunset to the southward of the Negrillos, an awkward patch of rocks, twelve miles west W. by N. J N. from the entrance to the river. A part of that reef is always above water, and there is a clear passage about three miles broad between them and the Palmas Isles. On the 9th of March, the rains being fast increasing formed a great drawback to our work ; and having examined the coast as far as Point Chirand)ira, it was deternnned to proceed to Panama. The winds were contrary, generally from the northward, with frequent cabiis. We made the land twice, — the first time off Cape Corrientes, a high bliiff point, rising almost perpendicularly from the sea, in lat. 5° 28' north, and pointed out both from a north and south bearing by two remarkable truncated pyramidal hills, one of which is called the Dome, the other the Pyramid ; the second time in the vicinity of Point Quemada, a bold bluff head- land, so named by Pizarro, and distinguished as being the place of his first encounter with the natives of South A merica. On the 23rd of March, in the morning, we made the land about Punta Brava, in the Bay of Panama, and about March, 1 S if).] U.W OK PANAMA. S3 :)f eight jbh sets -cast. I single )sh, and for two rky (lay, Che ship ard, but t to the of rocks, cc to the atcr, and between arch, the wback to as Point Panama. )rthward, -the first ig ahiiost irth, and y by two which is »nd thne iff head- las being of South noon ob.s(Tved the island of (jinlera. VVe ran between it and tlu! Pearl Islands, tluM'eby avoiding the Sail Jose bank, which had not then been examined. At midnight it fell calm, and we were obliged to anchor till daylight. The w ind make but continued ligl tie [)rogrcss and variable, and we were able to Nowhere will steam h(\ more ap- pr(;ciated than on this coast, and in this bay in particnlar. About noon it again fell calm, and wi; anchored between Chepillo and Taboguilla. Chepillo has been called the pleasantest island in the bay, — perhaps from its nearnijss to Panama. It is a fertih; level spot, abounding in fruits, and more open to the breezes from the north-west than Panama itself. On the 25th we at last reached the anchorage off Flaminco Island, and about ten o'clock in the evenhig receiviul onr letters, the first since lefiving England. lade the lid about 'G 2 SI CIlArTKH V] V' ; City of I'ananin — lliiiiis of I'iiiiiiina Vicjo— 'I'lio islnnds of l''|jniiinro, Taboga, and Taho^iiilla — Dcpartiin; for the Straits of Juan clc l'\icn — Coyba — Death of semiicn — An Aiuurican vessel — Seaweed — Cape T'lattery rocks. I Panama makes from tlic sea a tiiK; appoaraiicc. Tlic clmrchcs, towiTs, and lioiiscs, sliovviiig al)0V(3 the line of tlu! fortifications, stand out from tlie dark Itills inland with an air of grandeur and pretension to which there is no etpial on the west coast of Aijierica. It tells of diiys when the church and the fort arose together, and ])0WTr and dominion, both spiritual and temporal, went hand in hand. We landed just before sunrise, always in the tropics the most beautiful time of day, and at the height of the si)ring tide, at the Monk's Gate, in the sea-front of the fortification. The first building we came to was a nunnery, with a wide receding doorway and a turning cupboard for maintaining communication without seeing with whom. The Callc Real, in which the convent is situated, is a respectable street, running east and west* and having a quiet, stately, comfortless air. The clumsy 1840. CITY OK PANAMA. s.-) lo was a halcouics in the upper stories are l)iit little relieved l»y the mij^lazed j^rated windows, the plain doorways on the ground-floor, l)y any variety in the ])uildinj^s, or by the open sliop-windows to which English cities owe so nmch of their gay appearance. Panama has several buildings which should be noticed. Tiic Jesuits' College in particular, though not completed, is worth seeing, ami evidently bears witness to the staid and sober magniticence with which that order ever con- structed their public edifices. Luna itself has not a building so perfect in design, chaste and fhiished in detail and execution, as this half-completed yet ruinous pile. The church unroofed is a garden and poultry-yard, the great court a barrack for soldiers ; the beautiful facade of the south front is blocked up with sheds and ill-built cottages. If completed, it vvoidd have been a vast edi- fice. Over the principal gateway is the date 1758, only Kfteen years before the Order was abolished by Po[)e Clement XIV., and over the chm'ch-door is their famous motto, all but defaced and torn down, — " In nomhie Jesu omne genu flectatur." Another edifice in ruins attracted our attention ; it had been a church, but little more than the four walls remained, and the area was filled with the orange, banana, pomegranate, and cocoa-nut palm. Two large and rich- toned bells were just elevated off the ground, and a flat arch of very peciUiar construction, having the least possi- ble aniouni of upward curve, were the chief objects of interest. The span of the arch, apparently as firm as when first built, was forty feet. The nunnery of Santa Clara, the tower of which, although in ruins, still over- 86 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. [Jpril, looks the north-cast bastion, is turned into stables ; and of the eight parochial churches and thirty chapels which the city was once said to contain, only six besides the cathedral icmain. The cathedi'al is a large, lofty build- ing, on the west side of the Plaza : its situation is an admirable onej but the structure is not w^orthy of it, being a large rambling edifice, of bastard Italian style, in very bad taste both inside and out, — gaudy tinsel, and pretension without elegance. The towers are large and lofty, redeeming it from insignificance ; but although imposing, and an ornament to the city from a tlistance, they are by no means well proportioned. We found the streets gloomy and the houses dirty ; the wooden balconies and the unglazed windows preva- lent. Yet the town is European in its aspect, and there is a solidity, an air of having seen better days about the place, that made it, as a whole, not displeasing to us, accustomed as we had been to the make-shift temporary buildings, and mean, paltry houses, in all the towns on the coast. The fortifications art; admirably constructed, but in many parts completely ruined. The north-east bastion has fallen down within the last few years ; the south and west ramparts are still in good condition, affording delightful walks, and displaying some fine spe- cimens of ordnance in thirty-two-pounder brass guns, bearing the royal arms of Spain and the date "1773, Anno XVII., 1779, Anno xxiii., CaroH III. Rex Hispa- niae et Ind." These were from the arsenals of Barcelona and Carthagena. " Tcmpora mutantiir' one may say at every step. The best view of Parinvna is gained from the hill of 1846.] PANAMA VIEJO. 87 Ancon, behind the town. St. Lawrence shoukl be the patron sahit of the city, for its sha})e much resembles a gridiron, the part outside forming the handle. Tlie city, that part ^vithin the walls, is called San Felipe; it is nearly square, and surrounded by the sea. The suburb, or Santa Ana, is almost as extensive as the city itself, though not so well built. The markets make a fair dis- play; one is held close to the Watergate, in a narrow inconvenient shed, which however they were about be- ginning to rebuild. The landing at this gate is bad, even at high water ; but at ebb-tide it is execrable, which is the more provoking because a natiu'al pier, or the foundation of it, is ready made in the extensive reefs lying nearly half a mile east and south-east of the ramparts. The most extensive market, however, is held in the suburbs; the supply of vegetables, fruit, grain, and fish is generally very good. Eggs are plentiful, poultry not so much so, and the meat is of inferior quality. On the 11th of April we rode over to the ruins of Panama Viejo, the town destroyed by Sir Henry Mor- gan, the buccaneer, in the year 1673. The Spaniards, however, say that they had been before weary of the place, and had determined to leave it on account of its having no harbour. Certainly the new site is in every respect superior, and they had reason on their side in being weary of it on account of the bad landing. An extensive mud-flat renders it impracticable at ebb-tide ; and at high water, from its extreme shallowness, it is very inconvenient. The spot is now deserted, and it is necessar}' to have a guide, a pracHco, to find it. A 88 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. [JprU, I ('.pt;| tower, well and solidly constructed, is lis firm as when first built. An arch, two or three piers of a bridge, and some fragments of a w all, and a chapel, are the only other remains to be found. The spot is hardly ever visited, except by foreigners. Flat hills, and copses of wood ; savanas, — that beautiful word, which alw ays seems to ex- press more than it actually means, is very appropriate here ; — grassy slopes, loshig themselves in wild thickets, or in w ooded glades, where the trees stand as in a park, make the neighbourhood of Panama very pleasing. But roads are wanting, and in the wet season, which more or less comprises two-thirds, and very nearly three-fourths, of the year, the country is almost im})assable, and will con- tinue so until some great improvement is made in drain- ing, and in the formation of the roads, wdiich, constructed as they are at present, without suitable regard to soil or foundation, and with no means of carrying oft' the tor- rents which occasionally flood them, cannot be expected to last very long. For the last few years the Admiralty have occupied a store on Flaminco Island, in which we found our })ro- visions. Flaminco is a pleasant spot, and almost a i)yra- mid in shape. The only flat is on the north-east side, where a Mr. Dawson, a Russian, expecting that they would be permanently occupied by the Government, has erected several houses and sheds. It is not however convenient, either for landing or bringing off heavy stores at any time, except at the top of high water, and even then it is difficult. Taboga is two miles long to north- west and east-south-cast, and does not average one mile in l)readtli ; its highest hill, the south-east peak, is, iiiNi!!!': 1840.] DEPARTUKK FOR JUAN UK FUCA. 89 according to barometrical incasurcmcnt, 935 feet above the level of the sea. The island, though rocky, is fertile, and, considering its size, as delightful a spot as ran })e found. The people are kind and obliging, and have many of those good qualities in which the milder races of southern climes appear to excel, — those qualities which go so far towards making life agreeable and smoothing its rugged path. The Taboga briques, which are little more than large and clumsy canoes, go daily with the tide to Panama, laden with eggs, fowls, i)igs, yams, bananas, camotes, and pine-apples. Taboguilla, the neighbouring island, is similar to Taboga, by whose in- habitants it is partially cultivated. The island is 7l() feet above the sea, and has little level ground, except at the summit. We now made preparations for our voyage to the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and received three bullocks on l)oard. The respective weights were 196 lbs., 2GS lbs., and 201 lbs., which will give a fair notion of the small size and poor condition of the animals generally met with on this coast. On the 16th of April, 1846, we departed, and at noon, with a fresh northerly breeze, ran out of the Bay of Panama, going seven or eight knots an hour. This was an unhoped-for piece of good fortune, as the bay is remarkable for baffling winds and calms, and ships are often as many as six days before clearing Punta Mala. On the 18tli, about noon, the Pandora was struck by a waterspout. She was about four miles and a half from us, north-east. A squall of wind and rain took us from south-west, and when it reached her a waterspout de- scended and ra})idly a})proaclied. Lieutenant Wood 90 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. [April, |i *•: n 1: I*;. I Ik : I': describes it as gyrating from left to right, — an observa- tion of some interest, coinciding as it does with the ro- tatory motion of the hm-ricane-storms in the northern hemisphere, — that is, from east to west, round by the north. The column of water was about thirty feet in diameter at the base, small in the centre, and crooked in its direction or elevation. It broke before it struck the vessel, but again united, and then took her aback, and gave her a shower of salt water. The precaution of covering the hatchways having been taken, no incon- venience was experienced. The barometer, standing at thirty inches, was not affected, and the breeze returned to south-west soon afterwards. Quibo or Coyboa, which we now approached, has been noticed from the earliest times. Dampier, who visited it ill 1085, says, "It is extremely convenient for woodhig and watering ; a rapid stream runs into the sea, with a sandy beach, on which boats land with ease, while large trees grow close to the water's edge." In December, 1742, Anson, in the Centurion,, completed his supplies of wood and water here in two days. Light, variable winds, calms, occasional squalls or puffs, for they were not heavy, with a pretty good quan- tmii of rain, thunder, and lightning — so vivid and close, that again and again we thanked Sir William Snow Harris for his invaluable conductors, — formed our wea- ther for many days. On the 25th of April we appeared to be among opposing currents, ripples, freshes, and a general disturbance or irregular motion in the surface of the water. At nine a.m. we were watching an eclipse of the sun ; it lasted nearly three hours, and, although lii'i.^' 184G.J DEATH OF SEAMEN. 91 111 con- only partial, it had a considerable effect on the heat and light. On the 23rd of April, William Murphy, quaiter-nias- ter, died from fever and a variety of chronic complaints, which the trying cUinate of the last few months had brought to a crisis ; and on the 1st of May, Frederick Brandt, A.B. Both were old, as seamen's lives go, — fifty years or upwards. The climate, though perhaps aiding their death, certahily did not cause it. A few days afterwards, on the 13tli of May, a third death occurred — that of James Cook, our rope-maker. The beautiful service for the dead appears more impressive at sea than in other situations. The silence within the ship, disturbed by nothing but the slow tolling of the bell, — the attentive and even pious demeanour of the men, — the unmarked spot in which the body is com- mitted to the deep, — seem to shadow forth the un- known and illimitable eternity far more than the most solemn pageantry on land. On the 16th of May, in 10° north and 100° 39' west, we fell in with the first spirit of the trade-wind ; it sprang up in the forenoon, first from north-north-west, then it failed again for about an hour, but before sunset came fresh and steady, varying between north-north-east and east-north-east J its general direction being north-north- east. On the 24th of May, in 12° north and 116° 42' west, we experienced a decrease in the temperature ; the thermometer stood at 77° and 78°; but the change from 86° and 88° seemed to us immense — it was a new cli- mate. The nights began to be more cloudy j strong breezes, with a head sea, roused us as well as the change 92 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [Jtmt', ■Ai W' ft?;- of tcinperaturc. The Pandora caught occasionally sonic bonita, but we were not so fortunate*. On the morning of the 3rd of June we passed the tropic of Cancer in 130° west. On the previous day the sun was vertical, and the weather seemed cooler the nearer we approached it. This has freciuently been noticed, and is analogous in some measure to the dis- tribution of heat dmng the day : the highest degree of temperature is generally not observed at noon, but about two P.M. On the 4th we had a sort of epitome of the weather dming the passage ; calm, light winds, and fresh breezes succeedhig each other. A giant petrel was shot and picked up. The down and feathers of the breast of this bii'd were extraorduiarily thick, adapted, one would imagine, more for arctic than tropical regions. It weighed about six pounds, and measured, from wing to wing, ten feet. On the 7th of June, in the forenoon, a sail was re- ported — the first we had seen since leaving Panama. Pier movements caused some intcjrest. We were on the i' ■-?■; rii , i ' %.'b * On the 12th of May, 9° north, 97° west, we tried for soundings, and obtained the following results : — At 500 fathoms, U° Fahrenheit. Surface 87". J, Tcuiperature of air, 84". ,, Barometer, 30' 04 inches. 400 46 300 48 200 53 100 56 50 66 40 77 30 81 20 83 10 85 A plate seen at 22 fathoms dcptii. 1 ^ 1 1'. 1 1S40.J AMKRTCAN VKSSKT-. !):^ starboard and slic on the opposite tack, vvlun, perceiving lis, she hauled the niainsnil up, took top-gallant sails and royals in, and dodged about, as if waiting for us, having nn American ensign and pendant with a signal flying. However, about noon, when still hull down, she made sail, and, being the better sailer, soon left us behind. She was probably waiting for her consort, or iniagincMl us to l)elong to her squadron, and as soon as the mistake was discovered, thought it not worth while to waste more time. Our heads were full of the American war, in conse- (juence of the dispute about the Oregon territory, which no doubt aided the interest felt in seeing a sail for the first time durnig a long and tedious voyage. On the 12th of June, in lat. 33° north, long. 140° west, we considered that the trade -wind failed us. It had not been very propitious, but moderate and fine. The wind, varying between south-south-west and west, carried us to the northward. The temperatiu'e ra})idly decreased, which braced us up more sharply than was altogether pleasant, living as we had been in a sort of warm bath for six months. On the 23rd of June, in lat. 47° 21' N., we passed a shoal of porpoises, a flock of quebrante-huesos (bone- breakers), and complete trees of kelp, the stems of some being four inches in diameter. Captain Cook met with seaweed of an extraordinary size about the same latitude. At daylight on the 24th we found ourselves off Cape Flattery rocks ; and thus, after a seventy days' passage without seeing land, was our voyage concluded ; yet, thanks to our admirable chronometers, we made the land within a mile, — a nicety of calculation which in 04 THE VOYAOE OF H.M.R. HKHALD. [J, une. it!' ft'' I: Ml" these days is not much to boast of, being performed by three-fourths of the vessels of England and America, as well as France and Holland ; but looking back thirty or forty years, the change is immense*. * On the Gth of June, Int. 26° 38' north, long. 133° 20' west, we tried for soundings with the following depths and temperatures : — At 500 fathoms, 43° Fahrenheit. 400 44-6 >> Surface, 71°. 300 4(5 >) Air, 70°. 200 50 >) Barometer 3019 inehes 100 64-5 u 50 68 » 40 68 »> 30 68 >> 20 68 11 10 69 >> On the 20th of June, lat. 45° 30' north, long. 133° west, the tem- perature was, at the depth of 500 fathoms, 42° Fahrenheit. 400 42 Surfaec, 52°. 300 42 Air, 51°. 200 42 Barometer 30*24 inches 100 45 50 47 * 40 47 ' 30 48 20 48 10 48 hh^i'.-' yiif 05 CHAPTER VII. (Jape Flattery rocks — Tatoochc Island — Indians — Entrance into tlu; Straits of Juan dc Fuca — Historical notice — Port Victoria — Har- bour of Es(iuimalt — Fort of Victoria — Port Discovery — Towns- hend — New Dungencss — Quadra's and Vancouver's Island — Mace Islands — Neagh Bay — Departure for the South. Cape Flattery rocks arc three in number, the northern- most of which is a white barren mass, the others are wooded. The Cape was named by Cook in 1778, from its presenting at a distance the entrance of a safe port, which, on a near approach, proved to be deceptive ; it is three or four leagues to the southward of Cape Classet, a steep and abrupt promontory, beyond which the coast rises considerably in hills covered with wood. Off Cape Classet hes Tatooche Island, which, having no trees, forms a great contrast to the mainland. The shores are lined with rocks in curious shape, with edges as sharp as if in a newly-cut quarry. The island is divided into two parts, and covered with houses. We went outside Duncan Rock*, though there is a deep water passage be- * Duncan Rock, so named by Vancouver, from the officer who dis- covered it, must not be omitted in describing our entrance into the DO THK VOYACK OF H.M.S. IIKHAM). [•hnic, I! ' '' twcen it and the isljuul, hut nothing would be gained In- trying it ; and if l)affk'd aa we were shortly afterwards witli liglit winds and calms, a ship is a groat deal better outsider all*. From a cove, which nearly divides the island into two parts, and seems to have been formed by art with some view of protecting them from the winter storms, a gn^at many Indians came off to us in their canoes. They boarded us without the least fear, and we had some difficulty in preventing more from coming than would have been agreeable. Their dress consisted of a blanket thrown loosely round the body, — so loosely indeed, that on many occasions it certainly did not answer the purposes in- tended. They managed their canoes with great skill, seemed good-humoured and friendly, holding up fish, skins, etc., to trade with. We ran into the straits with a fresh westerly breeze, and were surrounded by numberless canoes, the natives vociferating in their extraordinary drawling tones, ex- pressions of surprise, delight, or .annoyance, as they were allowed to come to or were kept away from the ship. h !. ■ ■ ' i: straits of Juan de Fuca. It is only just clear of the water's edge, and the surf beats heavily on it with any wind ; from the north-west ex- treme of Classet Island it bears north 21°, east (true), ^ mile distant. There is a ledge to the northward, which must be avoided. Between Duncan Rock and Tatooche Island, as well as between the latter and the main, there is a clear passage. The latter is less than half a mile broad, and there are rocks a cable-length south-east of the island ; the former is broader, and has deep water ; but it is better, unless with a leading wind, and plenty of it, to give both a wide berth, and go to the northward. * Captain Kellett discovered a rock, which dries at low water, bear- ing from Duncan Rock north 45°, east (true), two miles distant. [JtfNC, \>M). KNTHANCK INTO IIIK srUM'I'.S. 1)7 :orwnr(ls III better into two itli some , u grcmt boarded iculty in ivc been ; thrown on many 30ses in- L eat skill, up fish, y breeze, natives mes, cx- ley were he ship. edge, and Ih-west ex- ile distant. Between [latter and half a mile iland; the 33S with a go to the iter, bear- mt. The breeze tailed iis as we jj;ot two or tlwcc miles within the strait ; l)Ut just as we wen; drii'liii<^ out ai^^aiii will) a stron*^ tide, a light air iiiahled us to stem it, and }j;et into Xea^ili IJav, i'onr miles inside 'iatooelie Island. Letting go the anehor, and the ('ontii\ued action of the chain rattling throngh the hawse, excited the attention of the natives in a high degree ; their hallooing almost ovi-r- eame the noise. The conntry around our anchorage was rather pretty. Ihit an uninhabited, uncultivated coun- try is always wanting in one grand attribute; of the pic- turesque — the industry of man. 'i'he country, though far from being uninhabited, was certainly th'stitute in this res[)ect. Houses, cleju'cd land, and symptoms of atten- tion and labour, wonderfully im[)rove a laiulscape. The Straits of .Juan de Fuca appear to have been first visited in the latter part of the sixteenth century. A Ce})halonian pilot or shi})master, Apostolos \'nlerian, who, in compliance with the custom of that age, took, on entering the service of Spahi, a new name, that of Juan de Fuca, sailed under the auspices of the Viceroy of Mexico from Acapulco in the year 1592, to discover tlu; long-talked-of passage conneethig the Atlantic and Pacitie Oceans, a passage still searched for. There is little doubt from his latitude that he entered these straits ; but his rambling account and the habit of making sup[)()sition a groundwork for fact — a habit, by the way, the world is not even yet cpiite clear of — have caused him to be treated as an impostor. Judging from the want of knowledge exist- ing in those days, we can imagine the excitenumt and hope caused on entering this noble hdet, nearly a hundred miles long, averaghig ten or fifteen in breadth, diverging north VOL. I. il I 'If <)H TIIK VOVAdK Ol" II.M.H. HKIIALD. [June, :-.3i niid sonlli into (1('(>|) and .Mj)|)!ir(Mitly endless elmiiiiels. h(!iii^e()iitiniiMlly in sipjlit ot" linid, Juan de Kuca i)n)l)al)ly overrated his distance, and finding his way once niore into the open sea to tlie northward of wliat is now called Quadra's and Vancouver's Island, he doul)tlcss imagined that he had solved the problt'ni, and returned to solicit in vain the reward for his discovery, — a discovery which, even as he himself related it, nuist in those times have appeared probable, from the belief then universally pre- vailing, that America on the north as on the south was terminated ])y a promontory. It was this belief which encouraged those persevering and ar(bious attempts in search of a north-west passage. 1 lad the actual forma- tion of these regions becui understood, the early voyagers, daring as they were, might have been deterred from so vast an undertaking. In this case, as in otliers, weak- ness proves strength. Animated by hope and energy, man goes on, seeking perhaps a chimera, but discovering realities which surpass what he imagined. After Juan de Fuca's voyagp, the coast appears to have been neglected for nearly 200 years. Cook's geo- gra})hical discoveries, with exaggerated reports of the value of the furs procured by the crews of the Resolu- tion and Discovery, again directed to it the attention of the commercial world. Several voyages from Bombay and Bengal preceded that of Meares, who in 178() wintered in Prince William's Sound, where, in the Nootka, a small vessel of 200 tons, unprepared for such inclement service, he and his crcAV endured all the mise- ries that cold, sickness, and insufficient food and shelter can be supposed to produce ; and out of a crew of forty I \ if [June, IS.M5. IIISTOHK \l. NOTICK. 9U •lumiuils. [)r(>l)iil)Iy ice iiion; )W called imagined to solicit :y which, lies have sally pre- outh was Let' wliich einpts in al foniia- voyagers, I from so ;rs, weak- d energy, scovering )])ears to 9k' s geo- s of the Resolu- mtion of Bombay in 1786 in the for such ;he mise- sheltcr of forty l']uroi)eans and ten Lascars he huried twenty-tlifei- during this wretched winti-r. In IT'^S he made a second niort; successful voyage, and parti;illy explored tlie Straits of Juan de JMica. lie conimnnM uted with the inliahitants, and gave iiineli information about their savage and tilthy habits, and the valnal)le >^kins tla-y had to dispose of. It is from Meares that wv. ha\e tlu; nanu! of the island at the entrance of the strait ; Tatooehe was the chief of it and the country to the southward. I [is (li!seripti()ii of the natives is unfavourabU', and of Tatooehe in particular he says, **he was the most surly and forbidding character we had yet seen." Portlock and Dixon, ('oliiett and Duncan also gained considerabh; knowledge of these coasts, although, generally speaking, it was of the more northern parts*. No accurate information li()W(;ver beguis previous to Vancouver, who, in 1702, -3, and -4, examined the whole with scientific accuracy. His work is still referred to for its agreeable truthfulness, and must ever be valued as an excellent chronicle of the savage tribes of the country, as wh'11 as a faithful guide to the travciller and navigator. On the 24th of June we stood up the straits with a light westerly breeze. At eight o'clock we observed a steam-vessel, the Cormorant, which had been ordered to take us in tow, and lugged us up about sixty or seventy miles, until we had passed Port Victoria. Our knowledge of the place not extending beyond Vancouver's iiifor- * The Spaniards also, during the viceroyalty of Bucarelli, a.d. 1775, sent an expedition to examine the coast from Cape Mendocino j but they advanced no further than 57° north, and their discoveries are neitlier accurate nor satisfactory. n ,t> M. i lUO THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [Jff///, w ll f Illation, we did not know where to look for the Hudson's Bay C'onipany's settlement. An Enghsh merchant-ship showed her colours when we were near the port, and tluj marks for the buoy rock were also seen ; but the latter were taken for native signal-posts and little attended to. Numbers of canoes loaded with fish were met witli, and we were soon feasting on as fine sahnon as could be found in Billingsgate. After a seventy d.iys' passage it was most acceptable to the ship's company, — indeed to us all, if we may judge by the way the huge dishes of fried sahnon disappeared. The Cormorant towed us at the rate of seven knots an hour, but the wind was aft, the water was smooth, and we had all plain sail set. In the afternoon it grew thick, and drizzling rain and mist came on, so that not knowing om' port we stood as far as we could go to the eastward, and in the evening came to an anchor in the Canal de Haro, about half a mile from the shore. On the 27th drizzling rain and light wind continued, and made the Cormorant's steam-power very, serviceable. She towed us back again, with the Pandora astern of us. At seven a.m. we observed Port Victoria, the Hudson's Bay settlement, dignified with the name of Fort, and were soo'^ at anchor. In the afternoon, a strong north-east breeze having sprung up, and clearing off" the misty hazy weather which we had had for three days, the snowy peaks of Mounts Rainier, Baker, and Olympus shone out in splendour. It continued fine, with a southerly wind until the 1st of July, when an easterly wind brought cloudy gloomy weather. A south-wx^st breeze followed so strong that I s [ludsoii's liant-sliip , and tluj ;lie latter Glided to. with, and could be )assage it indeed to dishes of knots an ooth, and rew thick, . knowing eastward, Canal de the 27th nade the le towed us. At on's Bay md were B having ler which [ Mounts )lendour. le 1st of gloomy ong that 1840. J MARHOIK OF KSQLl M ALT 101 tlie bo.'its were una )le to go on with the sounding. On the 2nd the wind went down, and remained moderate diu'ing our stay, but the sky was cloudy, almost gloomy, and the sun was rarelv seen, which was no doubt attri- butable to the vicinity of the mountains. The harbour of Victoria is little more than a winding and intricate creek ; l)ut three mikis to the westward is Esquinialt, a very good one, of which the Pandora after- wards made an accurate survey. Although the entrance of the latter is less than a quarter of a mile wide, yet the d(>pth of water is so convenient that there would be no difficulty in warping a vessel in, and then the most perfect little harbour opens out. The first bay on the right hand going in is slieltered from every wind, and has a de})th from five to seven fathoms within a hundred yards of the shore. Victoria may be the ftirni, but Ksquimalt will be the trading port. At present, however, subsistence being the chief object, Victoria no doubt is the most advantageous site for the settlement. There appears to ho a want of fresh water in this har- bour as well as at Victoria. Boring has been tried in the fort at Vancouver, but at present without success, and the Avhole of the south coast of Vancouver may be expected to be deficient in this respect. However, science will easily overcome this difficulty by pointing out where Artesian wells may be made with advantage. The Hudson's Bay Company selected Victoria from the excellent natiu-e of the soil, and, anticipating the surrender of the Oregon territory to the United States, intended to make it their chief settlement on this coast. In w^alking from Ogden Point round to Fort Victoria, a distance of J 102 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [July, KM I EM; little more than a iiiilc, we thought we had never seen a more beautiful country ; it quite exceeded our expec- tation ; and yet Vancouver's descriptions made us look for something beyond common scenery. It is a natural park ; noble oaks and ferns are seen in the greatest luxu- riance, thickets of the hazel and the willow, shrubberies of the poplar and the alder, are dotted about. One could hardly believe that this was not the work of art ; more particularly when finding signs of cultivation in every direction, enclosed pasture-land, fields of wheat, potatoes, and turnips. Civilization had encroached upon the beautiful domain, and the savage could no longer exist in the filth and indolence of mere animal life. The prospect is cheering, the change gladdening ; for after making every allowance for the crimes of civilization, still man in a savage state exists in all his grossness, and in more than all his grossness. While nature has im- parted to most animals a desire of cleanliness, unciviUzed man, with all the intelligence, ingenuity, cunning, and skill of his class, seems in general to be uncleanly, to revel in filth. The fort of Victoria was founded in 1843, and stands on the east shore of the harbour, or rather creek, about a mile from the entrance. The approach is pretty by nature, though somewhat rude by art. The first place we came to was the dairy, an establishment of great im- portance to the fort, milk being their principal drink ; the rules of the company in a great measure debarring the use of wine and spirits. The attendants are generally half-caste. We were astonished at all w^e saw. About U)0 acres are cidtivated with oats, wheat, potatoes, tur- "% % i i \July, 1840.] FORT OF VICTORIA. 103 lever seen ►ur expec- e us look a natural ,test luxu- irubbcries ut. One rk of art ; Lvation in of wheat, 3lied upon nger exist ife. The for after vilization, ^ness, and has im- ncivilized ing, and |leanly, to id stands ik, about )retty by Irst place ;reat im- 11 drink; [ebarring generally About Iocs, tur- i I f--! # 'it nips, caiTots, and other vcg( tables, and every day more land is converted into tield.s. Bin-ely three years had elnpsed since the settlement was made, yet all the ner'cs- saries and most of the comforts of civilized life already existed in what was a wilderness. The com|)any, when forming an establishment such as Victoria, provide the party with food for the first year, and necessary seed for the forthcoming season ; after that time it is expected that the settlements will provide completely for their future subsistence. Of course the settlers have maiiv facilities, — the fertility of a virgin soil, an abundant su})})ly of the best seed, and that great indncement to industry, the de- sire of independence, and the assurance, almost amount- ing to certainty, that success will attend their endeavours. The fort itself is a square enclosiu'e, stockaded with poles about twenty feet high and eight or ten inches in diameter, placed close together, and secured with a cross piece of nearly e(pial size. At the transverse corners of the square there are strong octagonal towers, mounted with four nine-pounder gmis, flanking each side, so that an attack by savages would be out of the question ; and, if defended with spirit, a disci})lined force without artil- lery would find considerable difficulty in forcing the de- fences. The square is about 120 yards ; but an increase, which will nearly double its length from north to south, is contemplated. The building is even now, though plain to a fault, imposing from its mass or extent, while the bas- tions or towers diminish the tameness which its regidar outhne would otherwise produce. The interior is occu- pied by the officers' houses, — or apartments, they should rather be called, — stores, and a trading-house, in which 104 THK VOY.\(iK OF H.M.S. IIKHALI). [//////, >■;;'■■ '■■'•■ \ ii:. small T l)nrp:ains nrc concluded, and tools, agricidtural ini])l('i lents, blankets, sliaAvls, beads, and all the multifa- rious products of Sheffield, Birniingliant, Manchester, and Leeds, are oft'ered at exorbitant ])rices. There being no competition, the conn)any has it all its own way. it does not profess to supply the public ; indeed, although it does not object to sell to ])eople situated as we were, yet th(^ stores are for the trade in furs, to supply the native hunters with the goods which they most value, as also for the use of its owu de})en(lants, who, receiving little pay, are usually in debt to the company, and are there- fore nuich in its power. In fact, the people employed arc rarely those to whom returning home is an object ; they have mostly been taken from poverty, and have at all events food and clothing. The work is hard, but with health and strength this is a blessing rather than otherwise. Want of white women appears to be the drawback to this ])rospect of success, and generally leads to connections with the natives, from which spring half- castes, who, from the specimens mt saw, appear to in- herit the vices of both races ; they are active and shrewd, but violent and coarse, while neither their education nor condnct admits them into the society of the European settlers. This must engender a bad state of feeling, and might be remedied by taking more pains with the education and training of these hardy and enterprising, jet more than half brutalized people. We felt quite dis- gusted in seeing one of these half-castes, bearing as good a name as any in Scotland, beating and kicking a score of Indians out of the fort, with as little compunction as if they had been dogs, scorning them as natives, though % i El \Jl(1}l, 1840.] POLICY TOWARDS THE INDIANS. 105 jriciiltural multifa- estcr, and being no J : it docs thondi it were, vet he native ?, as also 'ing little u'e there- employed ,n object ; d have at liard, but ther than be the allv leads ing half- ar to in- shre^vd, tion nor European feeling, 1 with the Irprising, luite dis- as good a score ktion as though ■I his mother had b(>en taken from one of their tribe and liad been no more educated than thev were. j\lr. Finlayson, the gentleman in charge of the esta- bhshnient, appears to be an intelligent man, who by p(U'severance and a uniform system of adhering to his word and offering stated prices in barter, never receding or offerhig less, seems to have succeeded in impressing the natives with a considerable degree of resj)ect for himself and the fort. Only one brush has the company had with the Indians, but it ended in a dav or two : the gates of the fort having been closed, a nine-pounder tired several times to show what could be done, and judicious and conciliatory advances made to the chief, the peaceable intercourse — from which sprang blank(>ts, hatchets, knives, fish-hooks, and harpoons — was speedily re-established. On the opposite side of the harbour is a large native village ; the distance across is only 400 yards, and canoes keep up a constant coinnmnication betw^een it and the fort. Certain supplies to the chiefs keep them in good humour with their intruding visitors. Although all is not done that might be effected, yet some good must result even from this intercourse. The present generation will not change, but their descendants may do so, and improvement will be the consequence. The houses are dirty in the extreme, and the odour with wdiich they are infested almost forbids close examination ; but they are built with solidity, the climate rendering it necessary to guard against the cold, — and arranged with some degree of order in streets or lanes with passages running up between them. Several families occupy the % , V, 100 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. \July, :! ! • Mv I same house — one large shed, Uttle better than an open cow-house or stable in an indifferent inn, the compart- ments or walls hardly excluding the sight of one family from another. There are chests and boxes rudely made, in which blankets, Tars, and smaller fishing gear are kept; indeed the natives seem to resemble their forefathers, as Captain Cook describes them, as much as it is possible for one set of men to resemble another. On the 4th of July we heard that a miu-der had been committed on the chief of Neagh Bay, who called himself King George. This man came on board the Herald when we were off Tatooche Island and remained a night ; he left early the next morning, and a few days afterwards we saw him at Fort Victoria, bargaining about a sea-otter skin, for which he received eight blankets. On his way home he was waylaid by some Chinooks, who had witnessed the bartering, and either shot or stabbed him. He had doubtless in his time played many tricks of the same kind as that to which he now fell a victim ; they usually act aixd ^'eact one upqn the other. This King George, when visiting us, was accompanied by an Ame- rican seaman, who lived among the Indians, and had, in short, become one of them ; we understood that he was in little repute in the tribe, and was or had been a slave, and that, after effecting his escape, he had returned once more to the abominable filthy mode of life. To what a depth of degradation must that man be reduced, who, bred up in the poorest ranks of civiUzation, volun- tarily resumes the habits of a savage ! We imagine it to be, and no doubt it is so ; nevertheless it is not un- comimon. It takes an age to raise the savage one step in :i 1 i ' li [July, 1840.] PORT DISCOVERY 107 ,n an o])cn D coinpart- onc family dely made, r arc kept; ^fathers, as is possible r had been [led liiinself ;he Herald )d a night ; afterwards a sea-otter )n his way who had ibbed him. cks of the tim; they friiis King an Anie- ^d had, in he was in a slave, returned life. To reduced, )n, volun- |magine it not uh- le step in I % I the scale of humanity, but civilized man often sinks sud- denly into the bestiality seen among these tribes. Having finished our survey of Port Victoria and its vicinity, we stood across the straits for Port Discovery. This excellent and commodious harboiu*, named by Van- couver after his ship, has only one fault, the depth of the water being rather too great. Protection Island, as it is aptly termed, forms a breakwater, and a vessel in any part of it is completely landlocked. Vancouver has described it so well that there is little to add. Several streams of good water fall into it, the holding ground is very good, the shores are generally steep, and there is no danger in working in or out. A few ruined villages and burial-places are seen on the shore; and the pathless woods, preventing in almost every direction any ingress into the country, render the scene rather monotonous. At the time of our visit, too, the trees were one mass of uniform green ; had it been autumn we should have en- joyed all those diversified colom's of the foliage so charac- teristic of a North American forest — the sombre brown, the light yellow, and the bright scarlet. Few natives visited us at this place ; they prefer, it would seem, the outer coast, as being nearer the fishing- ground. Those w^e came in contact with were friendly, and brought abundant supplies of salmon. They are fully aware of what a man-of-war is, and, if goodwill had been wanting, our numbers would have deterred them from hostility. Finnness, showing that one is pre- pared to resist encroachment, and at the same time con- ciliatory conduct in little things, and taking care to be just in all transactions of barter, will always overawe and 1()S TIIK VOYAGK OF H.M.S. HERAJil). /////, iiidurc thcTii to behave properly. Tlicy arc great beg- gars, and, except sahnon, have little to offer in exchange. Their vociferations are hulicrons in the extreme : " Jack you patlach me shirt," " Makook salmon," *' Clooosh salmon," " Waake jacket," are specimens of them. * Pat- lach ' is give; 'makook,' buy; 'clooosh,' very good; and ' waAke,' very bad. If something very old and bad is offered, they turn it over with scorn, pronouncing it to be ' pceshaaak,' a term of contempt and reproach, for which they seem to have a great aversion if applied to them- selves. Although the women arc said to be not much con- sidered, and have to do a great deal of drudgery, yet we observed that before concluding any bargain their opinion was always final. In barter, knives, hatchets, clothes of all kinds, if not too old and if free from holes, arc valued. They sometimes ask for ' muk-a-muk,' something to eat, and oftener for 't-chuckk,' something to drink. *Pill-pill,' or vermilion paint, and ' pullale,' or gunpowder, are also in request. They display considerable ingenuity in making arrows, fish-hooks, grotesquely carved figures, masks, and, from the gut of the whale and deer, ropes. Their canoes are quite symmetrical, and we saw one forty feet long and fom* broad ; they are hollow^ed out with an iron instrument fitting into a handle, something like a cooper's adze. The wood is first charred, and then worked away with this gouge sort of chisel adze. The curious process of flattening the foreheads is practised by all the tribes we saw. On the 13th of July we anchored in Port Townshend. The distance between the latter and Port Discovery by sea is not more than eleven or twelve miles ; by land the IS I I I [//V//, Is 1(3.] TOWNSHENJ). lOi) groat bog- n exclinugc. I lie : " Jack " Clooosli leni. * Pat- good ; and and bad is ing it to bo 1, for which 3d to tlicni- t much con- ;ery, yet we heir opinion 5, clothes of , arc vahied. ling to eat, 'Pill-pill,' er, arc also genuity in d figures, lleer, ropes. ,v one forty out with lething like and then Idze. The practised )wnshend. pcovery by land the 3 two are not five miles distant. Townshend is a more convenient harbonr than the former, and water, though it is not so plentiful, can l)e obtained more easily. The land rises more gradually from the sea, and is not so en- cumbered with wood. The natives we found civil aiu obliging. They are very dirty in their habits and perfectly indifi'ereiit to exposure ; decency has no meaning in their language. The costume of the men is a blanket loosely tied over the neck and shouhlers ; even the women have nothing in addition, save a sort of girdle round the mid- dle, made of the fibre of the cypress-tree, a substance wliich is also made into ropes and fishing-lines. They keep dogs, the hair of which is manufactured hito a kind of coverlet or blanket, which, in addition to tlu; skins of bears, wolves, and deer, attbrd them abundance of clotlihig. Since the Hudson's Bay Company have established themselves in this neighbourhood, English blankets have been so much in recpiest, that the dog's- liair manutacture has been rather at a discount, eight or ten blankets being given for one sea-otter skin. Their mode of fishing is ingenious. The Hue is made either of kel}) or the fibre of the cypress, and to it is attached an inflated bladder, which is held in the same hand as the j)addle. When the bait is taken the bladder is let go, the fish is buoyed up, and, hi its eff'ort to go down, soon becomes exhausted. On the 21st of July we sailed for New Dungeness, named by Vancouver from its resemblance to the point in Kent. New Dungeness juts out three or foiu' miles north-east-by-north (magnetic), forming a seciu-e an- chorage with all winds, except north-north-east and 110 THE VOVA(JE OF H.M.S. IlKRALD. {.July, ,11 '111 south-east. This sandy flat, being about four miles long, and at the base two broad, is hollowed out with lagoons jind pools, so that it is a shell of sand and not a flat. The beacons seen by Vancouver stiU have their successors on this coast ; they must have been erected with consi- derable trouble and labour; the upright centre-piece, supported by spurs diagonally phiced, was in one instanci^ thirty feet, in another twenty-seven feet high. Their use, or the intention with which they were erected, is still unknown. On the 22nd we stood across the straits for Quadra's and Vancouver's Island, and anchored nearly in the same spot as that to which we had been towed by the Cor- morant on our first arrival. Three trees with a dark patch of ground so exactly resembled the masts and hufl of a vessel, that — the weather being hazy — every one was deceived. Cordova Bay, as our anchorage was called, brings a pleasant circumstance in Vancouver's career to remembrance — his uniting with the Spanish Commandant Quadra in all friendly olfico«', and giving him all the aid and information in his power, though Spain and Great Britain had at the time some dispute about the possession of Nootka Sound. The fame and name — albeit famous in those days — of the Spanish armament of 1790 has passed, but it should not be for- gotten that in this distant part of the world commanders belonging to rival nations joined in acts which tended permanently to benefit mankind ; and it is to be hoped that the name given to this island will be retained, and that Quadra and Vancouver may remind future ages when and how to agree. %, ^ {.July, • miles long, ^ith lagoons not rt flat. ir successors with consi- XMitre-piece, 3ne instances Their 5 erected, is istO.] UACK ISLANDS. Ill igh or Quadra's in the same by the Cor- tvitli a dark ,sts and hull — every one horagc was Vancouver's he Spanish and giving er, though me dispute fame and e Spanish not be for- mmanders ich tended be hoped ained, and ture ages % v.-- I On the 20th we worked round to Victoria, and n thu> 1st of August we anchored to the nortiiward of tlic i{aeo Islands, about eight miles from Victoria. This (lan^> .ous group, which juts out a mile and a half into the fairway of the strait, is appropriately named, for the tide mak(!s a jx'rfcct race round it. We tried to shift to Sooke Jiay, about ten miles to the westward, but it blew so fresh, that after battering at it for nearly six hours we were compelled to bear up and anchor in the same place. On the 7th om' attempts to reach the bay succeeded, and we found that it woidd be no desirable anchorage during south-westerly gales. On the 10th we got under way, working for Neagh Bay. It came on thick and hazy, and about noon the breeze freshened much, and Ave could neither see nor do anything. The tides being strong and irregular, our position was one of some anxiety. In the afternoon we got a glimpse of the land, which showed that we were very near the shore, close to Sooke Bay. The vessel was kept away, and we came to an anchor almost in the spot we left on the 12th. These details will give some notion of the navigation of the straits, which, unless the an- chorages are well known, must always be attended with difficulty and danger. The climate of this region is milder than that of Eng- land. From April to August the weather is generally fine, but occasionally interrupted by rain, fogs, and breezes. Heavy rain is expected in September, October, and No- vember, gales between December and March. During oiu' stay the weather was generally beautiful ; the nights were finer than the days. It was seldom, however, that r 112 TIIK VOYA(}K OK II. M.S. IIKUAI.I). \.ln(/tfsf. l-i;' I .11 4r tlu; (loiihlc peak of Mount HakiT or \W suow-cliid \'{\\\\S(' of Olympus were in sijrhr. The liuiit of perpetual suow ill latitude 15° is ^iven as '6'M)i\ feet al)ov(; the sea ; if the theory is correct, these mountains are fully as hi<>;li, for the summer was far advanced, yet no diminution was ap[)arent in their snowy mantles. On the ISth wi; anchored in Neagh Hay. Thi! fo;;- was so dense that nothinj.; could l)e seen a hundred yards oft'. In the winter this bay is fretpiented l)y whalers — Boston ships, as the Indians call them; while English men-of-war arc termed King George's ships. A large village, or rather a series of villages, exists in the neighbourhood. The Ca])tain visited the chic;!', Flattery Jack, who received him lying down on a raised bench — which iismdly extends all round the native abodes, — his favourite wife reclining on a board close to his feet. On the rafters overhead were fish in every state of drying; Winifred Jenkins would have been reminded of the old town of Edhiburgh, and would have said that there were; no fits m the Straits of Juan de Fuca. » On the 29tli of August the survey was finished, not so much to the satisfaction of Cai)tain Kellett as he could have wished, but the fogs in August had been so dense and continuous that the month was in a great measure lost. On the 2nd of September we bade adieu to Victoria and Mr. Finlayson, the company's officer in charge of the fort, to whom we were so much indebted for his uniform hospitality and kindness. [JU(/Hsf. WW v-('lii(l niiigi' ■pctiiiil snow tlic sea ; it" illy as lii<;li, (liiiiiimtioii y. Tlic too- 1 a limidrcd •(|iiL'iit('(l l)_y tlu'iu ; while irg(.*'s ships, exists in the licif, Flattery sed bench — iibocles, — his to his feet, te of drying; of the old there were; ished, not so as he could en so dense iat measure to Victoria large of the his uniform I f ciiAi'TKit vm. dapo Mendocino — San Francisco — Visit to llio Mission — Monterey — Islands on the Coast of Ijower California — Excnrsion on Ccrros Island — Mazatlan — 'lepic — San Bias. On the 14th of September we made Capi; Mendocino, a remarkable promontory, with several detached rocks otV it. On the 1 7th we anchored, in a thick fog, thinking the place to be Hodegas, but on landing found it to ])e merely a spacious bay inside Punta i\(\ los Reyes, that point bearing west of us. It is a good anchorage; for at least nine months of the year, and from it San l''ran- cisco can be approached easily. On the 1 8th we ran into the Bay of San Francisco, about which we had heard and read so nnicli ; but wc; were disappointed. A harboiu* it can hardly be called ; rather an hdand sea, into which three large rivers, the Sacramento, the San Joa(|uim, and tlu; Tale fall. These cause rapid tides and numerous shoals, so that its depth of water is not conmiensurate with the extent of the bay. On the banks of the Sacramento and San Joaquim tlu^re is much fin(! land, but not equal to the speculator's hopes. The VOL. I. I lit TIIK V()YA(iK OF H.M.S. lIKirM-D, [S'cpfcf/i/jcr, Sacianionto, th(3 Colorado of California, iind the soulhcr)! branch of the Columbia, are believed to have their source about the same spot, 110" or 111° W., iV or 42° N., in the Rocky Mountains. The entrance of the Sacramento is twenty miles to the northward of Yierba Bueua. Thv anchorage of Yierba Bucna is perhaps the best in the bay; it is free from the irregularities, ripplings, and overfalls which the strong tides cause in the other parts. The passage up to it is also free from these annoyances ; it has howTver the fault of having no fresh water, nor does the supply seem abundant even for shore consumption or irrigation. The Bay of San Francisco, from its depth in some places, and its extreme shallowness in others, is in a great part unavailable ; while the bar off its mouth, with the heavy swell so frequently upon it, renders egress and ingress often dangerous. We anchored in Yierba Buena cove, where we found the U.S. corvette Portsmouth, of twenty-four guns (sixty- eight pounders) and 1320 tons. Our arrival seemed to cause surprise, and we were at first mistaken for the Erebus. A lieutenant came on board, with the news that the Americans were in possession of California, and that several of the officers and men of the vessel were on shore engaged in organizing parties for the defence of the country. Some of us paid a visit to the Mission of San Francis- co. The junction of religion and civilization appears at first sight to promise nuich, and to be what every well- disposed mind woidd desire. Like many other theories, however, its application has proved to be impracticable. Nothing could b imagined more philanthropic or more v^? he soiithcni tlicir source )r 42° N., ill Sacramento ueiia. The t in the bay ; nd overfalls parts. The ioyances ; it cr, nor does •onsuniption )ni its depth s in others, [Fits mouth, nders egress re we found guns (sixty- l seemed to cen for the e news that a, and that re on shore ce of the m Francis- appears at 3very well- er theories, Iracticable. Ic or more is 10.] SAN IHAvriSf'O. 115 -1 si m m worthy of success than the plan ol' llicse i-siahlishnuMits ; bnt their failiu'e, which has arisen from a variety of causes, has been lamentable and complete. The very shadow of their former fame has passed away, and it may almost be said that injurious instead of beneiicial elf'ects have been the result. About twenty houses were scattered about the plain, iuid the only siicn of activitv witnessed was a bullock being brought in. The road to the Mission was fatigning and monotonous, and led through thickets of low trees aiul deep sand. The surrounding country was far from being picturesque ; we saw it moreover under sad aus- [)ices — ruinous, dirty, and about to become the abodes of the Mormonites. The church of the Mission, a slovenly, ill-built edifice, decorated in a tawdry, unpleasant style, connnon in the poorer churches in Sj)ain and Itidy, was still in repair. The houses intended for the Indians were of the meanest description — mere nmd hovels, with only one apartment, but dis})osed regularly in ranges and streets. These were for the married cou})les ; those Indians who remained single were locked \\\) in a (jua- drangle, formed by the houses of the superior, the [)riests, and officers of the establishment. The church, the fac- tories or workshops, and the prison, everything was car- ried on within itself; carpentering, weaving, 1)lacksmith's work, were all pursued with success under' the auspic(^s of the industrious, pains-taking Padres. However, th(! confinement in which the Indians were kept, and a soli- tary life, were usually found so irksonu', that few of them continued long under lock and key ; they soon accpiiesced in that state of passive obedience, which it was the aim I 'I 116 THE VOYAOE OV H.M.S. IlKUAr.I). [^Scpfenifjcr, of the iiistitiitioii to establish. That tlie fathers did not go beyond ap{)e{irs to have been their great fault, the rock on wliich tlieir system struck. We found the house of tlie superior in the possession of some Mormons, who had arrived in great force : they are a peculiar sect, with sensual maxims, but apparently, as long as they can exist in plenty, disposed to be harmless. At the time of our visit the gold had not been dis- covered, and San Francisco was extremely dull. One evening, however, an American whaler, the Magnolia, of Boston, gave a ball, and all our young people went to it ; and judging from the numerous little anecdotes and inci- dents which were afterwards told of that ball, they must have enjoyed themselves very much. There was a very motley company, and gin was in great request. One of the officers asked a mother if she would permit him to dance with her daughter. " IIow^ can you dance with her when she doesn't know your name?" was the reply. " Whiffi?^ is my name. Madam." " Here, Betsey," said the mother, " here's WhifF^^r* wants you." And off the pair started. • On the 22nd we made all plain sail out of the Bay of San Francisco. The wind was fresh, and it was not until the afternoon that we succeeded in working out against it. A heavy swell as usual was on the bar at the en- trance, and as several whalers were departing at the same time, it was an exciting scene. The swell and the breeze accompanied us until the following day, when we were off Monterey. The Pandora went in to obtain a letter left by the Admiral. She found the U.S. frigate Con- stitution there, and the Americans in full occupation of yScplenilun', icrs did not it fault, the id the housu ^rnioiis, who ar sect, with licy can exist lot been dis- dull. One MagnoHa, of e went to it ; tes and inci- 11, they must e was a very est. One of 3rmit him to I dance with as the reply. Betsey," said And off the the Bay of ras not until out against at the en- at the same tl the breeze |en we w^ere ain a letter rigate Con- Icupation of V IMd.J MONTKUEV 117 the place. Monterey resembles Callao and N^dparaiso, l)eing an open roadstead, expo cd to the northward, and having a mere bend in the coast for its southern ex- treme. Nevertheless it is considered safe, as the north- west winds, though semling a heavy swell into the bay, do not blow home, and when at all fresh cause an effect wliich makes vessels ride easy at their anchors ; but, as on this coast generally, the great danger is from the soutli-east gales, which occur between Novend)er and April, and usually give warnhig of their approach by heavy dark clouds, swell rolling in from the southward, and })ouring rain. On these indications ships innnedi- ately slip and run to sea, and they are sometimes five or six days before they are able to return. Fortunately, though sufficiently so to require a sharp look-out, these gales are not of frecpient occurrence. The town of Monterey is at the south extremity of the bay, protected from the southward by Punta Pinos. Under the Spanish rule and that of the Mexican Republic, it has ne\er risen from obscurity. It remahis to be seen what the more enterprising and energetic American will effect. On the 2Gth we spoke a Mexican brig, which was bound to San Francisco, and was fifty days from Maza- tlan. She did not express any alarm at the war, but we heard afterward that she fell into the hands of the Ame- ricans, and was used by them as a transport vessel. They probal)ly paid for her, as their principle was not to offend or irritate the people more than they could help. The war was for an object against the Government ; liad the Americans made it u war of races, their end would have been frustrated, whatever might have been their lis rilK VOYAdE (»F II. M.S. IIKHAJM). \(ktolH',\ ^r%'H temporary success. After we had parted company with the bi'i«j:, a dense fog caine on so suddenly that wc lost sight of the Pandora, which was rather annoying, as Mr. Wood was with us employed upon the charts. How- ever, after an hour or two's firing, ringing the bell, and beating the drmn, we got a glimpse of the vessel, and put him on board. These fogs are peculiar and frequent on this coast, continuing sometimes for several days in succession. On the ;27th we Hxed the position of John Begge's reef in 33° 22' 0'' north, 119° 44' i)" west. This dan- gerous rock has deep water round it, and lies to the west-north-west of San Nicolas Island, one of the groups which line the Californian coast in this latitude. Wc also surveyed San Nicolas, San Clemcnte, and the Coro- nados Islands. The Pandora went into San Diego, the Herald remained ott' the low, arid, and uninteresting shores. The land had a denuded aspect ; neither lake nor river gladdened the eye. The only object to enliven the scene was the mission of San Diego. The building re- sembled that of San Prancisco, but, as far as could be ascertained with our glasses, it had more pretension, and the church towxr w\as higher. The village, or houses of the Indians, however, did not cover the same extent of ground. On the 2nd of October we were enveloped in a thick fog ; all at once it cleared off, and we found ourselves close to the barren and lofty Coronados, a group com- posed of three islands. We anchored off the southern- most island : this, though the most fertile, only produces grass and low shrubs, which, like everything else at this \()duhei\ IS4(). cohonados islands. IIU iiipany with liat wc lost ing, as Mr. rts. How- lic bell, and vessel, and md frequent )ral days in )hn Bcgge's This dan- lies to the ' the groups itude. Wc d the Coro- i Diego, the iiinteresting lerlake nor enliven the luildhig re- Is could be snsion, and houses of extent of in a thick ourselves roup com- southern- produccs Use at this season, were dried up and withered. Jiy biu'onietrical measurement, the highest peak of the island was found to be 575 feet above the sea. On the to}) we caught three rattle-snakes and a tarantula ; the former ^vere very fierce, darting at everything placed near the glass vase in which they were confined. The length of time these reptiles existed without any sustenance was remarkable ; one continued not only alive, but as fierce as when first cap- tured, for eight months afterwards. The northern Co- ronado is a mere rock ; Mr. llill however got to the summit, and found it as sharp as a camel's back, with hardly room to place the theodolite. Seals abound on the rocky shores, and the Americans often detach their boats from theii' vessels, establish fires in the island, and shoot down these animals in vast )uind)ers, boiling down the l)lubber ready for the ship on her return. On the 11th the weather was most beautiful — a mild balmy air in the finest climate in the world ; but on shore there was not a shrub, not a blade of grass to re- joice in. About noon we anchored ofl:' the steep rugged Cape Collnett, named after a navigator and lieutenant who, in tl-. year 1790, connnanded a trading vessel, the Argonaut. This promontory is a remarkable point, something like the South Foreland, or Cape Dimitri in the island of Gozo. A bay runs up from it to the north- east, in which landing might be effected. The mission of San Tomas is j)laced four miles inland. On the 14th wc were close to the double-peaked island of San Martin, a most barren and desolate spot, apparently an extinct volcano. The rocks were swarm- ing with seals ; we had never seen them in greater \-2i) Tin; V()^A(iK OF II. M.S. IIKKAI.I). [(Jch/j('l\ 'M -r M abnndaua! ; and tlicir liowliiig, shrieking, and barking rcMidiTcd tlicni most unpleasant nciglibours. The posi- tion of the island is in lat. 30° 28' 0" north, and long. 1 15° 57' 0'' west ; the riglit peak is 567 feet higli. On the 1 5th wc anchored off the shallow port of San Quintin, which is distinguished by five remarkably regular peaks some miles inland. Rabbits, hares, quail, curlew, sand- lings, the mackerel, smelt, and crayfish are abundant, and give San Quintin, though a poor port in other respects, a good name on such a desolate coast as that of Lower California. On the .'22nd we passed San Geronimo Island, find- ing the channel between it and the mainland five miles broad, and on the 25th anchored under the east coast of Cedros or Cerros Island. This island presents extraor- dinary features, looking as if some deluge had swept the low lands, leaving them smooth and level as a newly- made road. " Cerros" is certainly the most appropriate appellation for the place ; it is a mass of hills piled on hills ; and although here and there groves of cedars are met with, yet they are hardly in sufficient numbers to give a name to the island. Wild goats are abundant*, llie extreme dryness of the atmosphere is remarkable. We found two graves of the year 1819; one of John l^rown Sinclair, who was drowned when belonging to the Harriet, the other of Justin Finch, of the Shakspeare, both London ships. The head-boards were of slight * Mr. John Goodriclge, surgeon of the Herald, discovered in this island a curious cactus, which, on being submitted to Prince Salm- Dyck, the best authority in these matters, was called Mamillaria Good- ridy'd, S. Dyck. Al'tcrwurds this rare species was found at Guaymas, Gulf of California, but the specimens died before reaching England. [Octohrr, 111(1 barking The posi- h, and long, ligh. On the ^an Quintin, ?gular peaks ui'lew, sand- e abundant, )rt in other ^oast as that [slaiid, find- d five miles east coast of cnts cxtraor- id swept the as a newly- appropriate ills piled on cedars are numbers to abmidant*. emarkable. ne of John longing to jhakspeare, |e of slight )vered in this Prince Salm- lillaria Good- at Gua^mas, England. '^m 1840. J CKKKOS IS|,.\M). 121 (leal, yet the wood was uiidecayed, and the inscriptions were (piite l('gil)le. The bay of the island was surveyed, and its position proved to be long. 2b° 3' 0" north, lat. 115° 11' if west (soutii point). Two of the otHcers ascended to the suinniit. " The niiirch," says Mr. Henry Trollope, " was rugged and more fatiguhig than wc had anticipated. In going up, liardly a drojj of water could be found, though occa- sionally traces of where it had been were observed ; in coming down we struck upon a ravine with a stream in it, which in many places was four or five feet deep. If we had had sufficient daylight we could have followed it to the sea, where it might have proved serviceable for shipping. The sides of this watercourse were lined with beautiful shrubs, and even trees, which formed a pleas- ing contrast to the utterly desolate and l)arren nature of the surrounding country. The stream had nearly led us wrong. It appeared to wind round to the west side of the island. Expecting a change in its direction, we followed it until sunset surprised us, well-nigh exhausted, at the edge of a precipice which we coidd not descend. Wc were obliged to climb up the side of the ravine, and fortunately were able to distinguish the ship at the an- chorage before darkness had set in. Though the way was still rugged, we had now a more level space. The sight of the sea and vessel had renewed our strength ; but we were thoroughly tired, and whenever we stopped to rest we were asleep almost immediately. Awakened by the coldness of the night air, w^e trudged on again, and when we reached the beach we were still u})wards of three miles from the ship, and it w{is ten o'clock before 1 TIIK V(>YA(}K OV n.M.S. IlKRAM). [^/^0l1c'm/Jct•, 5; m^ \vc arrived on board, thorou er fish, were I shark were San Lucas, isula, distiu- , and several the Isle of the port of at San Bias, ic bay with 2. Vcnado owns divid- ihe sea, the right beach 3lf was no town, full [the apathy pe activity and the it is no to south- vessels of anv size have to lie two or three miles from the town. In the centre of this open anchorage Captain Ikvchey foniid a rock having only eleven feet of water upon it. The port however is less unhealthy than San Bias ; and between November and June — the months when it is advisable to be on this coast — south-west gales are un- known, arc! invigorating land and sea breezes prevail. The town was full of soldiers, who talked as if they intended to repel any attack the North Americans might be inclined to make. This boasting however was not borne out : a few montlis afterwards the place fell almost without a struggle. The fact is, there is no public spirit ill Mexico. The strife of parties has so utterly broken 1 1 J) all nationahty that the mass of the people would be glad to receive any strong government that would afford them ])rotection and security for life and property. On the 21si of November we sailed for San Bias, having on board as passengers Mr. Romainc and Mr. Macnamara. The latter, a Roman Catholic priest, had the intention of founding in California a colony of Irishmen, who would swear fealty to Mexico, and resist the further encroachment of the Americans. This project nearly forestalled the occupation of San Francisco by the United States, and would in all probability either have led to the establishment of an Irish colony, or compelled the British Government to occupy the country. San Bias is pointed out by the high peak of San Juan, upwards of 6200 feet high, immediately over the town ; but the Rock of the Sea, Piedra del Mar, a steep white mass 130 feet high, with from ten to twelve fathoms of water all round, and situated ten miles west of the ah- iJ^^ 124 Till-; voVAOK OF II. M.S. II KHALI). [Noccntficr Mi % choragt!, nMidors the approach to Sail Bias ivtuarkahh'. There is also another rock, Piedra de la Tierra, similar in shap(!, but smaller, about two-thirds of a mile from the land. On the 28rd we dropped our anchor off the old town. Mr. llomaine and Mr. Macnamara landed imnuN diately, and a courier went up with them to Tepic to bring down our letters. In thirty-six hours he returned ith the 1{ .pected communications from home, and wiiai joy tiiey caused nuisi oe leir to tiiose to imagiiK- who are blessed with kind friends. " As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Tepic is the second town of importance in the state of Jalisco. In 183G, says Captain Beechey, it contained SOOO inhabitants, and in the rainy season the nund)er is much augmented by the influx of visitors. It stands in a plain nearly surrounded l)y mountains, and is 2900 feet above the sea, — in itself, one would think, a guarantee against any amount o^ insalubrity, wdiich some attribute to it. Tepic is only twenty-two miles in direct distance from San Bias; by the road however, which is tedious [Uid fatiguing, it is fifty-six. San Bias, although now ruined and deserted, still retains many marks of ancient grandeur. The houses are solidly built of stone, but the town has long been in a state of decay, and the rise of Mazatlan has thrown it altogether in the shade. In the days of the Spaniards it had an arsenal and dockyard ; the remains of the rope-walk and a store-house are still to be seen; but its day is gone by, and nothing in its situa- tion appears to render it desirable that it should again emerge from obscurity. We shifted our berth for the purpose of watering from \ fir ! i 111. I rciniirkaMc. [•a, similar in ilc flOMl till' r off tlie old iiitlcd iinnu!- to Topic to he returned a home, and i to imagine :l water is to untry." in the state it contained the number It stands md is 2900 a guarantee nc attribute ect distance 1 is tedious lOugh now of ancient )ne, but the the rise of ie. In the dockyard ; se are still in its situa- lould again lering from I^IO.J SAN ULAS. 1 •> the Santiago, upon which San Hlas is situated. Tin'ough a path in tlu; woods we rolled our casks into the stream, and took in our supj)ly s[)ee(lily, not however without consic able fati^jrue and a terrible conflict with the mosc er '1' oes. From this part of the coast there was a bejuitil'ul walk into the town about two miles distant, which, though steep and I'ugged, was arclu'd over with a dense canopy of leaves, and keeps out the sun. We could only pity the indolence of the natives, wlio with such an avenue almost formed by nature could siiffer it to remain in such an inconvenient state. We departed on the 27th, standing to the south-west, between the islands Tres Manas and the main. On the following day we were off the Bay of i^andieras, between (\a[)e Corrientes and Corvetena, a ])lace of some interest as the scene of one of Dampier's skirmishes witn the Spaniards. The sea-breeze was neither regular nor strong, but we managed to creep along at the rate of fifty miles a day, with the sight of the shore to enliven us. On the 1 st of December we fixed the position of a remarkable Headland, near the unhealthy river jVIanzanilla, a whiter mass of rock something like Arica liead, making it lat. 18° 49' 0" north and long. 104° 23' 0" west. i I 'i(\ (JIIAITKR IX 1"?!: I Sigiiantcnojo — A parly taken prisoner by tlie ^^c•xicalls — Don Vicenir Amaro — Mr. Wood proocods to Ana))ulco — Captivity — Departure- Acapuloo — Death of William Harris — Cape Vclas — Coast of Nueva Granada. — Arrival at Tanama. On Saturday, December 5th, 1840, we anchored off t lie Morro do Petatlau, a few miles south of Siguanteiiejo, intending to examine that port and carry on the cluiin of magnetic observations. We were now on Anson's cruizing ground, when watching for the Acapulco galleon. Indeed, Mr. Walter, tlie historian of his voyage, describes a bay in latitude 17° 36' 0" north, about thirty leagues west of Acapulco, which, considering his means of ascertaining the true position, accords sufficiently with our calculations to render it almost certain that the place in which we had anchored was the same as that in which the Centu- rion refitted and watered. Even without these recollec- tions of bygone times, the bay itself was pleasing enougli to interest us. A steep and rugged coast, bounded by white rocks and barren islets, with a heavy surf breaking upon them, opened out into a pretty little cove about :r]' « I s Ki SlcrANTF.NK.lO. le? s — l)c)ii Viccnii y — Dcparliirc Const of NiKivii liorcd off the nguanteiu'jo, ju the cluiin on Anson's iilco galleon. describes a ('agues west ascertaining calculations n which we the Centu- Dse recoUec- ing cnougli jounded by irf breaking cove about ;i mile and abainnde[)tli and less than thre<'-(|iiarters oi" a mile broad. The Centurion a[)|)ears to havo been the first foreign ship that visited Signanteiiejo, the Spaniards, in aceordanei? with their tbrnier policy, [)ro- liibiting all intercoiu'se with the intermediate [jorts. It is a snng little port, and at present a depot for logwood, a valuable ])iu*t of the raw produce of Mexico; still, with Acapuico so near, the state of the country must be widely changed before it can become of importance. On Sunday, the 0th of Decend)er, we pulled in the port with two boats, and landed in the north-east bight of the bay, in order to avoid the surf. Nothing could exceed the placidity of the scene; the ])each was smooth and silvery, and fringed by beautiful shrubs and trees. We imagined from the silence and absence of cultivation that the neighbourhood was uninhal)ited ; and although we found signs of wood-cutting, aiul evident marks of men having recently been there, yet the idea that we were intruding or that any one could dream of molesting us was far from om* thoughts. The purser and surgeon proceeded to shoot and to collect specimens of natural history, Mr. Wood and Mr. Staunton had just landed, and Mr. Hill and Mr. Trollo})e were putting up the instruments and getting everything ready for the captain to commence observations, when all at once a rush of men and a cry from some of our people, " Here are the natives !" was heard. From every break hi the wood came out a sort of Falstalf' s ragged regiment, fully armed however, who drew up in tole- rable order. The words of conunand, " Make ready — pre- parar — pronto," were given, and the double file presented 128 TIIK VOYAr.K OF II. M.S. UKH.M,!), \_l)crrmh(>i\ arms, not as a mark of honour, but a])pfn'ently as if a))oiit to fire. We were surpris(!cl beyond measure. It was totally unexpected ; we were unarmed, and all we could do was to confront the motley guard so suddenly turned out for o\ir reception. Captain Kellett advanced, and endeavoured to explain to the chief of the party who and what we were. The only reply he received was, that \M' must remain where we were until the arrival of " el Senor Comandante." We commenced takhig observations, displayed the books, and pointed out the " London" marked on most of them ; but it was of no avail to us(^ such arguments to the people we had to deal with. In half an hour the "Comandante" made his ap- pearance. He came on horseback, in a loose cotton jacket, a coarse country hat on his head, and a huge sabre by his side. He was fidl of assumed importance ; and after a considtation, in which he displayed his igno- rance and uncertainty as to the coiu-se he ought to adopt, he came to the conclusion that, as our language and that of the Americans was the same, we might be citizens of the United States, and that at all events it was safer for him to consider us so. Unfortunately we had no ordi- nance from the Mexican Government, as to the purport of our voyage. The books, the instruments, our unarmed condition, and buttons with the crown upon them, and numerous other little circumstances, would have con- vinced any one of connnon discernment or education that we were what we stated ourselves to be ; but it had no effect upon this obstinate and ignorant maiT, and aftei' half an hour's delay he intimated that we nuist go to u logwood shed on a little eminence about half a mile dis- 1846.] SIGUANTENEJO. 129 tant, and that Mr. Wood, the connnander of the Pandora, should be allowed to proceed to Acapulco and receive in- structions from the Captain- General of the State. On being told that on board there were sick, who needed as- sistance, he permitted the surgeon, Mr. Goodridge, to re- turn; the rest were told to consider themselves prisoners. Great was the excitement when the news became known on board. Some were eager for a rescue, and the ship immediately weighed, but light winds and calms prevented her from making any progress, and she was obliged to anchor again. Our night on shore was passed miserably; the morning brought better things. Mr. Goodridge arrived with a good breakfast ; after which a clean shirt and a shave made us look upon our condition, captives as we were, with different eyes. About noon the Herald came in with the sea-breeze, and took up her position within half a mile of us. The Comandante, who rejoiced in the name of Don Vicente Amaro, seemed rather alarmed at the size of the ship, and evidently feared that a rescue or an attack would be attempted. He assiu*ed Captain Kellett that if he saw any prei)ara- tions for that purpose, he would immediately mount us on horses, and send us into the interior. No doubt an attack from the vessel would have repulsed treble the number opposed ; but in the meantime we were unarmed, and could have offered little resistance, and we should have been in the interior and our guards dispersed in all directions. On Monday we erected a tent, and communication by the dingy took place three or four times. We were supplied with good fresh meat and vegetables, and, VOL. 1. K If' 130 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. \_Decembe)\ flif h though provoked l)y the needless and irritating detention, we occupied our time better than in useless complaining. Don Vicente Aniaro became occasionally excited and violent ; he appeared overcome with the difficulties of the position he had placed himself in, and got half-drunk to ease his mind. Then he Avould ask us for spirits, and Captain Kellett would send him a bottle of mild claret — rather a febrifuge than a means of excitement — as better adapted to his condition. One day he brought down his daughters, really very nice girls, who were much in- terested in looking at the ship. On that occasion he made a long bombastic speech to the effect that, as he was to be in the bosom of his family, it was to be a day of peace. His visits were most annoying. The purser, the late Mr. T. Woodward, from his excellent knowledge of Spanish, was the usual spokesman on these occasions. The conferences generally ended witli Amaro's embracing us in the Mexican fashion, and l)eg- ging the Captain to send him some agtm cmliente. Mr. TYollope always avoided him, and on observing this con- duct he particularly sought to speak to that officer, gra- ciously saying, " You need not be alarmed for the result ; I have no bad intentions." Mr. Trollope, in the best Spanish he could get up, assured him that the English were not in the habit of fearing the Mexicans. The natives were far from uncivil. We were objects of curiosity to all : they pressed around us, looked into the tent, and examined every article we permitted them to look at. A good deal of nonsense was uttered by the boys of tJie place ; one saying that he should wait for the hanging, another making signs that we were to have our 1840.J SIGUANTENEJO. 131 throats cut, and a third showing a pit in wliich we were to be biu'ied. Tlic women however with one accord declared that they would not have us hurt ; and no doubt had any extreme measiu'es been attempted this pet- ticoat interest woidd have been exerted in our behalf. Foreigners with blue eyes and fair complexions generally produce too favoiu-able an impression upon Spanish senoritas to be easily forgotten. Among the nations of Teutonic descent, the English, the Dutch, or the Germans, those who have dark eyes and hair are considered the most handsome ; among the Spaniards and their descen- dants the reverse is the case, and a piu*e Saxon — even with hair of the reddest hue — ^is generally admired by the fair sex. The group of people which usually crowded around us was, as regards form, feature, and colour, as diversified as anything r..^ be supposed to be. There was the glossy skin and tt 1 js of the negro, the angular feature and the long hail- ol the Aztec, the lively eye and the hand- some countenance of the Spaniard, and e/cry shade of difference which an intermixture of those widely different races had produced. Leperos — not meaning literally lepers, but houseless, half-clad beggars, whose only dress consisted of a pair of trowsers, a light cloak, and a jacket — formed by far the greater proportion. It was tridy a motley group — small in stature, various in colour, ignorant and ill-clad, — a mob at whose mercy we should not have liked to have been, though their conduct towards us was civil and even kind. Close to our tent there was a fresh- water stream form- ing a deep pool, in which we bathed, until the last day, K 2 ii? -h i I 13:2 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. iiKHAT,!). ^Dceemhcr, w* when we were deterred by finding a number of alligators basking in it. Well might we have exclaimed, " Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." The nights were cool and pleasant, the forenoons hot until the sea-breeze set in, when the temperature became delightful. It was the healthy season, and no one suffered ; had the deten- tion taken place at Manzanilla, a locality notorious for its insalubrity, we might have had a different talc to tell. The scenery was very picturesque. It might have been called a dense wood, with patches of savanas, and avenues here and there. Aroimd our tent were palms, American aloes, tamarind-trees, and bananas. The roads were mere paths .; and some of oiu* men, who went up to the Puebla, eight or ten miles distant, reported the country clear of wood, but poorly cultivated. We might have made an excursion, but we did not consider it proper to ask a favoiu' from the worthy Don Vicente Amaro. The men, it appears, went on sufferance, and Captain Kellett did not hear of it until we had returned to the ship, or else this little escapade would not have taken place. * On Saturday the Pandora retiu-ned from Acapulco with a reprimand from the Governor- General to the Comandante for his stupidity, and a caution how he in his ignorance committed his country. Don Vicente on hearing this seemed quite crest-fallen, and we never saw him afterwards. The crowds of soldiers and idlers, men, women, and children, disappeared as if by magic, and within an hour the place was as quiet as it had been on our arrival on Sunday. Having nothing further to detain us, we continued our voyage (December 14th) to Panama. I [ December, of alligattjrs ofl, " Where ! nights were LC sea-breeze tfiil. It was id the deteii- lotorioua for it talc to tell. might have savanas, and ; were pahiis, . The roads 10 wxnt up to reported the . We might >t consider it I Don Vicente ifFerance, and had returned uld not have )m Acapulco neral to the )n how he in n Vicente on ^■e never saw i idlers, men, magic, and had been on her to detain ) to Panama. lb4G.] ACAPULCO. 133 The shore between Siguantencjo and Acapulco is re- markably bold, the mountains rising from the sea almost innnediately, while to the eastward of the highland of JMarques, a long plain, thickly covered with trees, extends some leagues inland before any perceptible rise takes place. From this circumstance Acapulco is easy to be distinguished, particularly wdien coming from the east- ward, as the alteration in the featiu-es of the coast is most apparent. Although the distance between the two ports is only 120 miles, yet we were detained so much by calms and hght winds, that wc did not anchor at Acapidco before the IGth. The sea-breeze generally dies away about nine or ten o'clock in the forenoon, and calm prevails for the rest of the day. By keeping closer in shore and taking advantage of the land-breeze more progress would no doubt be made, but for this pm'pose an amount of local knowledge would be re- quired which at present we do not possess. About sunrise the mountains of Acapulco are beheld in all their splendour ; their sunmiits are then free from clouds and mist, which is never the case when the day is advanced. The remarkable Tetas de Coyuca, fonr leagues from the entrance of the port, are the highjst peaks of the range, and from an excellent landmark. In approaching closer to Acapulco the Farallon del Obispo, a curious white islet in the northern part of the outer bay, will be seen. It is about fifty feet high, and from wliatever direction a vessel is coming furnishes a distinguishing mark. To speak of Acai)ulco would only be a repetition of what all navigators, from the days of Cortes to the h i 134 Till-: voYACii-: OF 11. M.S. iiKKALi). [December, present time, have said. It seems always to have had a greater name than it deserved. Its sole reconnnen- dation was its port — a perfect harbour, — where the gold and silver of Mexico and Peru and the rich fabrics of the East met at an annual fair, on the arrival and departm'e oi the treasure-ships. True, a communication between it and Callao and Guayaquil was kept up, but this inter- course did not nmch conduce to the wealth and fame of the place. Apart from its magnificent harbour and the annual visits of the Spanish treasure-ships, Acapulco was never a place of any importance. In 1748 it was described by Bowen as ** being, except at the fair, a dirty, paltry town of two or three hundred thatched houses and hovels." In 1768 a French traveller, M. de Pages, called it " a miserable little place, though dignified with the name of a city," an epithet it still deserves. Ih the golden days of Spain, the Castellan, or chief justice, received 20,000 dollars a year, besides all his perquisites and fees of office, which enabled the Spa- nish officials to return to their native country with large fortunes, whatever the salary might happen to be. This practice was so well known and acted upon so openly, that offices, even those with a mere nominal salary, were notoriously put up for sale, realizing great profits to the minister or his subordinates. In this very port of Acapulco the Cura's nominal income was only 180 dol- lars, yet he was in the habit of making 14,000 or 15,000 by means of fees. When such a state of things pre- vailed we can excuse much that is wrong in these un- happy countries. The castle of San Carlos connnands the harbour and 1846.J ACAl'ULCO. 135 the town. Its ramparts and bastions make a tine ap- pearance, and shed an air of grandenr over the place, which on landing is soon dissipated. The castle, thongii well and skilfully constructed, is itself conmianded l)y the adjacent heights, and offered no resistance to the North Americans when they occupied all the ports of Mexico. But it was sufficiently strong for its day ; the Indians on one side and the Buccaneers on the other were the only enemies Spain had to fear. The town is poor and miserable ; there are two cluuv'i^ j of no note, about thirty or forty houses, and a subui o of huts and reed hovels. Earthquakes have been numerous, and slight shocks are frequently felt. In the harbour we found an Ecuador ship of 300 tons, a Hawaiian brig, a Mexican schooner, and five or six small coasters. The authorities were full of civility. The captain of the port spoke English fluently, and he as well as the Governor seemed anxious to efface every recollection of the unfortunate and blundering zeal of our friend Don Vicente Amaro. On the night of the 1 7th of December, Willam Harris, one of our carpenters, lowered himself down from a main- deck port under the half-deck, and attempted to swim on shore. He had hardly got fifty yards off when he cried out for help. A boat was inmiediately despatched to render assistance, but it did not succeed in reaching him. Several sharks were cruizing round the ship, and it is probable that they tore him to pieces and devoured him. On the following day we tried our utmost to recover the body, by creeping for it, but not a particle could be found. It was a fearful end of a wretched life. it fl; 136 THE VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. \J(mum'y, The poor unhappy man did not appear to possess a rc- deonr'ng quality. In order to be exempted from work, he had, for nearly a twelvemonth, feigned to be crippled in his right arm, l)y checking the circulation of the blood ; and so well had he succeeded, that even the surgeons were partially deceived. At last the fraud was disco- vered, and the impostor placed as prisoner under the half-deck, whence he endeavoured to effect his escape. On the 1 9th we sailed from Acapidco, and crept along the shore at the rate of twenty or thirty miles a day. Tlie lofty peaks of the mountains of Guatemala were in sight, and for many days we carried a chain of trigono- metrical heights and distances. On Christmas-day we had a strong breeze from north-west, a Tehuantepic gale, as it is called. All oiu" old sails were bent, and many si)lit ; the festivities were interfurud witli, and pics, pud- dings, pates, jellies, and soup, got ready for the occasion, made an oil a podrida in the midshipman's berth. On the following day it cleared off; but the Herald lay to, while the Pandora ran, and* thereby succeeded in reach- ing Panama a fortnight before us. On the 1st of January, 1847, w^e sighted Cape Velas, well described in its name, the rocks being white and steep, and resend)ling the sails of a vessel. We were baffled there, as we had been all the voyage, with light winds and calms; and sighting Cape Blanco, Punta Gioncs, and Cagno Isle, we were, on the 11th, off Mon- tuoso, a wooded island, standing almost by itself in the midst of the ocean. Coyba, or Quibo, and Quicara were in sight at night. The former used to be a favourite resort of tlie Bucraneers, on account of the water and 1847.] COAST OF NUKVA GRANADA. 187 wood to be procured tlierc. Captain Belcher, however, when touching at the place in 1837, w^as unable to find a watering place. In an island of such size, many streams may have been overlooked ; in our own survey in 1848 and -49 abundance of water was discovered. Quicara differs in aspect from Coyba, being as rugged and steep as the other is wooded and luxuriant. Since leavhig San Francisco, until off the Bay of Panama, we had been in sight of land, thus coasting nearly 2500 miles. On the 15tli of January however we saw nothing but the sky and water ; but our })roxi- niity to Panama was sufficiently evinced by the appear- ance of buques, large canoes with set s(piare sails, which perform coasting voyages of some distance. On the 16th we were off the island of Galera, its und)rella-tree (probably some Stercu/iacea) standing up hke a beacon to warn the navigator of the proximity of the dangerous shoal of San Jose. The Punta de Cocos, the south ex- treme of San Miguel Island, is crowned with a most flourishing tree, which covers it hi a remarkable manner. It is a curious coincidence, that one of the passages to Panama should thus be pointed out by two trees so ex- traordinary in shape. On entering the Bay of Panama strong tides arc felt, as may be huagined from the fact of the rise and fall being, in high spring-tides, at the city of Panama, twenty-one feet. We experienced them in their full strength ; the ship, though going two and a half knots, appeared to stand still. On the 17th the breeze freshened up into a northerly wind, bringhig clear weather. We seemed to rush past the northernmost of the Pearl Islands, — Saii liartolome 138 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.8. HERALD. \January. with its cocoa-nut palms, and Saboga and Paclic(iuc with their bright sandy beaches and piles of pearl oyster shells. We sighted the tree on Chepillo Island, another remarkable beacon in the bay, and before sunset an- chored off Flaminco Island, the tower of Panama Viejo l)earing N. 5° E., and the cathedral of the city of Panama N. 53° W. ir. 4. IT II: I : ri If i ■u: a & I'M', I' 'V;..;! ' i ! \:V,) CHAPTER X. Survey of the western coast of Nucva Granada — Return to I'anaina — Departure for Peru — Coyl)a — Ij^uana Island — Payta — (/allao — Viscount d'Ozery — Limn — Payta — Journey through the desert — Piura — Travelling in the interior. On the 26tli of January, 1847, wc left the Port of Perico, to coinnience surveying the Bay of Panama, and until the end of April we were employed in sounding, taking angles and sights, working out the observations, and laying down the results on charts. Hydrographical surveys are always tedious and laborious, but they are peculiarly so on a coast like that of New Granada, where heavy showers of rain are followed by the sudden aj)- pearancc of the sun, and noxious vapoiu's which such a change produces ; where muddy mangrove-swamps, swarming with alligators and generating unhealthy mi- asmata, line the shores for miles together ; where in some places mosquitoes are so mnucrous, that the sur- veyor requires more than human patience to endure the stings to which he is subjected; and where the nights are often so hot and oppressive, that sleep is 140 THE VOYACIE OF H.M.8. HEllAI-I). [Jpri/, sought in vain. A chart may sccni to hv very sini[)lc to those whu are not aware of the skill, diUgcncc!, and expense recjuired to eonipk^te it ; but those who liavc watched its ])rogress, and the amount of labour recpiiri'd to finish even a small piece of such a delineation, look upon it with difierent eyes, and are able to appreciate the vast treasures which the llydrograi)hical Office, by its publications, is constantly ottering to the public. We carried on the surveyuig operations along the coast of Panama and Darien, imtil the rains, towards the end of April, began to be so incessant that we were compelled to discontinue our task, and go back to Vi\- nama road. On the 21st of April, II.M.St.S. Sampson, with Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, lU'rived from Callao. On the following day we saluted the flag of Nueva Granada with twenty-one guns. The Republic returned the compliment, and Don Tomas Herrera, who was at that time Governor of the province of Panama, gave a ball in honour of the Admiral and Captain Kel- lett's expedition ; indeed, there ^as a great deal of good feeUng manifested by the inhabitants. At the ball all the "belles" of the city were assembled; there was a profusion of pearls on that occasion, the ladies being generally well supplied with that article, pearl-fishing having been pursued on the coast ever since the dis- covery of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the Panamian ladies have handsome countenances, regular features, dark sparkling eyes, and fine black hair. Their figure, however, is generally defective : being in the habit of having their dresses open behind when at home, and not wearing any stays, they have no waist, and do not look '.;!: 1817. PANAMA. 141 well in ball rostimic. The (lann»s pcrfonncd wcrr mostly alow walt/A's, coutradanci's, and ([nadiillcs, polkas and gallops being too luating in snch a climate as that of Panama. Towards tlio rnd of the festivity we were en- tertained by the introdnction of the " puuffi,'' n dance performed only by a single pair, and being a great fa- vourite among the negroes and zand)()es, but now almost proscribed in refined circles, — which, by the bye, from its frivolous tendency, is not to ])e regretted : of course; it was only shown to us in order to give us a notion of one of the ** rosh/nihrcs del payn!^ On the last day of April we departed from Tanama, towed by the Sampson, and on the 1st of May anchored off' the island of Coyba, coast of Veragnas, for the \i\\x- posc of watering and wooding. Some of t' j carpr iten> of the steamer were blinded for several days at tlv^ iJace, from having cut down Manzanilla-trees(///)'/^«v/r///6' Man- ciiiel/a, Lnui.), and got some of the poitono ;s milk of that plant into their eyes. Not being aware that salt water is an efficacious remedy, they had to suff'er very great pain. A boat's crew of the Herald, when survey- ing on the coast of Darien, had the same misfortune from having lighted a fire with the branches ; and 1 myself, I may mention, having gathered specimens of the tree for the herbarium, lost ?ny siq^ht for more than a day, and had to endure a smaruiig of the most ax^ute nature, coupled with the fearful thought that I was never to see daylight again. On the Gth of May we sailed, touching at Iguana Island, near Punta Mala, where we were joined by the Pandora, and then directed our course southwards, to 142 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [June, \i -^ Pom. After l)eating against baffling winds, wc reached Payta, and, having remained there two days, we con- tinued our voyage and on the 28th of June anchored in the port of Callao, where H.M.S. Colling\vood was m^t with. This part of the passage is most tedious, and the viceroys and liigh dignitaries during the old Spanish rule were well aware of it; for when coming from Panama, they always disembarked at Payta, and per- formed the journey to Lima by land : a road leading through a desert was preferred to calms and contrary winds. The Pemvian newspapers were filled with accounts of a frightful nmrder which had been committed on the person of the French Viscount d'Ozery, who was ex- ploring the interior of Peru. It appears that he em- barked in the village of Bcllavista, province of Jaen, accompanied by foar native guides. When at a place called Puerto do Yusamaro, on the Maranon, one of the guides stabbed him with a dirk. The unhappy victim instantly fell to the ground, but, not being quite dead, another of the treacherous guides inflicted upon him the final blows. The four then divided the property and valuables amongst themselves, and returned to their village, saying that the Viscount had been slain by the hands of the Gebaros, a savage tribe of Indians. How- ever, suspicion soon arose, a legal investigation took place, and the crime was traced to those who perpetrated it. Two of the guides were sentenced to suffer the ex- treme penalty of the law, and the others, who had had no active part in the foul deed, were condemned to im- prisonment. Considering that the life taken was that of \ \June, reached kve con- lored in kvas mot ms, and Spanish g from nd per- leading contrary ounts of on the was cx- hc em- )f Jaen, a place one of nhappy g qnite i upon •operty o their by the How- took trated le cx- d had im- ihat of 1847.] LIMA. 143 a foreigner, — that great tracts of comitry still in the pos- session of wihl Indians, over which the Republic has no control, had to be explored to ascertain the fate of the traveller, — and that the complicated nature of the case rendered its investigation extremely ditticult, great praise is due to the Peruvian Goveniment for the pains it took in bringing the oft'enders to justice. During our stay, the ship's company of the Herald obtained " liberty," and the officers anuised themselves as Avell as they could, playing cricket, riding on horse- back, going to Lim#, and seeing everything that was to be seen. There were no bull-fights at this season, but the theatre was open, and Victor Hugo's " highly successful draniii," as an EngUsh manager woidd say, was repeated several times. The play-house is about the size of the Adelphi theatre in London, but very dirty, find so full of fleas that a person has to take a more than ordinary interest in the performance to disregard the imtatiiig operations to which he is exposed. It is almost as amusing to watch the movements of the audience as it is those of the actors. In the last two or three years, however, some improvements have been made, and an Italian opera company has been engaged to give variety to the Lima " season," and perform the mast(3rpieces of their native land ; for whatever our northern critics may say about the lyric dramas of the Italians, peoj)le of the south do enjoy them more than the classical compositions. Light nnisic juid light read- ing is what they admire. That thought fmd recreation, study and pleasure, may be coupled together, and even constitute one of the purest enjoyments of northern i':'i 144 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. [Jl/fy, \ t ti ;! ll ill 1:1 ■k5 nations, is a fact which but few of them arc able to understand. On the 23rd of July, 1847, H.M.S. Herald left the harbour of Callao, and reached Payta in five days, thus speedily accomplishing a distance which, in going down, had occupied her more than three weeks. Payta was all bustle and festivity. It was the 28th of July, the anniversary of Peruvian independence. Twenty-seven years had elapsed since General San Martin obtained possession of Lima, and proclaimed that Peru and Spain were no longer governed by the samp head. The inde- pendence however was not finally secured until Decem- ber 1824, when General Sucre defeated the Spanish forces at the battle of Ayacucho. The contest was then virtually concluded, though General Rodil held the Castle of Callao until the beginning of 1826. The fall of Callao deprived Spain of every inch of ground in the continent of America. Her policy, to secure to selfish and grasping officials the sole use and benefit of those magnificent regions, by excluding all foreigners and oppressing the children of the soil to an intolerable degree, was at an end, and she herself was lost, paralysed, and decayed through the very means which she used for self-aggran- disement; while the countries so long subject to her misrule, though paying dearly for experience and under- going severe trials in striving for liberty, are looking on a much brighter future than that dawning on the Peninsula. Payta owes its origin to the invasion of Pizarro, having been built as early as 1531. It soon attained a consider- able degree of prosperity, on account of which, and in 1847.] PAYTA. 145 consL'cjucnce of its exposed situation, it was peculiarly open to predatory attacks. The tirst sack was made on the 26tli of May, 1557, by Sir Thomas Cavendish, who found it " a neat, well-built place, of about two hundred houses," and left i' ^ alas! a heap of smoking ruins. The next attack U'*:k i)lace on tlu; 2nd of Xovend)er, 1004, under Captain Swan, in the Cygnet, of sixteen guns and 140 men, and the Bachelor's Delight, a tine; vessel of thirty-six guns, l^y this descent the town was again burnt, after an offer by the rover to leave it im- molested if the hdiabitants would ransom it with ;30()() 11)8. of flovu*, fSOO lbs. of sugar, 25 jars of wine, and 1000 jars of water, had been rejected. Another attack was made ])y Captain George Shelvocke, in the Speedwell, a vessel of twenty guns and 130 or 1 lO men. The sliip, on the 2lst of March, 1720, hove-to off the Pena llora- dado, a remarkable rock about four miles from the i)orl, when Shelvocke landed in his boats with sixtv or seventv men. Fniding the town deserted, and the Spaniards refusing to ransom it for 1000 dollars, "it was l)ui'iit to the ground by w'ay of farewell." While the greater part of the crew were engaged in shipping off all con- venient moveables, a Spanish shij) of fifty guns came into the bay ; but the master, although he had only fifty men on board, gallantly engaged and beat her off. Tlui next misfortune of the devoted town was brought al)out by more dignified actors. Connnodorc George Anson, in H.B.M.S. Centurion, attacked Payta on the 12th ol' November, 1741 ; he appears to have occupied three days in shipping off all he could get, — boat-loads ol' hogs, fowls, and other refreshments, besides money aiid VOIi. I. h 14G TIIK VOYACK OF H.M.S. HERALD. [/■'/'/, jewels. Tlie burning of the place seems to have been wanton and unnecessary, but it was a custom which is only now beginning to disappear. At present Payta is the most frequented seaport in northern Peru. Its climate is healthy, its harbour secure, its inhabitants liospitable ; but beauties as a town it has none, and of charms of situation it is destitute. It stands at the foot of a ridge of barren and desolate-looking mountains. The houses are about eight hundred in num- ber, and built of band){)os and mud, and are, with a few exceptions, only one story high. The streets tu'e narro\y, irregidar, and unpaved, the principal ones rmming from east to west. There are two churches, both dedicated to the rites of Roman Catholic worship. The only public square is the market-])lace. Wood being scarce, earth- ([uakes frequent, and labour dear, all the pubUc edifices are small, and undeserving of special description. The number of inhabitants is stated to be about 3000 ; they are chiefly of Indian descent ; whites, negroes, and the various shades produced by their intermixture are few. Since the Peruvian independence, several English merchants, who devote their attention principally to the Quina trade, have taken up their residence there. The country adjacent being a desert, there arc but few^ articles to be obtained at Payta. Salt, a product of Colan, is one of the chief exports : being of superior quality, and cheap, it is nuich disposed of to southern Peru, and also snmggled in considerable quantities into Ecuador, where salt forms one of the Government mono- polies. Wood and water, the most necessary wants of shipping, are scarce ; the latter is brought on donkeys LS47.J I'AYTA. 147 ;o the from Cliira, ii riv(M' ahout twelve or fourteen miles dis- tant ; hiteiitioiis are however entertnined of horiiig Ar- tesian wells in different [)laees on the Peruvian roast, which, if carried into execution, will prove most bene- ficial. Goats, })oultry, potatoes, camotes, yuciis, yams, and Indian corn are brought from the ulterior, and are always to bo had at a cheap rate. Sea-tish of a delicious flavour is caught in great variety, and appears to be the only eatable that Nature has dealt out Avith a bountiful hand to the place. The Herald was to })rocee(l from Payta to (iuaya(iuil, in order to survey the river ; and as that operaticm would employ the vessel several months, an opportunity was aftbrded to carry out a favourite idea of mine — exploring a part of the interior of South America. T intended to start from Payta, visit the towns of Piura, Loj.a, Cuenca, Riobamba, and Quito, and rejoin the Herald at Guayji- quil ; the views of Captain Kellett fortunately coincided with my own, and he permitted my friend Bedford Pini to accompany me. In makhig preparations for our de- partm*e, we were assisted by Mr. Higginson, the British Vice-consul, who kindly procured the necessary passports, nmles, and guides. On the 2yth we departed. It was late in the after- noon when we reached the top of the mountain-ridge surrounding the town. We stopped a moment to take a last look at the place. Payta was as gay as on tht» previous day : nuisic, dancing, and festivity were still kept up, flags were waving, and boats plying in the har- bour. But what a difterence when we turned towards our destination ! A region of sand, a country without water, 1. 2 148 Till-; VOYACK or H.M.S. IIKRM.I). Jtf/l/, n; hi a dreary wilderness mvX our view. We stood at the entrance of the des(^rt, a traet of land extendinji; over twenty-five degrees of latitu(h' — more tlian fifteen lum- dred miles. Our mules seemed to know that we were proceeding towards Piura, tlieir home ; for notwithstanding the deep sand, they walked at a steady pjice and without stopping till eleven o'clock, when we saw a light, and shortly after came to an inn. The Iniilduig was surrounded by several hundred nudes and donkeys. The animals were feeding; the nmleteers either sleeping, wrapt up in their ponchos, or sitting together in groups, chatting and smok- ing. I'he landlord, wlio seemed to have been roused from sleej), conducted us uito a clean apartment, cei'- tainly one of the most respectiibli^-looking we met with in Peru. Our sui)per, consisting of omelet, tasajo, and coffee, was soon got ready ; and while we were eating, the landlord entertained us, telling us that his was the lialf-way house, the only house between Payta and Piura, and that we shoidd have; to ride; from six to seven hours before we could reach the town ; then, turning more to his })rivate affairs, he explained how great were the difficulties hi ])ringhig food and water to the inn, and how considerable the expenses wdiic^ su(;h a trans})orta- tion caused. Having to wait for the rising of the moon before the journey could be resumed, and being exhausted by our preparations for starting and by the long ride, we did not keep awake long after supper, but lay down without undressing, and slept till one of the guides aroused us. We mounted our animals, and in a few minutes S', Jtt/t/, IS47.] PliUl'VlAN DKSKUT. It) hull- ••c the py oui' ^c did itliout. )iis(m1 llHltoS li.'id It'ft tlu! iiiii hrliind us. Most of (lu* iiudi'ti'crs luid the sturt of us, hut en; loii<>; \\v eaiiie up with theui, juul proeee(hnii; to the same th'stiuation we soon heeanie friends. Their son<(s, the many httk; aneeth)tes thev tohl, and the numerous (juestions wliieh wi' had to an- swer, all tencK'd to shortcMi tlie ni^lit, and to make the journey K^ss tiresome; still the ride was far from au;i'eeal)l(! — the eold was aeutely felt, and whrn dawn eonnneneed our teeth were ehatterino" violently. Luekily the dawn in the tropies is of short duration. The sim soon rose, and diifused a more ^vnial tt'm[)erature ; hut what a landseai)e did it illumine ! As far as the eve eould reaeli nothing was seen save a greyish sand and a few Alga- roba-trees. Skeletons of animals, fallen vietims lo thirst and fatigue, were seattered ahout. The rotui was indi- eated at short distanees hy high jjoles, and wound along amidst momuls of shifting sand, the mueh-dreaded Me- daiios, the tond)s of so many travi'lKrs. Hoth ourselves and the nudes began to get tired. The poor beasts besides seemed to suller greatly from thirst ; now and then they took a mouthful of sand, probably to (jueneh the thirst by eolleeting the saliva. \\'e were therefore delighted to behold towards eight o'eloek the towers of i'iura, and to stand half an hour lati'r at the entranee of the town. Our elothes were thieklv eovered with dust, and whilst we were eleaning them the guides ottered uj) prayers to the patron of the road, w hose; elfigy we saw L^anding amidst a group of trees. Sending one of the men to Don Nareiso l!]s[)inosa with a letter of introiluetion, we proeeeded to the raneho of the guides. The messenger soon returned, stating that the gentleman 150 TilK VOYAGE OF II. M.S. HERALD. S^AlKjml, to whom wc liad ])(.'en rccoiimu'iidcd was still nslcq), but that his wife had taken tlio letter and promised to deliver it instantly. About an hour after Don Narciso arrived; he excused himself for coming so late, and informed us that from want of room he was unable to receive us into his house, but that he had procured lodgings for us at the residence of a friend. The owner of the house to which we w^ere conducted received us kindly ; he proved to be a gentleman from Lima, who had come to Piura to get cured of rheumatism, a disease for which the climate and the sand-hills of the neighbour- hood arc said to be excellent remedies. The patients are buried for nine days in the hot sand of the desert, with all save their heads covered, and afterwards have to lie in bed an equal space of time, cojistantly drinking de- coctions of sarsparilla. Our intention w as to leave Piura as soon as possible, in order to penetrate fiu'ther into the ulterior. We made a bargain for mules and donkeys to carry us as far as Sarsaranga, the first village in Ecuador ; and submitted our passports to the sub-prefect of the province, Don Manuel Cailote. The official, however, treated us most uncivilly, telling us in vehement language that the docu- ment we carried w^as merely intended from Peru, and that, if we wanted to go to Ecuador, we should have to get another passport, the cost of which w^ould be three dollars. Vexing as it w^as to have to give three dollars for a piece of paper that would neither further our object nor indentify our persons, we had to pay. ITjiving finished our arrangcnnents we intended to leave on the 2nd of August, early in the morning. At 1847.] I'lUKA. If)! )ssiblo, made far as mitted Don most docu- , and avc to three ollars object the a|)|)ointed hour we had our l)oxes packeci, oiu' spurs put on, and everythinji; got hi reachncss. But we had to wait till tlie afternoon, when the ohh'st of the guicK's arrived, trying to make a h)ng face, and reporting that the nniles had been in his court-yard, but tliat during the night several had esea[)ed, and that hitherto his ex- ertions to catch them had been unsuccessful. Having in accordance with the custom of the country paid in ad- vance the whole sum for the hiring of the beasts, no alternative was left l)ut to wait. To be entii'elv in the hands of these people is one of the greatest annoyances of South American travelling. Threats are of no avail, kindness is lost upon them, mid paying in advance de- prives the traveller of every check which othei'wise he mi<»;ht exercise on their conduct. Buvinen some trees, while the guides lay down close to the fire. However, none of us slept much : avs empty stomach, is the most inq)atieut creditor (>xi.^ting, who, after once making a call, is not (|uieted U!''(il the whole, or at lejist the grc^ater portion, of the (Ijht due to him has becMi ])ai(l. We started at da' iejfht, i)ut if was not until we hjul travelled seven hom'j^ ti»at we reaciii d Soviango, an estate surrounded by sugar plantations and standing on an emi- nence. Our approach had apparently been observed : ,'■>»? tlff/Hfit, 1847. irACIKNDA OF soVIANdo. ; na ) plan- Dr tour vliiit is laving panion incuts : 1(1 boil 't Avith nd tlu; (1, and t- still :ikt' the boil up proper lie for- le,- — \\v flowed nusing lothiug supper ued — ile the ' of us )atient is not lortiou, e had estate n enii- M'Vcd : at tlio ])riucipnl building \v(! were met by two ladies, one of whom proved to ])e the pro})rietress of the estate, and begged us to })ut up in the house. Plenty of Indian corn and Guinea-grass was given to the beasts, and a breakfast immediately got readv for us. Tl le meal was nearly eoncluded, and we were b(>ginning to feel com- fortable, when a cry of tire arose. All rushed into the court-yard: ])ehind the sugar-mill a (K'lise smoke was ascending — thi; |)lantations had caught lire. The whole estate was in an uproiir ; the labourers were seen nuniing down the hill, iuid the voice of the major-domo was hcMrd giving orders. W(^ followed the ladies behind tlu; mill, where a lamentable s])ectacle presented itself: sever;il fields had already been reduced to iishes, and the llame. iissisted by a strong breeze, was making rapid |)rogress The tire had hardly touched a field when the cane m;i(le w noise like musketry and Hi^w up into the air. The work- men, armed with sticks, tried to knock it out, hut tluii exertions were of no nvail ; iit last the llame reached ii rivulet, and (>xpired for want of combustibles. The damage done was considerable, but the ladies did notsccan to be all'ected by it, bi-ing iis cheei'ful iis before ; their only anxiety was, win ther any one had bi'cn hurt When observing our [)re])arations for starting, they beggi'd us to remain. To these tempting solicitations we could not accede: intending to visit (^uifo, and being still ii a great distance from that ciipitiil, e\ery hour was ol inn)ortance. \\v therefore took our h^ave, thanking the ladies for the hospitable treiitm we b(>held the estate, Avith its sugar-fields of ith the th le most vivid green, charnungly contrasting wi roads, streams, and habitations ; on the other, Sasaranga, a village of about fifty houses, and a neat-looking church. The road was onc^ continued ziiirzair, and it took iis about an hour to descend. The habitations in the villafi;e beiuf; very small, we were comiu'lled to put u]) at the Cabildo (town-house), a building containing the |)rison and two larg(* rooms. A\'e Avere forced to nMiiain a day at Sasaranga, our P(M'uvian muleteers having left us, and fr-.'sh animals not havinii; Ixen caught. The mode of tra\elling in Mci la- dor is p(>cnliar. On tl le principal roads, at every six or eight leagues, there are iarnhofi — buildings for the r(>cep- tion of travellers ; jit each of them a faiHbrro, or inn- keeper, is stationed, who is appointed by riovernnient, and Avhose duty is to assist in loading and unloading, to fetch fuel, water, and provisions, and ])r()cure animals for the IS47,] TAMHO OF COLOSACAl'l. 1()5 juuriioV; and a cook, — tor iiis trouble he receives one real a (lay from each party, and the cook half a real. The price for each animal, whether horse or mule, is four reals from one minbo to another, \\ hile in Ecuador we always availed ourselves ot tins mstitution, and, altlioufj^h m many [)laces great disoi'der and slowness prevails, it proved on the whole highly advantageous. The tamhoa originated in the time of the Incas ; they were the post-stages where the royal mes.sengers met and delivered to each other the mysterious (jnipo.s. The comnumication was at that time so well ke[)t up, that the kings, at their table at Cuzco, had lish fresh from the sea daily. Tlu^ descenihmts of these messengers are still })ointe(l out, and we have had occasion to observe the swiftness with which some of them would keep puce with oiu' animals for leagues togtther. On the yth of August the mules arrived, and we pro- ceeded to. adjust our boxes on their backs, but felt the loss of our skilfid LVruvians most seveielv, as we were nearly half an hour gc tting ready what tiny did in ten minutes. Our new guides stood by (juite coolly, and dii' not display the slightest wish to assist us. At last we started for the tamho of Colosacapi : although the distance is only six leagues, yet, our boxes continually slipi)ing oil", wi' did not reach our destination \mtil late. A large caravan of nmles laden with (^uina-bark from Loja was arriving at the same time. Kach mule carried two bales, fnnn two tmd a half to three feet long, and a toot and a half broad. The Imnho was a wretched place, — fnll of holes, vei-y dirly, and the Hoor covered with cowdimg and other tilth. .V tire was made, but KiO THE VOYACi; OF II. M.S. IIKHALI). [ At((jiiiit, tlicrp IxMii}^ no cliiiniU'V, wo had to sullri' IVom the smoke all iii^lit. 'I'lu; tdtiifjcrft, an old wotnafi; very thin and lean, made hci' appearance ; slie was accompanied l)y lier doj^, which had all its lioncs stickinj^ ont, looking c(pially miserable. She at one.' proceeded to cook some sonj) lor ns : water was first colonred witli some I) )ro\vne(l oiuons, and inen some I th Ind lan corn an( I Ji t ew eggs thrown in, one egg to a pint of wati.r. This mix- tnre, with a fail' allowance of dirt, was, it need scarcely he added, very weak, hut hungry travellers, who coidd get nothing else, had to he content. The next morning there was nol)()dy near the place, .save the old woman, who informed ns that the people had gone out for oiu" heasts of burden. At noon, find- ing that no one appeared, we ourselves went ont and managed to catch three mnles ; an additional one was bi'onght in soon after, and at four o'clock we left for Cariamango, accompanied by two Indian gnides, who were as stupid as our former ones. It was with great dilKcnlty that we hiduced them to start, as a thick fog was coming on and the wind began to get up. Notwith- sta.iding tins we departed, but were vuiable to travel more than two leagues, and were obliged to put up at a rancho which we were fortunate enough to fall in with. The hostess, an Indian woman, was in very bad humoiu", and professed to have; no food of any kind to spare. Mer daughter however was otherwise disposed, and, when her mother was absent, pointed out a nice goiit just killed, and also the i)lace where the potatoes and the maize; were kept. When the mistress of the house re- turned, she could no Ioniser refuse to sell us sufficient to 1847 ( AIMAMANdO AM> (ION/AN AM A. 107 niak(! a supper of, wliich in soiiu' nicnsurt" nuulc up for till' l)Ji(l fare oi" \\\c previous d Alter leaving the ranclio, the eouiitrv heeauu' very varied, — woods, liiil.s, and some heautitiil valleys in a state of (.'ultivatioii ; (here were however hut few iidia- l)itants, as was indeed tlu; case alonu: the whole of oi U' 1 C road. Late in the afternoon we reached i;ananianij:o seven leagues from ('olisaea|)i, where we were lod^i'd in the Cahildo. Cariamango is huilt on a plain, and consists of about a hundred houbi's, most of which have tiled roofs. It is surrounded by mountains, covered with Qnina-forests, which are the property of the villa}j;e, and from which any one may <• ct as much as he pleases ; the Oi nma howevci is of ii dit ii.. nor quality, ano sells on tl le s])()t for from sixteen to eighteen reals the aroha. W) the northward of the village there is a remarkable moun- tain rising like a pillar into the clouds, iind having a large cross on the to}), which, on high festivals, is visited by religious processions. Our next stage w.as (ionzanama, a village of al)()ut fifty houses, hicluding a church and a chajx'l, and situated at the foot of the Cerro de (Jolumbo. The neighbourhood would a})pear to ali'ord great inducement for settling, being clear of trees, having an excellent soil, well watered ])y luunerous streams, and producing peas, beans, pota- toes, wheat, and other vegetables commonly grown in northern Kiu'ope, besides those peculiar to the Andes. The climate is delightful ; during our stay the thermo- meter did not rise liigher tluui 07° Fahr. The wet season lasts from November until the middle oi" Mav, but duriuir t' e other mon ths si lowers are occasionally experiiincei I. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) < ^ 1.0 I.I bil^ |2.S ■ 50 '^^^ ffllfliK 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 •• 6" ► m^ s /i Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 m?., U.A \ :\ II 1G8 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. HERALD. \^Auarlv evi-rv dav four or five of these intruders have to he tiiken out -an ope- ration in which the natives have acquired considei'ahle skill. In the centn; of the town there is a lariz:e s(piare, with a fountain in the middle, the sides consist- ing of the government offices, an unfinished chiu'ch, i\ college, and several privates buildings. i.oja has seven churches, a nunnery (Concepcion), — contain- ing at the time of our visit twenty -two mms, — and a hospital. The treatment of the patients in the latter establishment is entrusted to women, who gather their remedies in the neighbourhood. The only nu^dical man in Loja is Dr. Ekins ; but as he is mostly attending patients in different ])arts of the; country, the inhabi- tants derive little benefit from his skill, and have to depend upon the vague knowledge of the virtues of plants and animals which tradition has hanch^l down to them. The climate of Loja and the whole valley of Cujibamba is very moist. The wet season connuences in Jamiary and lasts until the end of April, and sometimes until the middle of May ; in Jvme, July, and August there arc^ heavy rains, accompanied by strong gales of wind ; from September to January there is generally fine weather, VO].. 1. N 1. r:^ n.'| f '-'i I7H TIIK V()YA(JK (U' II. M.S. IIKHAIJ). \.tH(/Hst, I; '' iilll' iiM ill|:ii'' l)iit n really dry season it cannot he called, — occasional showers of rain fall even at that time of the year. Tlu; averap;e annnal teni[)eratnre of lioja has not yet been ascertained ; duriii}.? our stay the thernionieter stood *^v- nenilly, at six o'ch)ck in the morning, at 50° Fahr., at two P.M. 05°, and at ten at night 58° ; when tlu^ sun is south of the c(juator, some; of the days are said to be very warm. Notwithstanding the damp climate, the inhabit- ants look remarkably healthy, and instances of longevity an; not unfre([uent, some people having arrived at tiie age of one hundred years. The number of inhabitants is (estimated at 5000, con- sisting of whites, Indians, aiul half-castes. They are good-natured and hospitable, but, like most races who have descended from the Spaniards or owe their civi- lization to them, they are indolent, dirty, licentious, and fond of gambling. The men arc tall and well proportioned : in the streets they wear a straw-hat, and a cloak or a gay-coloured poncho ; otherwise they are dressed in the European fashion. The women, al- though they have fine faces, arc short and ill-shaped ; they also dress more or less in our style, but they never wear caps or bonnets, and only when riding on horse- back Panama hats. Smoking is practised by both sexes. The women use small paper cigaritas, which it is courtesy to pre- sent to them ; however, as the softer sex in the other towns of Ecuador do not indulge in the same habit, they feel a certain reluctance to smoke before strangers, and some of the ladies endeavoured to persuade us that they only used tobacco on accoimt of the damp IHI.7. r.oiA. 17!) cliiniitc. Itiiindy is dniiik in ^roil <|iiiiiilitM-s. mul In nil cluHrtcs. At tlicii reunions it is custoninrv lor a per- son to hold ii ^diisst'id in his hnnd, nnd, howin^' to iinotluT, to say, "Con Tsted ;" the jxTson thus ad- dressed, it' lie does not wish to \f'\\r oll'enee, answers, "Con nnieho j^nisto," and ein|)ties his own ^dass ; it is luniecessary to inU\ the result of this proeeedinjj:. As a general rule, the women are not allowed to take their meals with the men, hut have to eat in the kitchen; the Governor however, and a lew others of the more civilized, have broken throui^li this absurd eustom. Mo- rality is at a low ebb, in a ji;reat measure owin