20 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap, hogs, and poultry. At present it is entirely de- 



i. 



serted, except by horses and hogs, both of which, 

 i825. r ' Captain Hall states, are used as fresh stock by 

 whaling ships in the Pacific. The Indians appear 

 to have been generally very cordial with their vi- 

 siters, exchanging the produce of the island for 

 cutlery and trinkets. They, however, apparently 

 without provocation, attacked Sir Francis Drake, 

 and wounded him and all his boat's crew. In 1690 

 the island was found deserted by Captain Strong, 

 and it has since remained uninhabited. The cause 

 of this is not known, though I was informed in 

 Chili, that it was in consequence of the frequent 

 depredations committed by vessels that touched at 

 the island. 



We quitted Mocha, passed the Island of St« 

 Mary, which must not be approached on account 

 of sunken rocks, and anchored at Talcahuana, the 

 sea-port of Conception, on the 8th, fifty-six days 

 from Rio Janeiro. Here we found the British 

 squadron, under the command of Captain Mating, 

 from whom I received every assistance and atten- 

 tion. Our arrival off the port was on one of those 

 bright days of sunshine which characterize the 

 summer of the temperate zone on the western side 

 of America. The cliffs of Quinquina, an island si- 

 tuated in the entrance of the harbour, were covered 

 with birds, curiously arranged in rows along the va- 

 rious strata ; and on the rocks were numberless seals 

 basking in the sun, either making the shores re-echo 

 with their discordant noise, or so unmindful of all 

 that was passing, as to allow the birds to alight 

 upon them and peck their oily skin without offer- 

 ing any resistance. 



