fJ2a A VOYAGE TO Cook VIH. 



Chíapa in New Spain. The plnins and little hills 

 produce a sort of straw, resembling that of oats, 

 and grow ing higher than the usual stature of a man. 

 The water, of which several streams fall from the 

 eminences into the sea, is very light, creates an ap- 

 petite, and, among other medicinal qualities, is ex- 

 cellent against indigestion. Here are many dogs of 

 ditferent species, particularly of the greyhound kind; 

 and also a great number of goats, which it is very 

 difficult to come at, artfully keeping themselves 

 among those crags and precipices, where no other 

 animal but themselves can live. The dogs owe their 

 origin to a colony sent thither, not many years ago, 

 by the president of Chili, and the vice-roy of Peru, 

 in order totally to exterminate the goats; that any 

 pirates or ships of the enemy might not here be fur- 

 nished with provisions. But this scheme has proved 

 inefiectual, the dogs being incapable of pursuing 

 them among the ñistnesses where they live, these 

 animals leaping from one rock to another with sur- 

 prising agility. Thus far indeed it has answered the 

 purpose; for ships cannot now so easily furnish 

 themselves with provisions here, it being very dith- 

 cult to kill even a single goat. 



Very few birds frequent this island, and though 

 we found several white feathers on the ground, and 

 also parts of carcases, which seemed to have been 

 gnaw^ed by the dogs, we saw but very few flying, 

 and those wholly black. It is not indeed improbable, 

 but these islands may be the winter retreats of some 

 kinds of birds, which on the approach of summer 

 remove to another climate. 



In this island are mountains of a great height ; 

 and the sides of those towards the N. are covered 

 with trees of good timber ; but few or none are seen 

 on those of the S. part, excej)t in the breaches and 

 Talleys ; owing doubtless to the piercing violence of 

 the S. winds, Avhich destroys them or checks their 

 1 growth. 



