Mr Scolder's Voyage to the Pacific Ocean. 205 



they preferred death to slavery, and, by their dexterous div- 

 ing, successfully eluded the pursuit of the sailors. They were 

 seen to swim away in different directions, as each thought was 

 most direct to their native island, which they were never to re- 

 visit. 



At a distance Juan Fernandez brings to recollection the 

 appearance of Madeira, only its superior verdure is rendered 

 doubly charming by the vast extent of ocean one traverses be- 

 fore he can visit its fertile valleys. The island was approached 

 with equal interest by every one in the vessel, but with differ- 

 ent feelings; the seamen regarded it as classic ground, from 

 the romance connected with its history, and the naturalists ex- 

 pected many additions to their collections, in a land as yet un- 

 touched by the botanist. 



15th. — We landed in a small bay at the northern extre- 

 mity of Juan Fernandez, and hastened to explore the hills 

 whose verdure promised us abundance of plants. The level 

 land near the coast had more resemblance to a European corn- 

 field than to a desolate valley of the Pacific Ocean, being en- 

 tirely overgrown with oats, interspersed in different places with 

 wild carrots. On penetrating through the corn-fields, we dis- 

 covered a small cavern excavated from the decomposing rock, 

 and bearing evident traces of having been recently inhabited. 

 A kind of substitute for a lamp was suspended from the roof, 

 and the quantity of bones scattered about showed there was 

 no scarcity of provisions on the island. A little to the eastward 

 of this strange abode, our curiosity was amply gratified by a 

 beautiful example of romantic scenery. A natural arch, about 

 seven feet in height, admitted us to a small bay, bounded on 

 all sides by steep perpendicular rocks, continually washed by 

 the waves. The almost inaccessible crags afforded a secure 

 retreat to the sea-birds, which resort thither to deposit their 

 eggs. These rocks are of a more volcanic appearance than 

 those of Madeira, and contain many small crystals of a green- 

 coloured mineral. This bay abounded in sponges, which had 

 been washed ashore, and many of them in a very fine state. 

 We succeeded, though with much difficulty, in detaching some 

 specimens of a species of Ccrastium, which grew on the surface 

 of the rocks. 



