DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY. 41 



Instead of one, there arc two principal and several smaller inland* composing the group 



under tliis name-. Tlu-y were discovered in 1 :>;;; by Juan Fernandez, a Spanish navigator, 

 who *;-a\e his uttine to them, ami .subMMjuc-iit ly endeavor' d t.. obtain a patent from the Viceroy of 

 riu tor the j Mir pose of colonizing them. Though it is also called by the Chilenos mag-d-t\erra t 

 i neuie.-,! tin land,) the largest and nearest to tin- continent IN that which is commonly known by 

 tin discoverer's name. Its length from E.N.E, to W.S.W., measured through the centre, is 

 13.}, and its greatest bread tli h ss than 4 miles, the form being somewhat that of a crescent, 

 \\itli its cusps to the southward. The latitude of Cumberland or Ban Juan Bautista bay, as 

 English and Spaniards have differently named it, a tolerably good anchorage on the N.E. side, 

 and t In- only one at tho island, is 33 38' ; its longitude, 78 53'; and its distance from the 

 coast 360 miles. 



The approach to it is described as most remarkable and picturesque a mountain resembling 

 in form a blacksmith's anvil, and hence called "El Yunque," rising 3,000 feet above a shore 

 formed by an abrupt wall of dark-colored, bare rock eight or nine hundred feet in height. As 

 is all the more elevated portion of the island, El Yunque is wooded nearly to its summit ; but 

 time are grassy and fertile plains of considerable extent, with beautiful ravines watered by 

 streams which originate in the mountains and come tumbling towards the sea. Such is the 

 northern aspect. The southern forms a marked contrast, being comparatively flat and low, and 

 nearly barren ; and the sea-fowl about Santa Clara, off its southern extremity, and the surf 

 along its beach, adding to, rather than detracting from, the desolation of the scene. 



The first attempt to populate the island was by the discoverer, who brought several families 

 and a few domestic animals with him from Peru ; but they soon found their isolated residence 

 irksome where gold was not to be had, and returned to the continent, leaving behind only 

 goats and the germs of future fruits. Afterwards it became a resort for pirates and buccaneers, 

 who found there abundant refreshments for debilitated crews ; and it is very sure that without 

 such supplies at command, these rovers could not have prosecuted their depredations on the 

 eastern shores of the Pacific in the manner they did. Some have thought that the animals and 

 edible plants were introduced by the buccaneers for their own benefit ; as it is well known that 

 the Viceroy caused a great many dogs to be landed from Peru and Chile, for the purpose of 

 hunting down and exterminating them, in order to prevent the island from affording so much 

 assistance to the freebooters. The names of Sharpe, Hawkins, Dampier, and Watlin, inspired 

 terror from Chiloe to Acapulco ; and Juan Fernandez too near the track of ships homeward, 

 as well as outward bound, yet too distant from the main land for reliable protection must, if 

 possible, be deprived of those supplies which rendered it so attractive and valuable to these 

 daring men. It is now certain that seals and sea-lions are the only indigenous animals ; but 

 goats, being unmolested during many years, had multiplied rapidly, and literally overran 

 the island, affording all the fresh meat that could be desired. Unfortunately, the scheme of the 

 Viceroy proved ineffectual ; for the dogs only drove the goats to crags and eminences where 

 they could not follow, and have since been compelled to hunt seals or starve. To the present 

 day, numbers of goats may be seen browsing about the cliffs or bounding from crag to crag 

 on the loftier portions of the island ; but if, by chance, one meets a troop of the dogs ranging 

 the low grounds, they flee, terrified at the sight of man. 



Subsequent to the marauding adventurers, Juan Fernandez was visited by Anson and Ulloa, 

 officers whose attainments placed them among the highest of their respective nations, whilst 

 they insured a more enviable fame for posterity. The former tempest- tossed, his squadron 

 broken up, more than half his crew annihilated by scurvy, and scarcely enough of the remain- 

 der in health to manage his ship was only too happy to find any place of refuge where the 

 bloated and tottering creatures around him could be restored to health and vigor, and his ship 

 somewhat prepared for the warlike service on which he had been despatched. During the three 

 months that lie remained at the island in 1741, an accurate topographical survey was made-, and 

 a most faithful account of its topography, climate, productions, &c., is given in the narrative 

 6 



