IN THE PACIFIC. 51 



top, from whence we had a glorious view of 

 both sides of the island and of the adjacent 

 island of Santa Clara. 



The man in charge of the settlement told us 

 that there were nearly 1000 goats on Santa 

 Clara, that there was no water on the island, 

 and that the goats came down to the beach and 

 drank the salt water. I suspect, however, that 

 they find sufficient for their wants in the dew, 

 and such water as may collect in the hollows of 

 the rocks during the rainy season. On our 

 return to the settlement the overseer, a Chileno, 

 complained that the fire had burnt a quantity of 

 stacked wood, and destroyed property to the 

 amount of several thousand dollars. 



This we knew could not be the case, as we 

 had seen this wood and knew that the fire had 

 not gone within a mile of it ; however, Captain 

 Boxer wisely decided to see the extent of the 

 damage for himself. 



The next morning, taking the Chileno (native 

 of Chili) as a guide, we rode all over the ground 

 which had been traversed by the fire, the stacked 



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