ADDRESS. 63 



their volcanoes. The Pacific squadron has enough to do within 

 its already prescribed limits. Even were our squadron greatly 

 increased, as it should be, in the Pacific, still that immense line of 

 coast would afford ample employment for its officers, however 

 ardent in their contributions to science. As long as the waters of 

 the numerous harbours on the coast shall continue to be divided 

 by the keels of our vessels, no item of geographical knowledge 

 should be deemed so minute, as to be unworthy our attention. If 

 our public vessels, therefore, find leisure on their hands, it is not 

 because there is nothing to do. It is notorious that there are 

 numerous points on that coast misplaced on the charts of the most 

 recent construction and by the most approved hydrographers. In 

 a space comprising several hundred miles north of Lima, almost 

 every point is said to have an erroneously assigned position on 

 the charts. Our knowledge of the northwest coast, especially 

 about the mouth of the river Columbia, is still defective. Of 

 some spacious bays making in on the north, we have not even the 

 sketch of a chart ; while of the islands adjacent, we know still less 

 we mean that degree of accuracy which deserves the name of 

 knowledge. The Galapago group* of islands have never been 



* This, in some respects, interesting group, which comprises a large number of 

 small islands, is situated nearly under the equator, between the eighty-ninth and 

 ninety-second degrees of west longitude, about two hundred and forty leagues west 

 of the American continent A majority of these islands are situated a little south of 

 the equinoctial line, though a few scattering islands are found north of it Albemarle, 

 which is the largest of the cluster, is more than seventy miles in length, and stretches 

 north and south, with an eastern coast that is nearly straight, but its western side is 

 deeply concave, embracing the volcanic island of Narborough. The north head of 

 Albemarle terminates westwardly in Cape Berkley, which is exactly on the line. 

 South and east of Albemarle are Charles's Island, Hood's, Chatham's, Barrington's, 

 Downes's, Porter's, and James's islands. 



The name of this group is derived from the Spanish word galapago, a fresh water 

 tortoise ; and it was given to these islands because they abound with the largest class 

 of these animals, a species of terapin, to which Commodore Porter has given the name 

 of elephant tortoise, as their legs, feet, and clumsy movements strongly resemble those 

 of the elephant. Their flesh is most excellent food, and they seem to have been 

 placed here, in these lonely regions, for the sole purpose of refreshing the adventurous 



