122 C. SKOTTSHERG 



rather abruptly into V. Ingles. The quebradas coming down from the main ridge 

 are filled with a remarkable Dicksonia forest near the range — note Q. Helechos ("Fern 

 gully") — followed by luma groves and macal; I refer to my description, 3 p. 909. 

 Fog is a very important climatic factor here. 



Pto luf^U's offers no protection and is not used as a harbour (fig. 33). As a rule 

 there is a heavy swell and the boulders on the beach are shifted to and fro making 

 landing uncomfortable, perhaps dangerous. Close to the east headland a rock pro- 

 jects, separating a miniature cove from the main bay. The beach is a steep wall 

 of boulders, but with a tolerably calm sea landing is easy at the foot of the rock, 

 which is {)ierced by a tunnel, "una roca agujereada sobre una playa de piedras 

 grandes", as this place is described in Instrucc. naut. p. 229; referring to Selkirk, 

 Guzman calls the tunnel "la portada del Solitario" (p. 23). Through the tunnel or, 

 at high tide, across the rock, we gain the bay, and immediately to the left, about 

 5 m above sea level (Branchi), is the famous "Robinson's cave", a favourite goal 

 for visiting tourists (fig. 34). It is hardly probable that the cave, described in some 

 detail by Guzman I.e., served the recluse as his permanent abode. 



Fig. 35 is a general view of the valley seen from an airplane, but this picture 

 does not show the extent of the beach flat and of the wide, gently sloping valley 

 floor. The stream has water at all seasons. A ridge extending halfway down the 

 valley divides it in two; the east branch comes from a crescent-shaped saddle, equally 

 conspicuous from both sides of the island (figs. 35, 36) and reported to be impassable. 

 The dividing cordon can be followed along the crest up to about 550 m, where it 

 gets so narrow that further advance becomes too hazardous (see Skottsb. 3 PI. 

 90: 2). All the low land in the valley (fig. 36) has been cleared by fire and the forest 

 replaced by extensive weed fields, but in the branch valleys and side gullies is some 

 good forest, where a few chonta palms have been spared (Skottsb. 3 PI. 88). There 

 is much naranjillo, but little maqui. The continuous cover of herbs and grasses 

 testifies that erosion is slight, and so is the inclination of the cleared valley floor. 

 It would [)erhaps be possible to reforest this valley with luma and other native trees. 

 At present (or at least in 1917) it is grazed; a tropilla is seen in fig. 36. 



Ccrro Alto boldly terminates the dividing ridge between Pto Ingles and Vaqueria 

 (fi^^- 37> 38). Possibly this ridge gives access to the summit which is about 600 m 

 high; an older figure says 627 (Friederichsen, Johow). All other sides are almost 

 or cjuite [)erpendicular. Patches of forest are seen on the flanks of the cone. 



Bahia dc la Wiqucria serves, as the name suggests, as a cattle ranch. The 

 cove is useless as an anchorage, but landing is easy enough with a calm sea. There 

 is no level beach; the stream, which is permanent, gropes its way between a wall 

 of boulders of all sizes. Mg. 39 is a general view of the valley seen from the air. 

 The outer [)art is grass land with scattered trees on the slopes, closing to form groves 

 higher up, the interior is densely wooded (Skottsb. 3 fig. 35 on p. 894). The ani- 

 mals in X'aquen'a have been left to run wild, and the visitor should look out for 

 the bulls. 



As far as I could sec, the geological structure is the same as in Cumberland 

 Hay, with the same red volcanic agglomerate, and it was during our visit to Vaqueria 

 that I began to doubt the crater character of the former. Halfway up the valley 



