THE VEGETATION OF THE JLAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS 795 



with the exception of a few stunted specimens growing out of reach on the coast 

 cliffs, where they still linger. The forest of Masatierra was composed of many 

 kinds of trees, and Walter particularly mentions three, a myrtle, a "pimiento", 

 and a cabbage tree; this, the palm Juania, was scarce, at least in places of easy 

 access. The myrtle was not, as might be expected, Myrceuge7iia [Xoilio^nyrcia] 

 ferna}ideziana, which forms the bulk of the forest, but according to Johow (p. ii) 

 Fagara mayu, whereas the {)imiento was Xothomyrcia, the luma of the present 

 inhabitants. Fagara, now called naranjillo, was the largest tree observed by 

 Walter, who tells us that it measured over 40 feet in height and furnished all 

 the lumber needed by the e.xpedition. In the open country, whether cleared or 

 originally treeless, introduced plants such as turnips, radishes, sorrel [Rumex aceto- 

 sella) and wild oats [Ai^ena harbata) were abundant, Avena covering many acres. 

 Anson brought seeds of several fruit trees and vegetables, but they never spread 

 much outside the Bay. He established his headquarters in the beautiful valley 

 later named for him, according to my belief the place where, before him, Selkirk 

 had his base camp. The valley floor, watered by a stream, must have been well 

 cleared and remains an open meadow, stocked with introduced herbs and grasses. 

 Anson also paid a visit to Masafuera. Earlier visitors had described this island 

 as barren, but Anson's picture of the northeast side shows that save for the high 

 coast cliffs, the slopes were forested. The treeless highland was not in sight. 



Dec. 1742— Jan. 1743 Antonio de Ulloa lay at anchor in Cumberland Bay. 

 His description of the vegetation is brief and his illustrations inferior to Anson's, 

 but it may be worth while to quote a couple of passages. P. 284 we read: "En 

 sus Caiiadas hay mucho Monte, y Arboledas de Maderas muy buenas, entre las 

 cuales se encuentran Arboles de Pimienta semejante a la de Chiapa en Xueva 

 Fspaiia. En los Llanos, y Colinas crece mucho una Paja parecida a la de Avena, 

 tanto que si entre una, y otra hay alguna diferencia, que haga distintas las es- 

 pecies, es muy poca; y crece tanto, que sobrepuja en altura con mucho a la de 

 un Hombre." And p. 285: "El Territorio de esta Isla se compone de IMontanas 

 de mas que mediana altura, y sus Faldas correspondientes acia la parte de Xorte 

 son las que estan pobladas de Arboledas, cuyas Maderas, como ya se advirtio, 

 son proprias para muchos usos; las que corren a la parte del Sur no tienen 

 Arboles, sino es en las Ouebradas, que forman las Colinas de los Cerros; y es 

 sin duda, porque la fuerza de los Vientos Sures continuos no los dexa crecer; 

 pero si la Ai'ena, 6 Paja semejante a ella, con la cual se cubren todos viciosa- 

 mente. Entre los Arboles no hay ningunos Frutales . . ." On the map (PI. IV), 

 however, the entire island, with the exception of the extreme western promontory, 

 is covered with trees. Santa Clara is barren. 



After the publication of Juan and Ulloa's work in 1748 and until oNIrs. Graham 

 published her journal in 1824, no visitor's report on Masatierra has come to my 

 knowledge. Johow (p. 14) refers to some notes on both islands published in 1767 

 in a book written by an anonymous author and which I have not been able to 

 consult. It is of interest to learn that Masafuera is described as covered with fine 

 forests. In Masatierra, great changes must have taken place in the meantime. 

 The Spaniards having taken formal possession of the island, a penal colony was 



