I 68 C. SKOTTSBERG 



only scattered patches of trees on this side, while ferns, especially LopJiosoria, 

 pangue, grass etc. form a more or less continuous cover. A picture taken from a 

 point between Buque Varado and Iman gives some idea of the scenery (fig. 85). 

 At the north extremity of the plain stands a green, rounded hill, Cerro Verde 

 (fig. 84), mentioned as Pico Xorte in Instrucc. naut. p. 230 and said to be 1340 m 

 high. This figure is too high, I believe. 



From Cabo Norte to 0- de las Casas. 



The coast cliffs from Cabo Xorte to the Sanchez shore are almost perpen- 

 dicular and about 300 m high. Half way a cascade tumbles down to the beach 

 in two leaps, coming from the gap of Q. Larga. Just as the other valleys on the 

 east side this has a forest belt above c. 300 m and grass-land below. Here the 

 trees cover also part of the ridge between Larga and Sanchez, apparently the 

 largest continuous patch of luma forest on Masafuera. 



0. de Sanchez is very long, narrow and twice furcate, and there is forest 

 in all the branches. None of the other valleys is quite destitute of trees. The 

 small Q. Xegra (also called 0. del Plan Xegro) does not reach the shore. Q. del 

 Sandalito and Q. del Sdndalo do not seem to offer anything of particular interest. 

 The talus slope permits a fairly comfortable passage as far south as to the large 

 Q. del Pasto. "Pasto" means pasture, and there is better grass-land with abun- 

 dant native grasses along this part of the coast than anywhere else. Pasto is a 

 large valley with its sources near the edge of table-land. The main stream runs 

 over a high threshold. S of Pasto a land-slide is crossed before reaching O. del 

 dvalo, which derives its name from a conspicuous hill inside the entrance, a good 

 example of columnar structure. The passage is a little fatiguing until we are op- 

 posite Q. del Mono, another big valley emptying its waters through a narrow 

 crevice (fig. 86). From here going is easy to Casas, where we have completed 

 our circuit of the island. 



Human influence on Juan Fernandez. 



The discovery of the two virgin and uninhabited islands in 1574 was soon 

 followed by the first inroad into its living world. If we are to believe the histo- 

 rians cited e.g. by Guzman, Fernandez returned and settled on Masatierra where he 

 introduced 60 Indians (Weber), a few goats and pigs and devoted himself to 

 agriculture, fishing and sealing. His stay is said to have been short, but his goats 

 remained and multiplied. After Fernandez' death the island was turned over to 

 the Order of Jesuits, and, in the beginning of the 17th century, the first fruit- 

 trees were planted and vegetables introduced (Weber p. 162). During the "era 

 of the buccaneers" the islands served as a place of refreshment, but the damage 

 was, I daresay, confined to the surroundings of the harbours. Their first visit is 

 said to have taken place in 1680. A change for the worse came when L'Heremite 

 reported that the precious sandal-wood was abundant. I refer to Johow's instructive 

 account of the history of this ill-fated tree, pp. 127 — 131. L'Heremite's visit took 

 place in 1624, and already at the middle of the century a lucrative traffic was 



