OP THE GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO. 451 



A short account of the islands, very similar to Dampier's, is given by Lionel Wafer, 

 Dampier's " chirurgeon." He speaks of taking off some of the flour left during the 

 former voyage, a great deal of which he said had been devoured by the turtledoves. 

 The chief interest of Wafer's narrative is his description of the Darien Indians, with 

 whom he resided some time. Being injured by an accident, he was left behind by his 

 companions when crossing the isthmus to the south seas. The Indians treated him 

 well; and he ultimately rejoined his fellow Buccaneers nearly naked and painted like 

 a savage. 



Captain Woods Rogers, the rescuer of Alexander Selkirk from the Island of Juan 

 Fernandez, was the last of the Buccaneers who has left any account of the Galapagos. 

 He visited them twice — once in May 1709, and again in September of the same year. 

 As usual the Tortoises are the animals that came in for the chief share of attention ; 

 but Rogers also noticed the tameness of the Hawks " of several sorts," and of the 

 Turtle Doves. He also says that most sorts of sea-birds are to be found about the 

 islands. 



For nearly a century no further notice is recorded of these islands, though doubtless 

 they were frequently visited, first by the Buccaneers, and afterwards by the whale-ships, 

 which commenced cruising in the Pacific towards the close of the 18th century. 



To extend the knowledge of these seas by more accurate surveys, and thus to 

 encourage and facilitate the Sperm-Whale fisheries, Captain James Colnett, R.N., 

 was despatched by Messrs. Enderby & Sons in the ship ' Rattler,' which had been 

 purchased of the English Government and fitted out as a whaler. The ' Rattler ' 

 came in sight of the Galapagos on 24th June, 1793, and left again early in July. A 

 map of the islands accompanies Captain Colnett's relation of his voyage, which, though 

 imperfect in many respects, is the first published approaching to accuracy, and the first 

 in which the longitudes are given approximately. 



Incidental mention is made of Turtle Doves and considerable flocks of Teal. He 

 adds that he saw no great variety of land-birds, and what he did see were not remark- 

 able for beauty or novelty. He mentions a " Flycatcher " and Creeper " like those of 

 New Zealand," a "bii'd resembling a small mocking bird," " a Black Hawk," and a 

 " bird of the size of our Blackbird," and " Ring Doves of a dusky plumage." 



Colnett expresses himself perplexed to form a satisfactoiy conjecture how the small 

 birds supported themselves without water, till some of his party observed an old bird in 

 the act of feeding three young ones by squeezing a berry of a tree into their mouths. 

 He adds that in dry seasons thousands of birds must perish for want of water, for he 

 found numbers dead in their nests, some being almost fledged. Of sea-birds he 

 mentions Flamingoes, Sea-Pies, Plovers, and Sand-Larks. Colnett returned again to 

 Galapagos on his homeward voyage, and came in sight of Chatham Island on 12th 

 March, 1794, where he refreshed some of his sick crew with a diet of Turtle and Teal 



