1824, NOVEMBER— DECEMBER. JUAN FERNANDEZ 93 



the snout to tte tail ; a much, smaller animal than the common one and 

 its motion equally quick; none could be caught. 



Until we passed the Straits of Magellan the weather continued variable, 

 the wind was boisterous with a rough sea, rain, and thick fogs. 



From this time to the 14th of December nothing worthy to be noticed 

 occurred. Towards noon the Island of Mas-a-Fuera was seen, distant about 

 seven leagues, and appears like a conical black rock. As we drew near 

 the shore it became more like an island. At four in the afternoon of the 

 same day passed within two miles of it ; the surge on the beach prevented 

 the commander from landing. On the whole its appearance is barren, 

 although in the valleys there is herbage and some trees on the hills ; goats 

 were seen in abundance. Our course was then directed towards the 

 island of Juan Fernandez, about eighty miles distant to the north-east. 



It afforded me much gratification to see Juan Fernandez on the morning 

 of the second day. At twelve o'clock a boat was sent in search of fresh 

 water, in which I was permitted to embark ; being unsuccessful in some 

 measure, our stay was short and we returned to the ship in a few hours. 

 The following day we went round to the north side to Cumberland Bay, 

 so named by Anson in 1741. The whole island is very mountainous, 

 volcanic, and beautifully covered with wood to the summit of the hUls, 

 the tops of which are rarely seen, being enveloped in the clouds. On 

 Friday and Saturday I went on shore and was much gratified with my 

 visit. As we approached the shore we were surprised to see a small vessel 

 at anchor, and on the beach a hut with smoke rising from it. As we were 

 about to step out of the boat a man sprang out of the thicket to our 

 astonishment and directed us into a sheltered creek. He gave me the 

 following account of his adventures. His name, William Clark ; a sailor ; 

 native of Whitechapel, London ; came to the coast of Chile five years ago 

 in a Liverpool ship called Lolland, and was there discharged. He is now 

 in the employment of the Spaniards, who visit the island for the purpose 

 of killing seals and wild bullocks, which are both numerous. Five of 

 his companions were on the opposite side, in their pursuit, and came to see 

 him once a week ; he was left to take care of the little bark and other 

 property. When he saw the boat first he abandoned his hut and fled to the 

 wood, thinking us to be pirates. On hearing us speak English he sprang 

 from his place of retreat, and no language can convey the pleasure he 

 seemed to feel. He had been there five weeks and intended to stay five 

 more ; he came from Coquimbo, in Chile. His clothing was one pair of 

 blue woollen trousers, a flannel and a cotton shirt, and a hat, but he 

 chose to go bareheaded ; he had no coat. The surgeon and I gave 

 him as much as could be spared from our small stock, for which he expressed 

 many thanks. His little hut was made of turf and stones thatched with 

 the straw of a wild oat. In one corner lay a bunch of straw and his 

 blanket ; a log of wood to sit on was all the furniture ; the only cooking 

 utensil was a common cast-iron pot with a wooden bottom, which he had 

 sunk a few inches in the floor — and placed the fire round the sides ! He 

 longed to taste roast beef (having had none for seven years) and one day 

 tried to indulge with a little baked, as he termed it ; but in the baking 



