98 



COAST ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 



[1823 



CHAPTER VII. 



Commence surveying the Western Coast of South America — Capes St. Isabel and 

 St. Lucia — Strait of Conception — Cape St. Jago — St. Martin's Island — Byers's 

 Strait — Island of Madre de Dios — Capes Three Points and Corso — Campana 

 Channel and Island — Port St. Barbara — Cape Nixon — Guayaneco Islands — 

 Interview with a tribe of Indians called the Caucaes — A brief Description of 

 these Natives — The Fourth of July — The Wasp in a perilous Situation on a 

 Rock — Damages repaired — Anchors converted into Rudder Irons- — Set Sail for 

 Mocha Island — Obtain fresh Provisions — Island of Santa Maria. 



From Cape Victory, about thirty-five miles, on a north-west-half- 

 north course, lies Cape Isabel ; and eight miles beyond that, on a north- 

 west-half-west course, is a point of land forming the north boundary 

 of a strait which penetrates eastwardly through an archipelago of small 

 islands, which have never been accurately surveyed. We continued 

 following the coast, or rather the western shores of a chain of islands 

 forming the Gulf of Trinidad, which unites with Magellan's Strait at 

 Cape Tamer. Our boats were constantly close in shore, searching 

 every mile of the coast for seals, and ascertaining the character of the 

 shores, depth of water, &c. There were very few fur seals to be 

 found, however. 



May 26th. — At two, P. M., we arrived at Cape St. Lucia, in lat. 

 51° 25' S., long. 75° 33' W. In the direction of north-north-west- 

 half-west from this cape lies St. Jago, a point of land forming the 

 southern extremity of St. Martin's Island, lat. 50° 53' S., long. 75° 35' 

 W. Between this and St. Lucia is a numerous cluster of islands, 

 with deep water all around them. There are many reefs and sunken 

 rocks on the seaboard, and also among these islands, but their presence 

 is always indicated by kelp, or rock-weed, which gives sufficient 

 warning. They afford many excellent harbours, and ships may sail 

 among them in the daytime with perfect safety, only taking care to 

 steer clear of the kelp. They also furnish wood and water in abun- 

 dance,, and their shores are much frequented by hair-seals. For 

 repairing vessels they furnish every facility, as timber of almost any 

 description can be had here with very little trouble, and the natives 

 seldom visit these islands. Ships may pass from Magellan's Strait 

 within all these islands by entering the sound at Cape Tamer, and 

 they will find a safe and easy passage to the Gulf of Trinidad, a dis- 

 tance of seventy leagues, all the way sheltered from the sea by the 

 unbroken chain of islands which gem this part of the coast, and prevent 

 the surge from the Pacific reaching the shore of the continent. The 

 country on both sides of this sound is covered with the finest ship- 

 timber in the world, and the soil is capable of producing any thing 

 congenial to the climate. The shores are frequented by sea otters, 

 while the valleys, plains, and forests abound with deer, guanacoes, 



