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July.] ISLAND OF LA MOCHA. 103 



search for the boats, which we fell in with on Sunday the 13th, on the 

 south-east side of the peninsula of Tres Montes, or Three Mountains. 

 They had found many hair-seals, but very few of the fur kind. 



July 16th. — After passing through Rogers's Strait, which is formed 

 by Wager Island on the south, and the peninsula before mentioned on 

 the north, we took our leave of the Gulf of Penas at two P. M., and 

 made the best of our way for the island of La Mocha, to procure 

 fresh provisions. I regretted that it was not in my power to continue 

 the examination of this coast at that time ; but the new-fashioned pin- 

 tles of our rudder began to show symptoms of instability, and I now 

 saw the necessity of hastening to the first port, where they could be 

 replaced by copper ones, of proper construction. I shall therefore 

 refer the reader to the voyage of 1824, 1825, and 1826, which I 

 made in the schooner Tartar, of New- York, to the North and South 

 Pacific Oceans, it being the second of these " Four Voyages :" when 

 I resumed the examination of this coast, beginning at Point Taitao- 

 haohuon, from which I now took my departure for the island of La 

 Mocha, for the reasons just stated. 



At eleven A. M. we shaped our course accordingly, leaving Point 

 Taitaohaohuon bearing south-east-by-east, distant four leagues, with a 

 fine breeze from the south-west, and fair weather. We pursued a 

 northerly course, with variable winds, sometimes interrupted by calms, 

 for five days. 



July 22d. — On Tuesday morning, the 22d day of July, we arrived at 

 the island of La Mocha, at seven A. M. I immediately sent the boats 

 on shore in search of wild hogs. This island is in lat. 38° 2.1' S., 

 long. 74° 5' W. Variation per azimuth, at three P. M., 17° 22' 

 easterly. It is not large in circumference, but so much elevated that 

 it can be seen, in clear weather, at the distance of forty miles. In 

 approaching the land the top of the island appears rugged and broken ; 

 but its north-west part gradually descends to a low, sandy, level point. 

 Its southern point terminates in a more abrupt manner, and a ledge of 

 small rocks runs from it, some of which are on a level with the water, 

 while others ascend boldly. Breakers extend off to the westward 

 about five miles. On the north side of Mocha the anchorage is 

 good, with the winds from west-north-west, round by the west to the 

 south-east. 



Wood and water may be procured at this island in abundance. 

 There are also plenty of wild horses, hogs, and various kinds of birds. 

 Wild celery grows here in great profusion, together with other anti- 

 scorbutic vegetables. 



This island is situated about five leagues from the coast of the 

 main, the channel between them being perfectly safe, with from fifteen 

 to twenty-five fathoms of water. The mainland of Chili is moderately 

 elevated near the seacoast abreast of Mocha. The island is about 

 fifteen miles in circumference, and was formerly inhabited by Indians 

 from the continent ; but there are now no persons to be found on it, 

 excepting a few natives from the main coast, who come here for the 

 purpose of taking hair-seals, which are valuable to them for the 



