Aug.] 



ST. AMBROSE AND ST. FELIX. 



117 



fur-seal skins. After examining this island, we paid a similar visit on 

 the following day to St. Felix, about six leagues west-south-west of it, 

 where we obtained two hundred and eleven fur-seal skins. Here also 

 we encountered a very interesting adventure, with which I shall com- 

 mence the next chapter. In the mean time it will be proper to give the 

 reader some idea of the character of these islands, and of their location. 



The islands of St. Ambrose and St. Felix lie about 500 miles north- 

 west from Port Coquimbo, and nearly the same distance west of Co- 

 piapo, a town and cape on the coast of northern Chili. They are 

 north-north-west of the island of Juan Fernandez about one hundred 

 and sixty leagues, being in latitude 26° 30' S., long. 80° 0' W. 



As before intimated, St. Ambrose is the most easterly of these two 

 islands, and is about five miles in circumference. On the north side 

 there is a fine snug little cove for a boat, and a good landing at all 

 seasons of the year, with the wind blowing from any southerly point 

 between east and west. But it is difficult to obtain fresh water from 

 this landing. About the centre of the north side, however, there is a 

 still better landing, where fresh water of an excellent quality may be 

 had in any quantity from a pond on the top of the island, or table-land, 

 and led down to the boats by means of a hose, without any trouble. 

 Small as this island is, it can boast of a mountain which rises about 

 three hundred and fifty feet from its base, with vegetation on its summit 

 and sides, where grow many kinds of plants and shrubs. A few seals 

 of the fur kind are found on the shores of this island. 



The island of St. Felix, which lies farther west, is about the same 

 size as the one just described, and is elevated about three hundred 

 feet above the level of the sea. On its west and south-west sides it 

 presents nothing to the eye but steep perpendicular cliffs ; but there is 

 a place for landing on the north-west side, about one-fourth of a mile 

 eastward of the north-west head or bluff. Here, in a sort of gully, 

 you may land on a flat rock at all seasons of the year ; but on the 

 beaches at the north and east sides of the island the landing is dan- 

 gerous, as the shores are very steep. But after you have landed, there 

 is nothing in the prospect to repay you for the trouble. The island 

 is entirely destitute of grass, verdure, or vegetable productions of any 

 description ; the whole being a barren sun-burnt surface, diversified 

 only with rocks and sand. 



This island is mostly visited by sailors for the purpose of taking seal- 

 skins, the fur of which is of a very good quality. It is also a fine place 

 to gather the eggs of aquatic birds, and to catch fish, which are play- 

 ing round the shores in great abundance. A man may stand on the 

 rocks at the landing, with line and hook, baited with the flesh of seals 

 or birds, and load a boat with crawfish in half a day. Eggs of aquatic 

 birds may be gathered in any quantity during the months of December 

 and January on both these islands. Those of the shag and the gannet 

 are nearly equal to hens' eggs in taste. There are no dangers near 

 either of these islands two cables'-length from shore. Both of them 

 are evidently of volcanic origin, the rocks showing every mark of hav- 

 ing once been in a state of fusion, and pumice-stones are found on 

 different parts of the islands. 



