Jan.] 



ISLAND OF JUAN FERNANDEZ 



127 



and is therefore called by the Spaniards Mas-a-tierra, or " near the 

 land" while the other, which lies three leagues farther west, is termed 

 in the Spanish language Mas-a-fuero, signifying "farther off" or more 

 remote. It was to the eastern or largest of the two that the discoverer 

 gave his own name, and it is this which has become celebrated both 

 in history and romance — in geography and in the drama. This island 

 was so highly spoken of by the early navigators, that it has generally 

 been considered an earthly paradise ; but when we say that it is a 

 good resting-place for ships, it receives all the praise that sober truth 

 can award it. It has been occupied for more than half a century by 

 Spanish settlers, who erected a battery and built a small town on it. 

 Since the revolution in South America, the government of Chili have 

 converted it into a kind of state prison, sending such convicts hither 

 as are sentenced to hard labour. 



The island of Juan Fernandez is in latitude 33° 40' S., long. 78° 

 58' W., being ninety miles eastward of Masafuero, which is in latitude 

 33° 46' S., long. 30° 38' W. Variation 13° 42' easterly. Juan Fer- 

 nandez is of very irregular shape, about ten miles in length, and five in 

 breadth. Some have estimated its length at four leagues. It may be 

 readily known at a distance by its uneven surface, shooting up in many 

 irregular hills. Still it is not so high as its neighbour Masafuero, 

 which, when first seen, presents an even surface of elevated table- 

 land. 



The water, as before stated, is convenient, and of an excellent quality, 

 and ships may be furnished with wood at very little trouble. The 

 valleys are swarming with wild cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, and goats. 

 The plains and mountains are well covered with moderate-sized timber, 

 comprising numerous trees of an aromatic character. The myrtle is 

 the only large timber which came under my observation. Pimento 

 and cabbage-trees are common; vegetables and fruit abundant. Here 

 are radishes, water-cresses, parsley, turnips, and purslain. In the 

 valleys and woods fruits grow wild, such as apples, pears, peaches, 

 plums, apricots, figs, cherries, and strawberries. Cedar and sandal- 

 wood are found on the mountains, but not of the best quality. 



Fur and hair-seals formerly frequented this island ; but of late they 

 have found some other place of resort, though no cause for the change 

 has been assigned. Perhaps the moral atmosphere may have been so 

 much affected by the introduction of three hundred felons as to become 

 unpleasant to these sagacious animals. Fish, however, of different 

 * kinds, and of a most excellent quality, abound in the waters around the 

 shores of the island. Crawfish are also very plenty. Many aquatic 

 birds visit the west end of this island ; and the forests are tenanted 

 with a great variety of land birds of a beautiful plumage. The interior 

 of the island is very much torn to pieces by volcanoes, and exhibits 

 many barren rocky mountains. Yet the valleys are very fertile, pro- 

 ducing spontaneously every kind of fruit and vegetable that is com- 

 mon on the Chilian coast of South America. 



The eastern side of the island is now tolerably well cultivated, this 

 labour being performed by the convicts who are sent hither from Chili. 

 There were at one time about three hundred of them on the island, 



