Ch.IV. south AMERICA; ^21 



growth. On the other hand, every part is covered 

 with tall grafs or ftraw, already mentioned. Among 

 the various forts of trees with which the ifland is deco- 

 rated, there are none of the American fruit-trees; 

 owing to the cpldnefs of the climate, which is increafed 

 by the violence of the winds, fo that even the heats 

 of fummer are moderate. 



In this ifland are three harbours or bays •, but thofe 

 on the W. and E. fides have only water fufficient for 

 fmall veffels j fo that the only one proper for large 

 Ihips is that on the N. or rather N. E. fide of the 

 ifland. The latter, which is properly called Juan Fer- 

 nandes, confifts of a bay formed by the coaft:, hut 

 expofed to the N. and N. E. winds; lb that in winter 

 no fliip can lie fafely in it; and even in fummer, it 

 is not free from danger, on account of the great 

 depth of water ; for within the difliance of a cable's 

 length or two from the fliore, it has fifty fathom ; 

 and growing deeper as the difl:ance increafes. To this 

 muft alfo be added the badnefs of the ground, which 

 being of land, and a tenacious mud, mixed with 

 jQiells and gravel, the cables are greatly rubbed by it , 

 and confequently the aftchorage rendered unfafe. The 

 fliips are alfo expofed to continual fqualls caufed by 

 the Sures, which produce a very troublefome fea : 

 violent currents likewife fet into the bay and form 

 dangerous eddies. Laftly, the lleepnefs of the coaft 

 renders it very difficult to be approached on ac- 

 count of the dafliing of the waves againfl: it ; and 

 accordingly the only fliips that put into this port arc 

 fuch as belong to pirates, or the enemy ; this ifland 

 being the fole refuge for them in the South feas. And 

 they ' expofe themfelves to thefe dangers, merely 

 through the neceflity of taking in water and wood, 

 refrefliing their crews, and furnifliing themfelves with 

 fifli, which is caught here in great abundance. 



These foreign fliips, v;hich in order to refrefli 

 their crews after the fatigues of fo long a voyage, 



and 



