Ch.IV, south AMERICA. ^27 



number of finall fiih, which covered the water-, a 

 circnmftance the more furprizing, as there are fuch 

 multitudes of fea-wolves all along the coaft, which live 

 on nothing elfe. For though there is very little fi[hing 

 near thefe iflands, yet doubtlefs the conilant ravages of 

 fuch enormous creatures, may be thought at kaft equal 

 to the capture of a large fifbery. 



These feveral fpecies are all fo delicate and palatable, 

 that the epicure would be at a lofs which to prefer. 

 The lobfters are often half a yard in length, and are 

 taken even with greater eafe than the others. They 

 are of an exquifite tafte, though the meat is fomething 

 hard. The berrugate is a large fcaley fifli. 



We continued at anchor near this ifland till the 2 2d 

 of January, during which time, we reconnoitred every 

 part of it, and particularly vifited the place where the 

 'Englifh had erected their tents, in order to difcover any 

 private fignal they might have left for the information 

 of any other fhips that fhould afterwards touch at this 

 ifland. The prefident of Chili had, with the fame 

 view, fent a fhip hither fome months before our arri- 

 val ; but all they met with was two bottles, in each 

 of which was a writing in cypher ; and all we difco- 

 vered were the piquets and poles of the tents ; with 

 their fmall wooden bridges for croffing the breaches, 

 and other things of that kind. Both our frigates hav- 

 ing taken in water and wood, we failed at three in the 

 afternoon for the ifland of Santa Maria, whidh we made 

 on the 5th of February, and after carefully furveying 

 it on ail fides, continued our courfe till half an hour 

 after feven of the fame day, when we came to an an- 

 chor at Puerto Tome, on the E. fide of the bay of 

 Conception. 



At our departure fi'om the ifland of Fernandes, we 

 fleered firft E. one quarter foutherly, and the winds . 

 continuing between the S. and S. E. we tacked on the 

 23d and iteered between the W. S. W. and S. S. W. 

 but on the 27th, being in the latitude of 35^ 33' 30'' 



0^2 33' 



