26 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAPTER IL 
Leave the Coast of Chili — Visit Sala-y-Gomez — Easter Island — Hostile Reception there — 
Description of the Inhabitants, Island, &c. — Enter the dangerous Archipelago — 
Davis Island Elizabeth or Henderson’s Island, its singular Formation — See Pitcairn 
Island. 
CHAP. 
II. 
Nov. 
182 . 5 . 
On leaving Valparaiso, my intention was, if possible, to pass 
within sight of J uan F ernandez, in order to determine its position ; 
but finding the wind would not allow us to approach sufficiently near 
even to see it, we kept away for the island of Sala-y-Gomez, and with 
the view of making this part of the voyage useful, the ship’s course 
was directed between the tracks of V ancouver and IVIalespina on the 
south side, and many other navigators on the north, who, engaged 
in pursuits similar to our own, had run down the parallels of 27 ° 
and 28 S. in search of the land discovered by Davis. These parallels, 
during the summer months, are subject to light and variable airs ; and 
we, in consequence, made very slow progress, particularly as we ap- 
proached the meridian of the island, where it became necessary to 
adopt the precaution of lying-to every night, that the object of our 
search might not be passed unobserved. 
When the nights were clear, we continued our observations on the 
comet. On the 30th the coma had increased to the enormous length 
of 24° ; the nucleus was larger and more brilliant than before ; and 
the ray, before mentioned as forming part of the coma, was more dis- 
tinct, and apparently at a greater angle with it than when first seen. 
The day after we quitted the coast of Chili, all the birds left us ; 
even the pintados, which had been our constant attendants for up- 
wards of 5000 miles, deserted us on this occasion. We afterwards 
