The island of Juan Fernandez is now considerably well cultivated in all those parts that are capable of receiving it. It is very much. torn to pieces by volcanos, and exhibits many burnt, barren, rocky mountains. It affords all the kinds of fruit and vegetables, which are produced on any part of the coast of Chili. Its live stock consists of black cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and all kinds of domestic fowls. The number of inhabitants is, I imagine, rather short of three thousand. The bay, or harbour, in which Selkirk made his residence, is no more than a little cove, one hundred rods across, and directly open to a north east wind. That is the only place which is of easy access. The island is not so large as Massa Fuero. There are not now any seals on any part of it.

The island of St. Maria is in latitude 37° 2 south, the longitude by the mean of a number of sets of lunar distances, taken at the anchoring place, was 72° 36' west. This is the true longitude of the island. I find it necessary here to state, with a humble apology to the reader for the error, that there was not any place near this coast, where I took a series of observations for the longitude, suffi. ciently correct to establish the point, except at St. Maria and Massa Fuero. In consequence of which the difference between Baldavia, Mocha, and Conception, must be deduced from that given of St. Maria. The longitude of these places was taken from Malespena's charts, and that of St. Maria was stated in page 276, to be 73° 34′, which I then calculated to be right; but on further examination I found he had settled his longitude from Cadiz, and had not allowed the same difference of longitude that I had, between that place and London.

To sail into the bay of St. Maria, it is best to fall into the south of the island, as directed in making other ports on this coast. The winds, from September till May, blow from the southerly quarter seven eighths of the time, and the remainder of the year, they prevail more from that quarter than any other. When the weather is clear, the main land will be seen to the eastward, when coming in from sea, before raising the island, as it is much lower than the main. In drawing in with the land, a little rocky head will be observed, but not very high, in latitude 37° 6' south, which is the south east head of St. Maria. Bring that head to bear north, before you run for the anchoring place, on account of some sunken ledges, which lie to the south

and westward of it; and in drawing near, keep to the eastward of it, and not come nearer than one mile. When it bears west, the ship will be past a small reef that lies out south east from the head; and there will then be seven or eight fathoms water. She may then haul to the westward into the bay, till the water shoals to five fathoms, sandy bottom. A ship may anchor here; but will be in danger of having her cables cut very badly, owing to the sharpness of the sand at the bottom, which cuts like an edged tool. The ledges that lie to the south west of St. Maria head are not more than two or three miles from the land. In sailing into the bay, a high head of land may be seen, bearing nearly south west from the south east head of the island, about six leagues distant. By this it may be known that a ship is in the fair way. The most of the space between the two heads is clear, though it is most prudent not to keep very near the southernmost head.

The island forms a kind of half moon, with its points extending to the eastward; but the northerly point stretches much more in that direction than the southerly one. The whole of the bay is a clear, sandy bottom; and there are very regular soundings, so that a ship may tack or beat into it in the night as well as in the day time, without the least danger, by attending to the lead. Off the north east point is a very bad reef, that always breaks. If a ship falls into the northward of the island, she may go in that way as safe as the other, by giving the reef off the point a good birth. There is a kind of bay on the north side of the island, which ships sometimes anchor in. It will do very well in the summer; but is not safe by any means in the winter, as the northerly winds blow directly on shore. The inner bay is a tolerably good harbour; but the strong south east winds, which blow most part of the time, come in with such a long rake from a deep bay in that direction, as to render it heavy riding. It is very convenient to procure water in this bay. The watering place is about the middle of it, and may very easily be found by the make of the land. All the way from the south east head to it, is a high steep bank, at the end of which is the watering place. From that to the north east point is a low sandy beach. There is a very remarkable rock off to the westward of St. Maria, which always makes like a sail. It lies about a league from the main island. It is not safe to go between that and the island, or to come too near to it on the westerly side, on account

of some sunken rocks lying round it. The island is moderately elevated land, except the north east part, which is a low sandy beach, with hillocks of sand.

This island has been well stocked with black cattle, with most kinds of quadrupeds, and has had a family living on it for many years. There are now some of the vestiges of fruit, and of gardens, such as apple trees, two or three kinds of other trees, and several kinds of garden herbs, such as balin, sage, saffron, and all kinds of mint, together with rose bushes, current bushes, gooseberry bushes; and there were some cabbages and pumpkins; but they have been destroyed by the hogs, which remained the longest on the island of any of the stock; but they were so much hunted by the different people who visited this place, that they were all killed off. There were appearances of corn hills, which convinced me that Indian corn or maize had been a prod ce of the island. There are great quantities of this article raised in the kingdom of Chili, and it is made an important article of food among the common class of people. The land is level and clear of stones. This is also the case with most of the tillage land on all parts of the coast of Chili. The soil is very rich, and would produce all kinds of vegetables, if cultivated. Captain St. Maria, who has been named at Juan Fernandez, and who was the preceding governor there to Don Thomas Higgins, was the owner of this island; but his family or connexions were compelled to move off from it, on account of the English, who made it a place of rendezvous in time of war.

It is about three or four leagues in circumference. The shores round it are in some places a sandy beach, and in others, are iron bound and rocky, with very steep banks, one or two hundred feet high, and as much up and down as the side of a house. The south head is a great place of resort for shags, and is as white as a snow bank with their ordure in a clear day when the sun shines so as to dry it. They go off to sea in the middle of the day to catch fish; and at night come on shore to roost. I have seen more of them here in one flock than would load a large ship. They sometimes come into the bay, flying and diving after the shoals of fish, in such numbers as to make it as dark as on a thick cloudy day. The north east point is a very convenient place, in the proper season, to procure gulis' eggs. They are sweet, and very good eating; and the point was covered with them. The method we adopted

to get fresh eggs, was to go at night and pick up all that were to be found; by doing this we were certain that what we found the next day would be good. There are other kinds of birds here during the season for them; such as ducks and teal, eagles, hawks, turkeybuzzards, and curlews of two or three kinds; and several kinds of sand birds. Good fish may be caught with seines in the bay. Whales are plenty here some part of the season; so much so, that ships might load here with right-whale oil very conveniently.

It is a great place of rendezvous for the English and American ships, as they can get water and wood with little trouble; and on such long voyages it is very convenient to exchange civilities with each other. One ship may be in want of something that another can spare. It is a very pleasant place for the crews to amuse themselves with shooting, fishing, getting birds' eggs, and playing ball. This place has sometimes been made a residence for people who have got out of Spanish prisons; and likewise for those who come from Massa Fuero, with a view to procure themselves a passage in ships that may be bound home, or in some other direction where they may wish to go. I have seen very convenient houses that were built here by the above description of people, in which they have lived several months together very comfortably. It is not uncommon to see ten or fifteen American and English ships at one time at anchor in this road stead. They come in from off whaleing ground, from sealing islands; or any pursuit that may call them into these seas; and here they can enjoy themselves very well. They can get water, and wood, and refreshments, without any expence, and with but very little trouble. The air in the vicinity of it is remarkably pure, and the prospect is delightful. The view from the most elevated parts of it, in such an extraordinarily serene atmosphere as is enjoyed the greatest part of the time, is very pleasant. The hills, dales, and the cultivated parts of the country may be seen for nearly all the easterly half of the compass along the coast of Chili, whilst on the westerly half are views of the ocean, with ships frequently in sight, coming in, going out, cruising for whales, or sailing up and down the coast.

There are some reptiles here, such as snakes, lizards, and a large kind of spider, which has a very disagreeable appearance; but I know nothing of any of their poisonous qualities. I have seen the glow-worm here, and in Conception. It is an extraordinary insect.

I have picked them up in a dark night out of the mud, being discovered by their effulgence, which was brighter than any thing I recollect to have seen, except it was something of the nature of fire. They are about an inch long, the fore body something in the form of a lobster, with four or six legs, which were very short. The after body, which was the part that reflected such splendor, was also shaped something like that of the lobster, except the under part, which was like a caterpillar. I have carried them into houses, washed them clean, and put them in a dark place, to see with what beauty they would appear; but as soon as they were dry, or dead, the brightness was no more to be discovered.

There is a beautiful river that makes in to the main land, in an east-south-east direction from St. Maria. It is very fertile on its banks. I have seen the water covered with apples, several miles off shore, after a hard rain and heavy blow, which were brought out with the freshet. There is a little town just to the northward, or on the north side of this river, called Arruco, where boats frequently go from the ships that lie in St. Maria, and have obtained refreshments, when the commander happened to be an accommodating man.

The distance from St. Maria to the nearest main land is about three leagues.