About An Hour Before Sun-Down, Having Stowed Our Water Casks, We
Commenced Getting Under Weigh, And Were Not A
Little while about it;
for we were in thirty fathoms water, and in one of the gusts which
came off
Shore had let go our other bow anchor; and as the southerly
wind draws round the mountains and comes off in uncertain flaws,
we were continually swinging round, and had thus got a very foul hawse.
We hove in upon our chain, and after stoppering and unshackling it
again and again, and hoisting and hauling down sail, we at length
tipped our anchor and stood out to sea. It was bright starlight
when we were clear of the bay, and the lofty island lay behind us,
in its still beauty, and I gave a parting look, and bid farewell,
to the most romantic spot of earth that my eyes had ever seen.
I did then, and have ever since, felt an attachment for that island,
altogether peculiar. It was partly, no doubt, from its having been
the first land that I had seen since leaving home, and still more
from the associations which every one has connected with it in their
childhood from reading Robinson Crusoe. To this I may add the height
and romantic outline of its mountains, the beauty and freshness of
its verdure, and the extreme fertility of its soil, and its solitary
position in the midst of the wide expanse of the South Pacific,
as all concurring to give it its peculiar charm.
When thoughts of this place have occurred to me at different times,
I have endeavored to recall more particulars with regard to it.
It is situated in about 33º 30' S., and is distant a little more than
three hundred miles from Valparaiso, on the coast of Chili, which is
in the same latitude. It is about fifteen miles in length and five
in breadth. The harbor in which we anchored (called by Lord Anson,
Cumberland bay) is the only one in the island; two small bights of
land on each side of the main bay (sometimes dignified by the name
of bays) being little more than landing-places for boats. The best
anchorage is at the western side of the bay, where we lay at about
three cables' lengths from the shore, in a little more than thirty
fathoms water. This harbor is open to the N.N.E., and in fact nearly
from N. to E., but the only dangerous winds being the south-west,
on which side are the highest mountains, it is considered very safe.
The most remarkable thing perhaps about it is the fish with which it
abounds. Two of our crew, who remained on board, caught in a few
minutes enough to last us for several days, and one of the men,
who was a Marblehead man, said that he never saw or heard of such
an abundance. There were cod, breams, silver-fish, and other kinds
whose names they did not know, or which I have forgotten.
There is an abundance of the best of water upon the island, small
streams running through every valley, and leaping down from the
sides of the hills. One stream of considerable size flows through
the centre of the lawn upon which the houses are built, and furnishes
an easy and abundant supply to the inhabitants. This, by means
of a short wooden aqueduct, was brought quite down to our boats.
The convicts had also built something in the way of a breakwater,
and were to build a landing-place for boats and goods, after which
the Chilian government intended to lay port charges.
Of the wood I can only say, that it appeared to be abundant; the
island in the month of November, when we were there, being in all
the freshness and beauty of spring, appeared covered with trees.
These were chiefly aromatic, and the largest was the myrtle.
The soil is very loose and rich, and wherever it is broken up,
there spring up immediately radishes, turnips, ground apples,
and other garden fruits. Goats, we were told, were not abundant,
and we saw none, though it was said we might, if we had gone into
the interior. We saw a few bullocks winding about in the narrow
tracks upon the sides of the mountains, and the settlement was
completely overrun with dogs of every nation, kindred, and degree.
Hens and chickens were also abundant, and seemed to be taken good
care of by the women. The men appeared to be the laziest people
upon the face of the earth; and indeed, as far as my observation goes,
there are no people to whom the newly-invented Yankee word of "loafer"
is more applicable than to the Spanish Americans. These men stood
about doing nothing, with their cloaks, little better in texture
than an Indian's blanket, but of rich colors, thrown over their
shoulders with an air which it is said that a Spanish beggar can
always give to his rags; and with great politeness and courtesy
in their address, though with holes in their shoes and without
a sou in their pockets. The only interruption to the monotony
of their day seemed to be when a gust of wind drew round between
the mountains and blew off the boughs which they had placed for
roofs to their houses, and gave them a few minutes' occupation
in running about after them. One of these gusts occurred while
we were ashore, and afforded us no little amusement at seeing the
men look round, and if they found that their roofs had stood,
conclude that they might stand too, while those who saw theirs
blown off, after uttering a few Spanish oaths, gathered their
cloaks over their shoulders, and started off after them. However,
they were not gone long, but soon returned to their habitual
occupation of doing nothing.
It is perhaps needless to say that we saw nothing of the interior;
but all who have seen it, give very glowing accounts of it.
Our captain went with the governor and a few servants upon mules
over the mountains, and upon their return, I heard the governor
request him to stop at the island on his passage home, and offer
him a handsome sum to bring a few deer with him from California,
for he said that there were none upon the island, and he was very
desirous of having it stocked.
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