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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