Of 60 deg. S. and had got into the South Sea without
seeing Cape Horn. The Orange arrived on the 7th, having twice seen the
southern continent on her passage, once in lat. 50 deg., and the other time
in lat. 41 deg. S.[138] The David came in on the 7th, bringing advice of the
Maurice, both vessels having been five or six days beating about the
island, but hindered from getting in by contrary winds.
[Footnote 138: No land whatever could be seen in these latitudes in the
eastern Pacific, so that they must have been deceived by fog, banks, or
islands of ice. - E.]
The larger and more easterly of the two islands of Juan Fernandez is in
the latitude of 30 deg. 40' S. five degrees west from the coast of Chili;
this island being called by the Spaniards Isla de Tierra, and the
smaller or more westerly island Isla de Fuera, which is a degree and
a half farther east.[139]
[Footnote 139: Isola de Tierra, the eastermost of these islands of Juan
Fernandez, in lat. 33 deg. 42' S. and long. 79 deg. 5' E. is about 15 English
miles from E. to W. by 5-1/2 miles in its greatest breadth from N. to S.
Besides this and Isola de Fuera, mentioned in the text, there is still a
third, or smallest island, a mile and a half south from the S.W. end of
the Isola de Tierra, called Isola de Cabras or Conejos, Goat or Rabbit
island, three English miles from N.W. to S.E. and a mile in
breadth. - E.]
The more easterly and larger island, at which the Nassau fleet anchored,
is about six leagues in circuit, and is about two leagues and a half
long, from east to west. The road is on the N.E. part of the island,
from whence there is a beautiful prospect of valleys covered with
clover. The ground of this bay is in some places rocky, and in others a
fine black sand, and it affords good anchorage in thirty to thirty-five
fathoms. The island produces excellent water, and fish are to be had in
abundance in the bay, and of various kinds. Many thousand seals and
sea-lions come daily on shore to bask in the sun, of which the seamen
killed great numbers, both for food and amusement. Some of the Dutch
fancied that the flesh of these animals tasted as if twice cooked, while
others thought, after the grease and tallow were carefully taken out,
that it was as good as mutton. There were many goats in the island, but
difficult to be taken, and neither so fat nor so well tasted as those of
St Vincents. There were plenty of palm-trees in the interior, and three
large quince-trees near the bay, the fruit of which was very refreshing.
They found also plenty of timber for all kinds of uses, but none fit for
masts.
