179s» with the above chart, is doubtlefs a further confirmation of their being the
.. ‘ fame as is therein intended to be reprefented ; from whence I fhould fup-
* This con- pofe, * that the firft and third portions of land feen by us eomftituted
on my return Albemarle ifland, and that the fecond was Narborough’s ifland. Thefe
fuiwn?on" ’ names weregiven by the Buccaneers, as alfo that of Redondo rock to the
fhTinform fteeP flat rock, and Chriftopher’s point to the weft point o f the third. land;
tion 1 recei- and under this. perfuafion, this, is the fouth-weft point of Marlborough
quence o f ifland, which is fttuated according to our obfervations. in. latitude 5el
n=tCsalTa°o foutb, longitude 268° 34! eaft.
theft iflands, From thefe conclufions,. all the objefts I had had in view in fleering this
fouth-eaftwardly courfe from Monterrey appeared to have been accom-
plilhed; fince I had not entertained the moft diftant intention of flopping,
to make furveys or correct examinations of any iflands we might fee. But
as the fituation of thofe which were lying not far out of our track had
been varioufly reprefented, I anxioufly wilhed to obtain fuch information
as would place this matter out of all difpute for the future ; and having
been enabled to ciieci. this purpofe to my iatisfaccioii, it was fome recom-
pence for the very irkfome and tedious paffage we had experienced in
confequence o f the light baffling winds that had conftantly attended us
after we had paffed cape Corientes; fince. which time, to our ftation this
day at noon, our progrefs upon an average had not been more than at
the rate of to leagues per day.
I fhall now proceed to ftate, what little more occurred to my knowledge
or obfervation refpefling that part of the Gallipagos iflands that we were
now about to leave. The climate appeared to be Angularly temperate
for an equatorial country. Since our departure from the ifland of
Cocos the mercury in the thermometer had feldom rilen above .7/8, and
for the three preceding days it had moftly been .between the 74th and
7.6th degree; the atmofphere felt light and exhilarating, and the wind
which came chiefly from the fouthern quarter was very cool and refrefh-
ing. The fhores appeared to be fteep and bold, free from fhoals or hidden
dangers ; fome riplings were obferved, which at firft were fuppofed to
be oceafioned by the former, but as foundings were not gained when we
were
werfe in -them, thefe ■ ripling's were -attributed to 'the -meeting ®f ■ currents.
The lofty mountains of which this fend is principally cOmpbfed, 'except- t---- ,-----
,-ing that -which'forms'its MartbwdfteHi pafit, appeared -th us m gfcndral to
•defeend with much regularity from a nearly flat -or table fohimit, -andlto
terminate at the bafe in projefting points on very low level land; fo that,
at a diftance, each of thefe mountains appeared to form a diftinfit ifland.
This circumftance may probably have given rife to the different ftatements
of former vifitors concerning the number of this group o f iflands; all of
them however agree in their affording great ftores of refrefhment in the
land and fea turtles, in an abundance of moft excellent fifh of feveral
forts, and m great numbers of wild fowl. Our having feen but few turtles
whilft in the neighbourhood of thefe iflands, is no proof that thefe
animals do not refort thither; for in the fea we faw neither feals nor penguins,
yet the fhores were in a manner covered with them; and in addition
to this, the parts of the coaft that were prefented to our view, con-
fifted principally of a broken rugged rocky fubftance, not eafily acceffi-
ble to the fea turtle, which moft commonly, and particularly for the
purpofe of depofiting its eggs, reforts to fandy beaches. With refpeft to
filh, we had ample proof of their abundance, and of the eafe with which
they are to be taken; but in regard of that great defideratum, frelh
water, fome affert that the iflands afford large ftreams, and even rivers;
whilft others ftate them to poffefs only a very fcanty portion, or to be
nearly deftitute of it. This however is but of little importance, as,
from their vicinity to the ifland of Cocos, where perpetual fprings
foem to water every part o f that ifland, veffels Handing in need of
a fupply, may eafily procure a fufficient quantity for all purpofes;
and fince we faw in their neighbourhood many whales which we
conceived to be of the fpermaceti kind, it is not unlikely that thefe
fhores may become places of defirable refort to adventurers engaged in
taking thofe animals. Notwithstanding that our viifit did not afford
an opportunity for difeovering the moft eligible places to which
veffels-might repair ; it neverthelefs, by afeertaining the aftual fituation
o f the weftern fide of the group, has rendered the talk of procuring fuch
o D 2 - information