VII.
The Islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam,
In The South Indian Ocean.
Former History.—Importance of the situation of St. Paul.—Present inhabitants.—Preliminary observations.—To whom does the Island belong?—Fisheries.—Hot springs.—Singular experiment.—Penguins.—Disembarkation.—Inclement weather.—Remarks on the climate of the Island.—Cultivation of European vegetables.—Animal life.—Library in a Fisherman's hut.—Narrative of old Viot.—Re-embarkation.—An official document left behind.—Some results obtained during the stay of the Expedition.—Visit to the Island of Amsterdam.—Whalers.—Search for a Landing-place.—Remarks on the Natural History of the Island.—A Conflagration.—Comparison of the two islands.—A rencontre at sea.—Trade-wind.—Christmas at sea.—"A man overboard."—Cingalese canoe.—Arrival at Pont de Galle, in Ceylon.
The visit of the Austrian frigate Novara to the Islands of Amsterdam and St. Paul, so long confounded with one another, was one of the cherished objects of interest to the immortal Alexander von Humboldt.
Although St. Paul has been in very recent times visited and surveyed by illustrious English navigators,[56] and although the doubt hitherto existent as to the precise discoverer, and the correct application of the names of the two islands, has been set at rest by the discovery of the original log of Antonio Van Diemen, kept on his voyage from the Texel to Batavia (16th December, 1632, to 21st July, 1633), by which it is made plain, beyond possibility of contradiction, that that renowned navigator passed for certain on 17th July, 1633, between both islands, and conferred on the northern the name of New Amsterdam, and on the southern that of St. Paul;[57] yet the two islands still continue to present points of great interest on closer examination and observation. Of the various ships which, since the discovery of those islands, have visited them for scientific purposes, hardly any have remained long enough to be in a position to acquire a thorough acquaintance with the various objects of natural history and scientific interest that present themselves. Even the visit paid by the naturalist attached to the expedition on board the English ship Lion and Hindostan which, on the 2nd of February, 1793, touched at St. Paul, en route to China, and to whom we are indebted for the first detailed account of this island, erroneously spoken of as Amsterdam (following the example of former English navigators), did not come within the original design of that Ambassadorial expedition. It was the result rather of accident that, as the Lion and Hindostan were passing close in with St. Paul, two human beings were descried on the shore, waving in the air a piece of canvas fastened on poles, who apparently were anxious to convey to the expedition their desire to communicate with their ships. It was supposed these were shipwrecked mariners, stranded on this dangerous coast, who regarded the arrival of the Lion as an unexpected means of rescue. To save these fellow-creatures from so desperate a position, the Captain of the Lion declared to be a pleasing duty assigned by Providence, and rejoiced to have been selected as the instrument of their deliverance. When, however, the boat of the British man-of-war, which was despatched to take off the castaways and bring them on board ship, had landed on the island, the crew speedily discovered the singular delusion which all had laboured under. The men, whom motives of humanity had intended to rescue from this inhospitable place, turned out to be anything but involuntary residents on the island, being seal-hunters, who for five months had dwelt here, and purposed remaining ten months longer, with the intention of completing a cargo of 25,000 seal-skins, for which at that time there was a very considerable and lucrative demand in the Chinese markets,[58] and the signals which had first attracted their attention, it now appeared were for no other object than to enable them to feel themselves once more, after such an interval, in the company of their fellowmen.
[56] Captain C. P. Blackwood, of H.M.S. Fly, 1842, and Captain Denham, C.B., of H.M. Surveying Ship Herald, 1853. M. Tinot "capitaine du long cours," who visited St. Paul in the summer of 1844, published likewise some interesting memoranda relating to that island, in the "Nouvelle Annales de la Marine et des Colonies," for November, 1853.