There is no country whose history is more interesting than Peru. Leaving Peru we stood for the Gallapagos, which lie off the coast about 200 miles, and form a considerable group intersected by the equator; though many of them are small, and covered with forests. Turtle are found here in great abundance, and of enormous size. Dodging about for a few days, we took three small whale; this place is famous as the resort of the sperm whale in the time of its having its young, being perfectly adapted to it. Soon as the young is born, it mounts the fin of its mother, and rides safely away. After the oil was tried, and stowed, the ship cleaned, &c., we put two boats in readiness, and rowed away for the shore in quest of turtle, or turpin, (a species of turtle;) we landed on a beautiful, low, sandy beach, a short distance from the shore; high craggy cliffs arose destitute of almost all verdure save the prickly pear bush, which grows to about the size of the American quince bush; the fruit is of a bright red, is covered with sharp, piercing prickles like the gooseberry: much difficulty arises in removing them; the fruit is most delicious; the trees and leaves are also covered with the same sharp hard prickles. We ascended the cliff, and wandered around an hour or two, and found nothing, save a few guana, an animal of the lizard appearance, though much larger. Many times they are found four or five feet long. The flesh is very tender, sweet and delicate, and is of great note among the inhabitants of Peru and Chili, as a fancy dish. Fell in with a large turpin, the first one any of us ever saw; when we came up with him, he retreated within his shell; we turned him over upon his back, to see his agility in turning himself back; he ran out his long neck, which was not less than two feet and a half long, and with his short legs labored most assiduously; he at length accomplished his object; this done, we laid hold of his legs, which were not more than six inches long, and started for the boat; when we came to a steep point in the path, we would place him upon the edge of his shell, and set him rolling,—many times a long way. After toiling a long time, we reached the boat. Soon others, who had gone in a different way, returned richly laden; they found one so very large, they were unable to bring it until divested of its shell. About thirty were taken during the few days we remained at this island. Getting ready we proceeded to sea, ran close to the rock of Dundas. This is a monumental rock of black granite, rearing its head eighty or an hundred feet above the water. The water around it is about sixty fathoms deep; the currents are such, that it is utterly impossible for ships to float or be driven against it; the sides are so bold that it cannot be ascended; boobys and other birds are always perched upon the top. The wind being light, we lowered our boat and set lines for fishing; divided the seven lines between two boats, and in a couple of hours took about 400 large red fish, called by the seamen snappers; as fast as the lines could be set the fish were caught. We salted the principal part of them; we left the place and proceeded on our way, the wind and weather was most beautiful. Smoothly we glided along at the rate of four or five knots an hour, bound for the Society Islands. Fell in with a large number of whale going north; lowered away the boats; took seven, and had them alongside at dark: the ship was hove too, and the next morning the oil was tried; had 105 barrels.
Passing Otaheite, we came abreast of the harbor of Emer; the high points of land on both sides becalmed us so we were obliged to lower our boats and take the ship in tow; we brought her into the harbor, and hove her anchor to keep her off the coral reef, which lay close under our lee. Before the sails could be furled, the ship was covered with females who had swam to her. Whether the use of the boats is forbidden them I know not, yet I presume such is the fact, with regard to this as well as to other islands; at any rate, during our stay I did not see any of them in a boat. Here we procured wood and water, and had liberty on shore; during our stay two men left the ship. Having once myself suffered much as a deserter, I chose to stay. When ready to leave, we hove up the anchor, and not having room enough for our vessel to cast, or turn, she ran directly upon the coral reef; we let go an anchor, but not in time to have it avail us any thing; then unshackling the chain, we lowered the kedge into a boat, carried it out astern the length of the line, and let her go; hauling away upon the line, hove the ship off to a proper distance, and let go another anchor. We next went on shore to get divers to go for the anchor we first let go; the one first obtained was a young man altogether unexperienced in the art; his first dive proved ineffectual; when he came to the surface, the blood gushed from his nostrils in streams, and was with much difficulty stopped. The second one took his small line and succeeded in attaching it to the ring of the anchor; again diving, taking a large hawser with him, he fastened the small line to it, and again came to the surface; then with the small one, drew the hawser through the ring, and brought it to the ship's side. Veering away upon the hawser, we brought the ship directly over the anchor; manning the windlass, we hove the ship to her berth again; loosing down upon the anchor again, with the hawser veered away, and again brought the ship's bow directly over it, and hauled it to the water's edge, then hooking the cat-block secured it to the ship. Putting all things in readiness, we set sail; several days elapsed before we knew whither we were bound; at length the captain informed us that we were going to the Coast of Japan. A long time elapsed before we even saw the spout of a whales. Passing the meridian we fell in with a school of whale; took about 100 barrels of oil. Saw no more until off the coast of Japan.
While on our way we took fish of many kinds, caught many dolphins, one of the beautiful inhabitants of the sea. "The general length of this fish appears to be about two feet. In its shape it bears little resemblance to the representation of it seen on vases and in marine emblems and armorial bearings, but is very similar to the white salmon-trout of the Otsego. When swimming in the water its colors appears exceedingly delicate and beautiful. The head, back, and upper part of the sides, vary from the hues of burnished steel to that of deep azure and mazarine blue, shading off in the under parts in pea-green and light yellow. One was struck with a harpoon and brought on deck, and we all hastened to witness the reported splendor of its colors when dying. We found them to be as truly beautiful as they have been described; consisting of rapid transitions from the deepest purple approaching to black, through blue, green, gold of different hues, and several shades of silver, to an almost snow white, and then to purple again. The sight however was painful, from a kind of sympathy with the beautiful sufferer, we could but feel that the gratification of our curiosity was at the expense of its life. The colors soon became less and less brilliant, and in five minutes entirely disappeared."
The flying fish also attracted much attention. Many of them were taken as they flew on deck. They are of a slender proportion, about six inches long; they sometimes spring into the air even to the height of sixteen or eighteen feet, and swim horizontally through the air twenty or twenty-five feet, when they again fall into their native element. When under the surface they are incessantly pursued by dolphins, and while in the air they become the prey of sea gulls and other sea fowls, which are hovering over the sea in quest of food.
A person ignorant of their nature would suppose them birds of small size, for like swallows they move by thousands in a right line, and always in a direction opposite that of the waves.
At the island of Niphon we took several whale and blackfish; we also spoke several whale ships while cruising there.
One day while in company with the ships, we saw a large school of whales at a distance. The boats were immediately lowered and all gave chase. We only took one, while some took two or three. One was taken along side and preparation made for boiling the oil. While in the midst of it a heavy squall arose from the northeast blowing like a perfect hurricane, threw our ship upon her beam ends, and sent the oil out of the pots, which were full, on to the men, severely scalding them.
Every thing movable was capsized. Those below, thinking the vessel was going down, came hurriedly upon deck with horror most visibly depicted on their countenance. For some time all stood still, momentarily expecting the next moment would see us engulphed beneath the billows.
Fortunately for us our sails were all stowed, as is customary in the time of boiling the oil, except a close reefed main-top-sail and fore-sail. The fore-sail was hauled up soon as possible, and the helm seized by one of the officers.