He comes next to their Birds, and besides those which are common in Europe, there are 1. Flamencos, bigger than Turkeys, their Feathers of a white and scarlet Colour, of which the Natives make Ornaments, and their Legs are so long that they walk thro’ Lakes and Ponds. 2. The Child Bird, so call’d, because they look like a swadled Child, with its Arms at Liberty: They are very good Meat. 3. Airones, so much valued for the Feathers, to make Tufts, that formerly, they say, every Feather upon their Heads cost 2 Reals. These Birds are rare. There are others call’d Garcolos, whose Feathers are generally us’d by Soldiers. 4. Voycas, from whose Notes the Indians pretend to foretel Death, Sickness, or other Misfortunes; the Feathers on their Breasts are of a deep scarlet Colour, and the rest brown. 5. Pinguedas, their Body is of the size of an Almond; they feed upon Flowers, and shine like polish’d Gold, mix’d with green; the Males have a lively Orange Colour, like Fire on their Heads, and the Tails of those Birds are a Foot long, and 2 Inches broad. 6. Condores, which are white as Ermin; their Skins are extreme soft and warm, and therefore us’d as Gloves. They have abundance of Ostriches, and Variety of Hawks in this Country.
Ovalle comes next to treat of their Beasts. He says, they had no Cows, Horses, Sheep, Hogs, House-Cats, nor common Dogs of any sort, Goats, Asses, or Rabbits, till they were brought hither by the Spaniards, but now all these are increas’d to a wonderful Degree by the Richness of their Country and Pasture, so that one Cow frequently yields 150 lb Weight of Tallow. Herrera says, that when the Spaniards came first hither, a Horse was commonly sold for 1000 Crowns, but now they are so plenty that they send them yearly to Peru. The most remarkable Animals, which are not common with us, are, 1. Their Sheep, mention’d before, shap’d like Camels, tho’ not so large: The Natives us’d them for Ploughing and Carriage, before they had European Cattle: Their upper Lips are slit, with which they spit at those who vex them, and wherever their Spittle falls, it causes a Scab. They govern’d them by a kind of Bridle put thro’ their Ears, and they would kneel like Camels, to take on their Burden. 2. Wild Goats, which very much resemble those Sheep, but are all of a red clear Colour, so very swift that they out-run Horses, and are never to be tamed. They feed in great Herds, and are hunted by Dogs, which easily catch the young ones, that are excellent Meat. The Flesh of the old ones, dried and smoaked, is reckon’d the best of its kind. These Creatures, especially the oldest, have Bezoar Stones, in a Bag under their Belly. Our Author says, he brought one of those Stones to Italy, which weigh’d 32 Ounces, and was as perfect an Oval as if it had been form’d by a Turner; he gave the Indian who found it 70 Pieces of 8 for it.
Chili Described.
Their most remarkable Trees, besides what are common to Europe, are 1. The Cinnamon Tree, so call’d, because the Bark resembles Cinnamon, in such Plenty, that they cover their Houses with them: They keep their Leaves all the Year, and resemble the Italian Lawrel Royal. 2. The Guyac Tree grows in the Cordillera, is as hard and heavy as Iron: The Decoction is good against many Diseases. 3. The Sandal Tree, that is very odoriferous, a Preservative against infectious Distempers, and therefore us’d by the Priests when they visit the Sick. 4. The Maguey, whose Leaves are admirable against Burnings; the Fruit is like Myrtle-Berries, and of an excellent Relish. 5. The Quelu, of whose Fruit they make a very sweet Drink. 7. Iluigan, the Spaniards call it Molde, ’tis of the Shape and Colour of Pepper: It grows on a small Tree, and makes an agreeable Liquor, coveted by those of Quality. 8. The Myrtilla which grows on the Mountains, from Lat. 37. and upwards: Herrera says, its Fruit is a common Good to the Natives, not unlike a Grape, and of this they make a Wine that exceeds all other Liquors. ’Tis of a bright gold Colour, will bear more Water than any other Wine, chears the Heart, and never offends the Stomach, but increases Appetite. The Vinegar made of it exceeds all other sorts. Our Author adds, that their Cypress, Cedar and Oak Trees are extraordinary good.
He comes next to the Islands of Chili. The first are those of Juan Fernandez, already describ’d. The second are the Islands of Chiloe, which lie about Lat. 43, and form an Archipelago of 40 Islands. He says the Nature of the Climate is such, that it rains almost all the Year, so that only Maiz or such other Grain can ripen here, as need little Sun. The chief Diet of the Inhabitants is the Root Papas, which is larger here than any where else. They have excellent Shell-fish, very good Poultry and Hogs, some Beeves and Sheep. The Capital of this Country is the City of Castra, which lies in the chief Island, and is garrison’d by the Spaniards. Here they have great Store of Honey and Wax, and some Gold Mines on the Coast. Their chief Manufacture is Clothing for the Indians, and they have vast Woods of Cedar Trees of a prodigious size, with the Planks of which they drive a great Trade to Chili and Peru. 3. The Islands of Chonos, in Lat. 45. but of little Use, because of the excessive Rains which drown the Soil. 4. The Fine Island, which lies almost in the same Latitude with Val Paraiso and St. Jugo: It has a safe Harbour for Ships, where they may ride in 20 or 30 Fathom Water. The Spaniards say ’tis a very beautiful Island, abounds with Trees, wild Boars, and other Game, and excellent Water; and there’s Plenty of Fish on the Coast. 5. The Island of Mocha, where the Dutch, under Spilberg, found a very generous Reception by the Natives, who furnish’d them with Plenty of Sheep, and other Provisions, in exchange for Clothes, Axes, &c. The North side of it is plain and low, but the South side rocky. 6. The Island of St. Maria, 13 Leagues S.W. from the City of Conception, and 3 from Arauco: It is very fruitful and temperate, lies about Lat. 37, and is well inhabited. 7. The Islands of Pedro de Sarmiento, so call’d, because he discover’d them, when in Pursuit of Sir Francis Drake. They are about 80 in Number, and lie about Lat. 50. so that we suppose them to be those now call’d The Duke of York’s Islands, which lie a little to the Northward of the Straits of Magillan.
Sailing towards the Island of Guam.
Our Author comes next to Guio, the third Quarter of Chili, which lies on the other side of the Cordillera, towards the East. ’Tis divided into several Provinces, and quite differs in Temperature from Chili. The Summer is excessive hot, and the Inhabitants so annoy’d with Bugs and Muskettos, that they lie abroad in their Gardens and Yards. They have almost perpetual Thunders and Lightnings, and are mightily infested with poisonous Insects: These are the bad Qualities of the Country, to compensate which, the Soil, in many places, if possible, exceeds that of Chili in Fruitfulness; the Crops are richer, the Fruits larger, and of a better Taste, because of the greater Heats. They have Store of Corn, Wine, Flesh, and all the Fruits, Roots, and Herbs of Europe, with large Plantations of Olives and Almonds. The Cold is not so sharp in Winter as that of Chili, and the Air much clearer, so that the Season is then very temperate: they have great Quantities of large excellent Trouts, and other River Fish. Their peculiar Fruits are, 1. Algaroba, of which they make a Bread so sweet, that Strangers can’t eat it. They supply Tucuman and Paraguay with Figs, Pomgranates, Apples, dry’d Peaches and Grapes, and excellent Wine and Oil. Ovalle says, That in his time there were rich Mines of Gold and Silver discover’d here, which were reckon’d to be better than those of Potosi, and that in short it had all Necessaries for Life in as great abundance as any other Country, and in general is very healthful. The Provinces of Tucuman and Paraguay, which bound this Country we have already describ’d.
Jan. 10. I now go on with my Journal, being on our Departure from California, and returning to Great Britain. I shall not trouble the Reader with every Day’s particular Transactions in this long and tedious Passage, but only take notice of such Occurrences as are worth remark, and to satisfy the Curious, shall subjoin a particular Table of each Day’s Run, with the Latitude, Longtitude and Variation betwixt Cape St. Lucas on California, and Guam, one of the Ladrones Islands. We resolved to keep an exact Account of the Distance and Variation not being certainly known to us from any former Voyagers.
Jan. 11. We weigh’d from Port Segura last Night, but were becalm’d under the Shore till the 12th in the Afternoon, when there sprung up a Breeze, which soon run us out of sight of the Land. We took our Departure from Cape St. Lucas, which bore N. by E. at 12 a Clock, distant about 15 Leagues. We were forc’d to go away with little or no Refreshment, having but 3 or 4 Fowls, and a very slender Stock of Liquor, which we got out of the Batchelor. Several of our Men were in a weak Condition, besides my self, Mr. Vanbrugh, and the rest that were wounded. We were forc’d to allow but 1 Pound and half of Flower, and 1 small Piece of Meat to 5 in a Mess, with 3 Pints of Water a Man for 24 Hours, for Drink and Dressing their Victuals. We struck down 10 of our Guns into the Hold, to ease the Ship; for being out of the way of Enemies, they are altogether useless betwixt this and the East Indies. On the 16th the Batchelor made a Signal to give us some Bread, they having found a good Quantity of Bread and Sweet-meats aboard her, but little of Flesh-kind: We had 1000 Weight of Bread for our Share, the Dutchess as much, and the Marquiss 500 Weight; in lieu of which we sent back to the Prize 2 Casks of Flower, one of English Beef, and one of Pork, they having but 45 Days Provision aboard in Flesh. This Morning Thomas Conner, a Boy, fell overboard, but the Launch being a-stern, we cut her Moarings, and took him up just as he was tired with Swimming, and ready to sink.
On the 26th in the Morning the Water was very much discolour’d, at which being surprized, we immediately sounded, but found no Ground. We spoke with the Dutchess, and agreed to go away W.S.W. till we got into the Lat. of 13°, because our Spanish Pilot told us it was dangerous going in 14, by reason of Islands and Shoals, where a Spanish Vessel was lost some time ago, ever since which the Manila Ship, in her Return from Acapulco, runs in Lat. 13. and keeps that Parallel till they make the Island of Guam.