checked by the high land. All the hills appear to have been the craters of volcanoes; some are of sandy mud, others are lava. There is plenty of wood hereabouts, though stunted and dry. On no part of this shore is there a chance of finding water; all is stony, without any soil which could either collect or carry it off. Our party brought eighteen terrapins on board. In size they were not remarkable, none exceeding eighty pounds. This animal appears to be well defended by nature; but, in truth, it is rather helpless and easily injured. The shell is slight, and becomes weaker (in proportion to the animal's size) as the tortoise grows older.

19th.-Sailed round the N.E. extremity of the island, and worked to the southward against a tide, or rather current, setting strongly to the northward.

20th. At daylight we were off the S.E. part of the island, and continued working to the S.W. during the forenoon, along a shore quite bold, excepting the small rocks above water in Middle' Bay. At noon, seeing a small cove, I went in a boat to examine it and look for water. We found no signs of any in that place; but a little farther West a fine stream was seen falling from a lavacliff, about 30 feet high. Mr. Low had described this waterfall correctly, and his account of the watering place near it was soon verified, by our discovering a cove half a mile to the westward of the cascade. We landed on a stony beach in the cove, and found a fine stream of excellent water; two others were likewise seen, but they were inaccessible. This water runs from the highest parts of the island (which are almost always enveloped in clouds) down a large valley. This is the only watering place throughout the year. All this southern side of the island is well wooded, and on the higher ground the wood is very green. . . Continuing our course along shore, we arrived at our former anchorage in Stephen's Bay.

22nd. So generally cloudy is the weather here, that a day such as this proved to be, of hot, vertical sunshine, was much felt by everybody; and to show how objectionable our anchorage was in this respect, I may mention that a fresh breeze was blowing all day in the offing, yet in the bay only light, variable airs were felt." +

We have thus described all the islands of this singular group, and in these descriptions we may have been more diffuse upon matters not strictly nautical than may be absolutely necessary for a work like this; but as they form one of the most remarkable, among many singular, features of the Pacific Ocean, they cannot but be interesting. Whether they are considered in the physical formation so distinct to the low coral groups which dot this vast expanse of waters; the strong and devious currents which surround them, varying so much from other

The anchorage at the watering place is quite secure, though it appeared strange to remain in such a spot, only three cables' length from a surf upon a steep cliff shore. The great S. W. swell is broken by Hood Island, and the southerly trade wind is so moderate that no harm is to be apprehended from it. Upon this point, however, Rear-Admiral Sir Geo. Seymour says:-"The Beagle and Daphne here completed their water in 1832 and 1845; but from the swell that sets on the shore, if large ships frequented these islands, I think it would be necessary to bring water to them in a tank-vessel, and to some sheltered anchorage, instead of leaving them exposed to the difficulty of getting under weigh from this place, when they must lie close to the shore, and on the weather side of the island."-Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, 1849, p. 21. + Narrative of the Voyage of the Beagle, vol. ii. pp. 486-489.

portions of the great ocean; the active volcanic agency everywhere visible; their position on the equator; their importance to the shipping for the supplies they afford, and the very singular nature of these supplies; the Galapagos Islandsthe "Tortoise Archipelago"-must be evident as one of the most interesting features of the globe.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS, ETC.

THE Marquesas Archipelago is composed of two tolerably distinct groups, lying in a general N.W. and S.E. direction, between the parallels of 7° 50′ and 10° 31' S., and lon. 138° 39′ and 140° 46′ W. They are all of volcanic origin, very high, and may be seen in clear weather at 15 or 20 leagues' distance. The Archipelago is now under French dominion.

The southern group was the first discovered, and the honour of this event is due to Mendaña, who, in 1595, named them the Islas de Marquesas de Mendoça, in honour of the viceroy of Peru, who had despatched his expedition. Madalena, or the southernmost island, was the first landfall of Mendaña. The following is an account of their discovery :

In 1594, King Philip II. of Spain sent a letter to the viceroy of Peru, the Marquis de Cañete, recommending the encouragement of enterprises for new discoveries and settlements, as the best means to disembarrass the land from many idle gentry. In the following year an armament of four vessels, with 378 men, was fitted out for the purpose of forming a settlement at the Island of San Christobal, one of the Salomon Islands. Alvaro de Mendaña, who had discovered these islands twenty-eight years before, was then in Peru, and was appointed to the command of the expedition, with the title of Adelantado (nearly synonymous with Excellency).*

They left Payta, in Peru, June 16th, 1595, and on July 21st discovered an island, which Mendaña named La Madalena, greatly rejoicing at having made, as he supposed, so quick a passage to the Salomon Islands, of which he took it to be part. His first interviews with the natives were peaceable and cordial, but a piece of brutality by one of the soldiers led to an outbreak and to a slaughter which reflects no great credit on the character of Mendaña. They soon came to the conclusion that they were not the islands they were in quest of. The adelantado took possession of them (at Port Madre de Dios, July 28), after prayers, in the name of the King of Spain, naming them Las Marquesas de Mendoça, out of respect to the Marquis de Cañete. Mendaña's discoveries were

* See Burney, vol. ii. p. 134.

limited to four islands-Santa Christina or Tahuata, La Dominica or Hiva-oa, San Pedro or Mohotani, and Santa Madaleña or Fatuiva.

The islands of the S.E. group are Sta. Christina, or Tahuata, or Taouata, or Taowatte, or O-Hitao; San Pedro, or O-Natenya, or Motane; La Dominica, or O-Hiva-oa; and, lastly, Hood Island, or Fetugu, or Fetou Hougou. The last was discovered by Cook, in 1774, and named by him after the young midshipman who first announced it. This person was afterwards a celebrated man; he became Lord Hood.

The N.W. group consists of six islands-Roapoa; Roa-Houga, Houa-houna, or Uahuga, or Washington, or Adams; Nuka-Hiva, or Nuhahiva, or Nuhuhiva, the principal; Motua-iti or Hergest; Hiau, and Fattuuhu, the north-westernmost. This group has sometimes been called by a distinct name-the Washington Islands, and are thus described by Krusenstern; but in considering the isolated position of the whole archipelago, their similarity of characters, the language, manners, and appearance of their inhabitants, all unite in removing any idea of them being separate groups. For this reason it is but strictly just that they should be named, generally, by the title applied by their first discoverer, the Marquesas de Mendoça Islands, or more simply and now usually contracted to the Marquesas. This N.W. group was not discovered until many years after the rest, in 1791, by Capt. Ingraham, of the American trader Hope, of Boston.* A few weeks after Capt. Marchand, in the French ship La Solide, also discovered them, and, taking possession of one, called it Marchand Island. He named all but one, Uahuga, the easternmost, and called the whole group Iles de la Revolution. In the next year Lieutenant Hergest, in the transport Dedalus, surveyed them accurately, and named his harbour Port Anna Maria, or Nuka-Hiva. Vancouver named them, in consequence, Hergest's Islands, after his unfortunate friend, who was murdered, as well as Mr. Gooch, the astronomer, at Oahu, one of the Sandwich Islands. In 1793 Capt. Josiah Roberts, of the American ship Jefferson, gave them the name of Washington Islands,§ a name also applied to Uahuga by Ingraham, their first discoverer; and this is their title to this name. However, it may now be considered as abandoned.

The Marquesas, although of volcanic formation, have no active volcanoes, and do not appear to be subject to earthquakes. They are all very high, and the land is very irregular and broken. The greater part of the mountains forming the axes of the islands are in the interior, and from their ramifications extend to different points of the coast, forming ravines or valleys, more or less fertile, in which the different tribes composing the population are established. The possession of these valleys is one of the causes of the incessant wars which they carry on.

The NATIVES of the Marquesas have been often described. They do not seem to have any form of government, each tribe living separately and independently. The only title of distinction is that of ariki, generally translated chief, or king,

• Zach's Monthly Correspondence, vol. i. p. 348; Extr. of the Mem. of the Massachusetts Company for 1795.

+ Voyage of Capt. Marchand in La Solide, by Fleurieu.

Vancouver's Voyage, vol. iii. pp. 96-7.

Ş Voyage dan les Estats Unis, par La Rochefaucault Liancour, tome iii. p. 23.

but it means only the superiority of riches. They do not appear to have any religion or worship, although some of their traditions and customs have evidently some hidden meaning. The law of tabu is well known and respected, and enters largely into their customs. From there being no general law or government, the only appeal from an injury is to arms, hence the great number of quarrels and wars which agitate the community. At different periods various missionaries have essayed to establish themselves here, but they have all failed; not a single true conversion has taken place. This is in great part owing to the bad example and advice of the white deserters from passing vessels, who are found among them, living in the same manner, and aiding in their disputes and wars. For a great number of years Dominica (or O-Hiva-oa) was the most disturbed by warfare of all the islands. In the course of the year 1837 there were five or six disputes, all of which ended in fighting. They are very warlike, but they are only passionate cowards. Almost all the islands are now provided with fire-arms, and these, with powder, have been the best articles of commerce. The demand for money, as a means of barter, will grow. After a combat, and a prisoner is taken, a fire is kindled, and great rejoicing is made. They place the victim over this, usually after killing him by a blow on the head, but at other times quite alive, and, as soon as he is roasted, they collect in a circle and devour him, but, from a superstitious motive, they do not allow the women to approach or take part in these horrible festivities. The one great feature which distinguishes these natives in the eyes of Europeans is their unbounded licentiousness. The women, by some elevated to the highest standard of beauty and grace, by others considered on the ordinary level of the race, appear to have not the slightest idea of chastity or delicacy. Their whole conduct, gesture, and motive appear directed to one end. They have no marriage ties or ceremonies among themselves, and fathers, brothers, and husbands, equally unite with the females in the assiduous and undisguised display of their personal charms. Even children of tender age, from eight years and upwards, are not free from this character. It has been often portrayed, and must be familiar to all readers of the Pacific voyages. It is a point, too, which ought to weigh much with the commander who would bring his ship here.*

In the present state of the Marquesas they offer few resources for commerce; a small quantity of sandal-wood is the only article to be procured, and this has been wantonly destroyed, without regard to the future: their only utility to the navigator can be to revictual or refresh.

The following observations on this subject, by Admiral Krusenstern, in 1806, still hold good in many respects:-"Ships must not expect, after a voyage round Cape Horn, which, if they sail from a port in the Brazils, they have little chance of weathering in less than three months, to be able to refresh their crews at these islands, sufficient to prosecute their voyages either to America or Kamtschatka, as it is very doubtful whether they can even supply them with provisions for their daily consumption. Wood and water are the only two articles they may depend upon procuring in sufficient quantity, and without the assistance of the natives, who swim with the water casks through the heavy surf,

* A glowing account of the natives will be found in a work entitled, A Leaf from the Marquesas.

with a facility that surprises a European, while he is quite unable to imitate it; even this task would be very arduous, and might also prove dangerous; for, upon any sudden disagreement, the water party would be instantly cut off: and such a disagreement may easily happen, any slight misunderstanding giving rise to it, as we ourselves experienced. Ships bound to Kamtschatka by the way of Cape Horn would, therefore, do better to sail directly from the Brazils to the Society Islands, the Navigator's Islands, or to the Tonga Islands, where they may supply themselves at least for six or eight weeks with fresh provisions. On the other hand, ships destined for the N.W. coast of America, or the Island of Kodiack, would find it more advantageous to put into one of the ports of Chile, where they will find not only an abundance of provision, but, what is of greater importance to Kodiack and the colonies on the coast of America, may be supplied with Indian corn and wheat. The run from Chile to Kodiack is not too great; those who deem it so, may touch at the Sandwich Islands, which do not lie much out of their way."

Capt. D'Urville also, in confirmation of the foregoing, says that for refreshment the Sandwich Islands or Tahiti ought to be preferred beyond all comparison. Before this group can rise to any great importance, the people must become industrious; the land would then become productive, and refreshments and other aids would then be abundant. In a military view Nuka-Hiva is the most important; Ports Anna Maria and Tschitschagoff are perfectly safe, and could be easily defended. Its capability for the supply of vessels, too, is at present not inferior to the rest.

In all the inhabited islands there are pigs, goats, and fowl; all these live wild, and readily multiply. Cattle have been several times introduced, but have all been prematurely destroyed; but when D'Urville left, he heard that Mr. Holworthy, an English missionary, had a flock of horned cattle, not numerous enough, however, for the supply of ships.

The islands surrendered to the sovereignty of France by treaty with Admiral Du Petit Thouars, May, 1842.+

The climate of these islands must always be very sultry. In Marchand's voyage it is said that at Port Madre de Dios the thermometer stood at 27° in June. During Krusenstern's stay in Port Anna Maria, the maximum height on board was 25°, but it generally stood at 23° and 24°, and the heat on shore was in all probability 2° greater. Notwithstanding this the climate appears to be very healthy, and the Europeans who have dwelt here state that it cannot be more so, an assertion which is justified by their appearance.

The winter months, as is always the case between the tropics, constitute the rainy season; but this is said not to continue long in these islands, ten months and more frequently passing without a drop of rain. When this unfortunately happens, a general famine ensues, attended by the most dreadful consequences, and inciting the inhabitants to acts of a more horrible nature than any other people can afford an example of.

Voyage Round the World, &c., by Capt. A. J. Von Krusenstern, translated by Richard Belgrave Hoppner, vol. i. p. 143. + See Times, December 21 and December 29, 1842.