The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-02-12
From the Christian Advocate and Journal
Island of Juan Fernandez.


Capt. Gelston on his passage out, when in
South latitude 80 deg. 80 min, long. West 70
deg. is min. writes thus;
| We are now in the South Pucfic Ocean,
and as the sun was setting IN rs clear sky
rs he ever left in the Western horizon, u little
TO the left ofwhere he was retiring 10 his o.
cean bed might be seen, in the iar-distant
southwestern view, pyramid ofrocks then
distant from us seventy good sea miles.
This was the last gaze we were taking of
the Island fJuan Fernandez, tho residence
of that monarch described by Cowper, who
"ruled over all he snrveyed" mean the great
Alexander Selkirk, placed by Defoe in the
person ofRobinson Crusoe, with his man
Friday, on another Islnnd in the South-At-
lantc, called Ferdinand DE Norohouo. We
are now rapidly leaving this place of story
aud of song, aud purpose giving you brief
sketch of visit made by our missionaries to
that place so famed in history.
| About daylight Of that day we first discov-
cred the land, then about forty miles distant.
! The weather was pleasant and fine, and the
wind was quite light, so that at II o'clock, |
Judged the land about 25 miles of. llowcv-
er having new boat the passengers bcset me
TO allow them an opportunity of setting foot
upon the Island. The boat was soon got over
the side, and five Of our mule passengers, with
doubt supposing that in u couple of hours
they would stand upon land again, having
been then cighty-nine days on sliPboard.-
But landsmcn make poor calculations at sea
as the sequel will show.
So anxious were they to reach St. Juan
that provisions were not thought of although
had taken the preCaution To fill bucket
with water, and have it placed in the bout
f'they started at half past ii o'clock in the
morning, without dining, and they rowed
hard to get TO land. Soon after the boat
showed off, we took light breeze, and at sun
set the -ocd bark Wilton was Off Cumber-
land Harbor. Al This time might be seen,
close under the land, 62G not yet into the har-
Dor, our ships boat, still toiIing huSh 10 gel to
land;" although the wind wns NOT contrary.
they had not reached the haven they sought.
And to wind up our story, Providence hav-
ing favored us with q breeze, after they had
made II short visit on shore they reached the
vessel in safety about nine O'Clock at night, MS
we were then close in with the land, and they
had not n long distance to pull to reach u.s.
Poor fellows, they were almost exhausted, mot
yet having eaten anything aud the palms of
their hands were in one Blister flor every
man had 10 work. so that up to this time
hardly think they could write n legible nc
count of their voyage. l think they have
learned, however, that pyramids oilwo thou
sand feet high, sometimes appear nearer nj
sea than they really are; and have no hope
ofgiving you another account of their eHcur-
sons in boat.
Upon the Island they found thirteen souls
in all, in u state of deplorable poverty, with
out particle of household furniture of any
description, not even chair, table or bed
Two Of these wrelched creatures were te
males. These miserable Spaniards, made so
by their own mprovidence, were thus living
upon an Island that would reward labor as
bounIituly as any part of the world, aud
through their own slothfulness, suffering in
the midst ofthe means of plenty, il only a
proper effort was put forth to ohtaiu the ne
cessnres and comforts ofliie. The land is
very rich and yields plentiully, so that more
than two hundred bushels of potatoes can be
gathered from a single acre, and other things
in proportions; yet these people had only n
patch fifteen feet square.
Peaches are in plentiful abundance all o.
er the Island, aud strawberries, also in their
season. Ounces also grow IN large quanti-
ties These luXuries were introduced by Lord
Arson, and now abound there very plentiiully.
The wild goats, in countless droves, roam o.
yer the mountains, and are easily taken.-
Here, also, are to be found mules aud horses
in large numbers. The missionaries saw all
these playing among the hills, and some of
them in use by the Spaniard. But the thir-
teen are not all Spanards. Three of them
are Americans, who had run away from whale
ships; and these three performed all the work,
the lazy Spanidrds reaped the benefit.
Fish may be procured i'll large quantities
with little trouble. One boat obtained, in u
short space of time, enough TO last our large
family as many days as they would keep
They are excellent, and ofvurious kinds,sm-
liar to our cod and rock-bass. HOLSTERS are
also very numerous, and easily taken. The
goats are better than our veal, and are caught
from the backs of horses by rope called a
"asso' thrown around their necks. They
are also shot. We obtained three, and found
them most excellent.
The Island is about 10 miles long,and four
miles wide, and is in the latitude of 33 dogs.
as Minis. South, and 70 degs. 30 Minis. West
from Greenwich. On approaching its shores
it appears like stupendous, barren pile OF
rock, lifting up their heads over two thou
sand feet from the ocean, splntered and
thrown apart by the earthquakes ofthese re-
gions Shocks Of earthquakes are contnn-
ally occurring along the coast of Chill and
Peru, and are us common as thunder is with
u.s. These shocks reach the Islands all along
the coast, and are often attended with great
loss of life as well as property.
Policy for Young Ladies.