New-York daily tribune., 1849-08-08
,ero0NT or A VISIT TO JUAN FERNANDEZ
g. ps.essg On hoard .llo Pa.,se for California

composed a J. w Bingham a NJ i""4-''f -
ssl,er, j. Iugans, J. Il mphres, J. Packard D. ,
nonhsrn. George Tlbbetts. r. Gnffne, j. hoss
p,oon and myself lclt tho ship 10 tie shee'-ifou
-. b.loreinc % J. W. B with the intention o'
..kinr tie land. Although we provided oo'-
elves win water. p-oyis ons. aconPass and many
o.her necessary articles, there were none on board
.to believed that would accomplish our de-
.,zu AID TO fact many OF oar ,~n qtry h4d ou,
bt,ie confidence m doing 90, for Oy actual meas
cement Oh. tho chart the Islaai was t9 miles dis
..,t The dav was G. ear and warm. ",tA n sea
via IA calmaess AID the ship mak.ng very
t,,io II anv hoadxay. " commenced IoT .ng
with rieh, good vii, enjoying the ilvigorati g
sreroi,e. with the calm solitude shat reigrcd
,.,ond us Ia order % preserve our strength 80
,.eved each ether - the oars every hour. Tie dsy
"a, indeed beautiful and as 10 p-ogressed 10 ID
Ice, met the eye but one vessel, which wss acl-
,iv sinking 10 the distance, a4d the blue land,
ybioh s.il. appeared very distant and indistinct
All PM. We lost S. ght Of our ship and Lad t
perceptbiy approached neare. The Island. u vas
rash determination, and now ttl.k calmly or
tbe subject. almost an net Of 80. % lose si-h, o.
oar vessel. on the broad ocean viih 10 trust bar
tie frail boat that supported us, and tho hope q
the land whose distance vas then so decePtfei
ts.sttnt time none thoortt u the c9nse Iponces.
All excited with spirit OF adventure, 50" but the
,,and Of Robinson Crase ai cad, AID wDra deter
mined 70 reach it the act wns 10 evidence ~
courage or daring, for wo thoNght rot Of danRer-
10 + Ct knew none but one thought engrossed or
minds that was determination to resch the isnf
Though we piled the o@s with good earnest and
made much besdwsy, the day was gliding rapidly
AWAY and the prospect Of making the land before
night fall became extremely doubtful in fact, the
setting sun soon satisfied US Of the folly Of such
hope As the night approached we became ap-
prebsnsive Of losing sight Of the island IN thedark-
ness; we therefore lighted our lantern with the
Intention Of steering by the compass, (hsving
taken The bearings Of the land sometime beiore.)
This did no, prove 10 be necessary for the deep
outlines of the Island still showed distinctly
ayainst the horizon Up 10 this time the sea bad con-
imged very smooth with but little wind at about
sPM., however, the clouds gathered 10 a threat
ening aspect, sw weeping toward the land, while q
heavy mist coll ectel about the high peaks and so0n
conceded them from our view II wss at this mo-
nent that we feared not only losing sight q our
guide aud landmark. but ol being driven far out &
sea- by ono Of those sudden squalls which are 50
ireQuent in this ocean at this season. Though our
approximations wore not realized 10 their fullest
extent they were in some degree, for in the course
Of half an hour, tho clouds became more dense,
and the wind blew with great violence Ii Was then
that our htle craft behaved nObly though irall.
she bounded from wave to wave as II mOckinR
their fury Our only hope OF safety now rested IN
reaching the lee side OF the Island, tO accomplish
which II was necessary 20 carry our sail as long
f4o ind 1pr ean fur rTlY & Ifia
iaar was that the mast would break out, and il not
swamp tho boat, compel US 10 resort TO the oars
again. which would have been very difficult owing
n tho reuehness OF the sea For more than one
hour. in order % strengthen the mast braced II
with IN feet and hands while the irall stan bent
and ,rembled like a reed At the expiration Of
some three hours being thoroughly wet by rain
and the spray which continued 10 wash over Us.
We weathered the northeast point oi the lsland
and lowered sail under the lee OF the bold perpen
dicular clifs which lined the cJast running - the
bieht OF 600 u ! 900 feet above the sea As the
water was here calm with the exception OF q
heavy swell, being protected by the highland from
the violence Of the sQuali, We again took 10 Ouf
oars ~ now being An. Sunday, 20tb,) and
r0wed as near the shore as prudent, IN hopes OF
fudlng peach on which TO land. bat finding none,
We saw large projection ahead which We con
cluded to round IN hopes Of then meeting with
better snccsss having done which we discovered
las far as the darkness would admit much to oui
gratfcation, bay reaching lar Inland. hoping
here a. End a safe landing, " Q headed Tor the re
mote shore which we had approached but a short
distance when We discovered hight apparently on
the beach This though NJ first q cheering object
now became the capse of some uneaslness, Tor We
were totally ignorant OF the Island and knew not
whence II proceeded, or with what reception
we should meet, did the Island prove % be lhhab-
tied Our sptsulatons aud c0niectures on this
subject were soon brought To a close 10y the ap-
ptaraLee OF another hight and the discovery OF n
reSsti at anchor lH the b0y. After some minutes
spent In serious consultation. we hailed the ship
and were Ovsrjoyed IN being answered IN good
English and told that she was the ship brooki!n
bound Tor California, We gave her three cheers, and
were answered with the same warm greeting
Thus our cares ended, and at AN. we Were
along side aud W ent on board, whore We were
warmly received by the officers aud passengers,
who came on deck in their night clothes aud
crowded around us From them we learned that
the Brooklyn had been In that port seven days
watering, after a voyage OF four months having
experienced some very heavy weather, being
nearly two rnenths IA rounding the Horn, hav
ing laid to seventeen times, aud run as lar South
As go. In our turn, we had much news to tell
them Rs we bad later dates, which were very ac-
ceptable as they had heard nothing later than the
l2th January Tins exchange OF news continued
until We we're called TO breakfast. about { o'clock
whenwe rartOOk of acapital breakfast Of fresh hsh
warm bread and coffee which after my exercise
aud long fast redshsd more tnan any meal had
ever eaten.
After breakfast went on deck. and /. now be
ing broad daylight took general survey Il the
land before me. Tho Island is very high aud noun
famous, Of volcanic formation the high land
around the bay presents a singular appearance,
each mount having three or four ridges with deep
gullies between, produced by the action Of water.
resembling very much the descriptions givon o.
some Of the mountains Of New Mexico. These
gulies center into the bay, and the ridges branch
oii from the same point IA various directions the
gulliss are filed with a thick growth Of Peach aud
Myrtle trees, hose deep green presents fine
contrast with the wild Oats, now ripe and yellow
Cd by the sun with which the ridges are covered.
The bay is semi-crculsr in form, OF about miles
IN Circumference. and some a miles deep On
the northeast is level surface, upon which was
once q Chitan settlement, though now but few
traces Of it remain. The beach is high and not
sandy. but covered with large round stones. which
render II dangerous for boats % land. On the
northern extremity there is a small inlet, which
affords the skilllul bOstman = safe harbOr. W thin
ssuarter OF q mile OF this. stand the residences OF
the sole inhabitants Of the Island being four sm al
houses built OF poles and thstched with Wild oat-
straw, both root and sides. The population now
corsists of IS persons-6 men women and chi