Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-12-07

eighty feet of gneno. and the south one
but little on il. None OF the ether isles
or main land have any on them. Few
birds are seen hero IN comparison 20 what
one would suppose. II is still question
with many what this guano is. cannoi
believe It is wholly the ezerements OF the
birds. On the very top of the middle is
land. are rocks completely bare OF tuns
and tuns weight. beautifully polished. ap-
parently by the birds feet, but not one
particle of guaRo on them. There arc
also on the very tops OF these mountains
caves that 60 down to depths yet un-
known. They have been explored one
hundred and twenty-five feet. The
mouths or entrance resemble very much
The crater OF = volcano.
Vessels are loaded at the lee of the is
land. At this lime the guanO has been
removed from the edge of the island IN
places, say one thousand feet. Rails are
laid and cars are used to bring it TO the
edge of the rocks and dump it into large
bins or shutes made of long poles inter
woven with ropes and chains to support
them. wide at the upper end and narrow
at the lower. These hold from one hun
dred to FIVE hundred tons. At the lower
end are gates or scuttles, and from these
gates are canvas bags Of about two feet
in diameter. leading down TO the ships
and boats below, The ships are hauled
close TO the rocks and moored off and
on. The hose are led ut once into the
hatch. the gates above are hoisted, and
and you can imagine the force with which
it comes down through this hose of one
hundred feet. A thousand tun ship can
be loaded in forty eight hours. Smaller
bins are used by the boats, which all pre-
fer, as we have much less dust A shin
uadera spout of hose is completely envel-
oped in a cloud of dust, making it almost
impossible TO exist on board. The qua
no is trimmed away in the hold by ma
tives with oakum tied over their mouths
aud noses tthis lets in the air and ex-
cludes the dust) and wells over their eyes.
They can only stay below from twenty to
thirty minutes. They are in gangs Of
eight or ten, and relieve each other as
above. Every part Of the vessel is pene-
trated with the dust. 1t will go where
smoke will, can compare it to nothing
but so much dry ashes. The guano
abounds in hartshorn, and is said to be
very healthy and beneficial in some COM
plants.
The vessels are all of one color from
truck TO water. Not a spear of grass,
rush or read is to be seen anywhere, no
vegetable matter of any kind on the is.
lands. Where the guano' is now remo-
we'd, is a perpendicular bank Of about one
hundred feet. IN it are found dead birds,
some even on their nests with eggs un-
der them. have several of them per-
ect IN shape, still pure gaano. Most of
them crumble to dust when exposed to the
air. Layers of reeds and twigs are to be
found through the guano, said to be
hrough: there from the main land By the
birds for their nests. AS we walk over
the island, we find holes innumerable.-
These are the habitations Of the birds..-
With daylight they go seaward fer food,
and return with darkness to spend the
night on the islands. They are of veri-
Gus kinds, pelicans, penguin, many of the
duck species, &c. Seals and sea lions
are seen in thousands sporting among
the rocks and ships. and basking in the
sun. Methinks hear you say, a. what q
place for cunning" and you will, no
dcubJ be surprised when l tell you have
not discharged my gun since l sailed
from New York. The laws here are We
ry rigid, not gun or pistol is allowed to
be fred on or around the Islands, or on
board 4 ship at all. A penalty is ex-
acted for every bird killed; and this has
caused much trouble here, Of which
will inform you by and by still parties
so on shore at night and rob The holes Of
their inmates, generally two birds. some
thing like our mackerei gulls. They are
said TO eat very well. but rather fishy.
We find eggs at times in abundance,
yet these we are not allowed 70 touch
The laws are strictly enforced, mot even
the seals or sea-lions are we allowed to
shoot, but | am hard tempted at times
| sometimes use my harpoon as they swim
around the ships, but when fast Il is im-
possible TO hold on. as look outs are sta
TONED all around, and scarcely day pas
ses without trouble IN some quarter.-
Every vessel that comes here has cer-
tain number of lay days, about ten days
for every one hundred tons. Most of us
have to lay here our days out. AT day
light, dozens of boats can be seen around
the spot. waiting for loads. Daily ae-
counts are kept of each ships days aud
turns. so many loads per day are allowed
them. cay first week. two loads per day,
second week, three loads per day, third
week. four loads per day. We are all
supplied with boats. They hold from ten
to twenty tuns, and are generally ships
long boats, sold to the Peruvians when
they leave for home. Laborers cannot
be hired here for any price; We can only
work our cEn men. One would imagine
that it would be impossible 70 exist IN tbs
clouds of dust. The msn a.e az Of one
color, you cannot tell black one from a
white one when at work in it. Il is fun
for our sailors -.--t