The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-11-23
M. c. Nj. A. COURSE.
Second Lecture by DIR. Hill.

The second lecture in this course was deliv-
cred at Mechanics Hall last evening by DR..
HILL 1t was sketch of the island of Jnan
Fernandez and description Of May day spent
upon it. 1t was very interesting and the
sketch given below gives but a small idea of
this beautiful island.
The Hassler, on her way TO California,
touched at Juan Fernandez. She left Talca-
huano at shutdown on the 18th of April, 1872,
and at daybreak on the Goth beautiful cluster
of mountains shot up out of the sea, on their
port-bow, 1000 feet into the air. 1t was the
island made famous by the verses put by
Cowper into the mouth of Alexander Selkirk,
am monarch of all 1 survey and having
still greater fame from the popular belief that
Selkirk's history furnished the principal hints
out of which Defoe's creative imagination built
up the marvellously fascinating role of Robin
son Crusoe. Yet, Defoe places the scene of
Crusoe's long exile at the mouth of the Orino-
co, where Serrano, Spaniard, had spent a
similar but shorter, period of solitude.
Fernandez discovered this island in 1868,
seventy years after the discovery of America,
and forty-three after the first passage of the
straits of Magellan. No land is within 400
miles of it except two smaller Islands. 1t is
dOOut eicNeu niles IOuS duu udS SURFACE VI 10
or 20 square miles. 1t is of volcanic origin,
but no eruption or earthquake now troubles it.
Fernandez placed goats upon it; there being no
native quadruped of any kind; and they multi
piled greatly: but were more comfort to Eng
lsh priyateers and men-of-war than to the
Spaniards; and the latter introduced dogs to de-
stroy the goats. Both animals bred freely and
the island was for many years canine rather
than human paradise. When peace was es-
tablished the Chilens's shot the dogs and al
lowed the goats to multiply The island be-
longs to Chile, and was once used as penal
colony, the convicts being forced to 1--we in
caves dug by themselves, in the banks of stiff,
dry. volcanic mud. 1t is now leased to a pri-
vate party as farm; the total population was
just twelve, including some rosy plump-cheeked
children.
The island is interesting for two facts: first
from its containing inaccessible valleys with
PERCEPTIONS walls on the land side, and precipic-
es toward the sea, and other valleys accessi-
BILE only from the sea; secondly, from its con-
tanning a peculiar flora, which grows more lux
uriant and more varied as you 60 up toward
the mountain tops. The lower lands are full of
European garden and field plants, run wild;
plums, apples, figs, peaches, mint, lemon balm,
&c; while higher you come to Winters bark,
treeferns, palms and other plants of the south
temperate and tropical regions; but they nearly
all are of species different from those found in
other places, and absolutely peculiar to the is
land. The lecturer concluded by saying that this
presence of a peculiar flora and fauna upon
volcanic islands, and notably upon the Galapa-
gos, which seem of very recent volcanic origin,
was to his mind absolutely conclusive evidence
against the Darwinian form of the evolution
theory.
The form of the address was narrative of
the lecturers ramble upon the island on May
day, and it was illustrated by chart, and
sketches of scenery, by which the audience
could follow him in his walk