Galapagos Islands  Notes  Source  Whalesite

      CHAP. 15.An improvement which was made at this time, in the mode of navigating between the ports of South America in the Pacific Ocean, brought into notice some islands situated a short distance to the West of the continent; and gave great encouragement to the undertaking of enterprises by sea, as it removed an apprehension which had been a great restraint on mariners in that part of the world. Along the coast of Peru, and part of the coast of Chili, the winds from the South are those which most generally prevail; and it had been a custom invariably adhered to by vessels bound from one port to another, to keep close to the land, from an idea, that if they were to lose sight of the coast, the trade wind would render their return impracticable. The passage from Peru to the ports of Chili was consequently tedious and difficult. A Spanish pilot, named Juan Fernandez, was the first who ventured to make the experiment of standing to a distance from the land*, where he found the winds favourable for getting to the South, and by running in that direction, till he was beyond the influence of the trade wind, he regained the coast without difficulty, making the passage much more expeditiously than it could have been

CHAP. 15.performed by the in-shore navigation. In these new and circuitous tracks, several islands were found not far to the West of the American continent. The order in which they became known, is not stated here with certainty. The earliest date concerning them that has been met with in the present investigation, is given to the two islands named, one of them after its discoverer, Juan Fernandez,Islands Juan
Fernandez, and
Mas-a-fuera. and the other, being more distant from the continent, Mas-a-fuera (more without). According to the dictionary of Alcedo, these islands were first seen in 1563*. Juan Fernandez, the largest of the two, is in 33° 42' South latitude, and distant from the American coast 115 geographical leagues. Mas-a-fuera is 28 leagues to the West of J. Fernandez, and in latitude 33° 40' South. Whether they were inhabited or not, at the time they were first discovered by Europeans, is not noticed in the accounts of them. The land is habitable; and the writer of Commodore Anson's Voyage mentions, that Juan Fernandez obtained a grant of the island, which bears his name, on which he resided some time; but it was afterwards abandoned by him.

      The Galapagos.The group of islands under the equinoctial line, named Los Galapagos, appears with the same name in the map of

      CHAP. 15.America and the South Sea, in the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of Ortelius, Edit. 1570, Map N^o 5; but as they are spread over a wide space, it is probable they were discovered long before. So early as in the time of P. Martire, it was said that islands had been seen in the South Sea to the West of the Pearl Islands*.

      The Galapagos received their name from the circumstance of those islands being much frequented by turtle. They are barren and uninhabited. Although they are under the equinoctial line, the temperature of the air there is so fine and salubrious, that they have been called Encantadas, i.e. the Enchanted Islands. They are distant from the continent, from 170 to 210 geographical leagues.

      Malpelo and Cocos Islands, the latter not with that name, are likewise in the same edition of Ortelius; but the islands of Juan Fernandez are not placed there, which is an argument, that the date of his discoveries is preceded by that of the other islands here mentioned.

      Malpelo.Malpelo is a high and barren rock, surrounded with smaller rocks, and may be seen in clear weather at the distance of 20 leagues. It is situated near the fourth degree of North latitude †, and 45 leagues distant from the main land.

      Cocos Island.Cocos Island is likewise uninhabited; but it affords anchorage, (which is best near the North East extremity,) excellent water, wood, fish, and birds, and (which is not its least advantage, especially to ships that have been a length of time at sea) cocoanut trees grow there in such numbers, as to have given rise to

CHAP. 15. its present name. It was at first named Santa Crus, because it was discovered on the feast of the holy cross. * The latitude of the middle of the island is about 5° 30' North, and its distance from the nearest part of the continent, about 80 leagues †. Several rocks or small islands lay scattered round it within the distance of two or three miles.

      The Islands San Felipe and San Ambor, are among the discoveries made by Juan Fernandez; but they were not seen till some years later, and will be noticed in their proper place.

      The Galapagos extracts are those used by John Woram in his now defunct website at "galapagos.to"

      Sidenotes or margin notes which appear in the outer margins of the original publication are displayed here in the right margin.

      James Burney (13 June 1750 – 17 November 1821) was an English rear-admiral, who accompanied Captain Cook on his last two voyages. He later wrote two books on naval voyages and a third on the game of whist. [Wikipedia.]

James Burney.
      A Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea Or Pacific Ocean ...: Commencing with an account of the earliest discovery of that sea by Europeans, and terminating with the voyage of Sir Francis Drake, in 1579
Volume 1.
Londoon: Luke Hansard, 1803.
pp. 273-276.

Galapagos Islands  Notes  Source  Whalesite