Galapagos Islands  Source  Whalesite

Transcriber's note: The Nautical Magazine's source for this article was "Suite de l'expédition autour du monde de la corvette de l'État, la Bonite, commandée par M. Vaillant, capitaine de corvette" (extrait de lettres particulières)." in Annales maritimes et coloniales, publiées avec l'approbation du ministre de la marine et des colonies. (22^e Année - 2^e Série, Tom 2, 1837) : "Floriade" refers to the island Floreana [Charles Island, Galapagos] and "Willimi" revers to José Villamil (1789–1866). [tgt]

      As we had the option of passing to the northward or southward of the Galapagos, without lengthening our voyage by either course, the commander preferred making the southernmost islands of this archipelago, in order to communicate with the new colony, which has now been established on two of them three years, by Colonel Willimi, and to judge for himself of the actual state of the colonization of this new department of the Equador. Mr. Willimi visited us at Guayaquil, and we have from himself the following details:–He served in the rank of colonel in the army of the republic of the Equador, and assisted this state in obtaining its inde pendence. Considering himself afterwards ill-treated by the executive, he left their service, and bought two of the most southern islands of the Galapagos, Charles Island, and one of the eastern part of the Group. He then obtained permission from the president of the republic, to found upon it, at his own expense, a colony of free men, and which, in compliment to General Flores, he called Floriade. It was in the prisons of Guayaquil that Colonel Willimi planned the outline of his colony, and among the profligate females of that city, that he selected the future matrons of his flock; and he asserts, that the inhabitants of Floriade, by their good conduct, have completely cast the veil of oblivion over their impure origin. Mr. Willimi has been named by the state of the Equador, Governor of all the Galapagos. He was born at Louisiana, and speaks French in a superior style; he is a man of great mind, endowed with a lively imagination, and is a strong republican. He informs us that his colo nists cultivate the ground given them, with seeds and instruments of husbandry, to work on the express condition that they should devote some hours of their weekly labour for the general good. He employed them in these intervals, in making a landing place, in establishing the

means of communication between the different points of the island, and in clearing a channel to the habitations for the small supply of water flowing from the interior of the island. The colonists also devote some hours of their time to the governor's plantations.

      The population of Floriade consists at present of 300 individuals.

      Charles island produces maize, cassado, some sugar cane, a little cotton, and some culinary plants. The colonists also planted fruit trees, which succeed wonderfully. They have abundance of fowls, and a tolerable number of pigs.

      The climate of the Galapagos is healthy. Although this archipelago is situated under the line, the heat is not severe, from being constantly refreshed by storms and breezes from the S. W. to the S. S. E. As to fresh water, this first of human wants, it would appear not to be very abundant there, but this is only report, for these islands are but little known, and we have no positive information as to their physical formation.

      Mr. Willimi expects to increase the produce of the colony by the vessels of the whale fishery, the species of whale being that which yields spermaceti. He asserts that these are met with in great numbers in the midst of the Galapagos, and that the shores abound with excellent fish and turtle, besides the terrapin or land turtle, and seals of every species, even those which produce fur.

      It is easy to perceive that Mr. Willimi speaks of his Floriade with the partiality of a father for his child. Yet it cannot be doubted that if this colony thrives, and that the overplus of population settle in the other islands of the Galapagos, which possess safe ports and fresh water, (for there is every reason to believe that water may be found in many of these islands,) then this archipelago will afford an important place of resort, not only for the numerous whalers of the Pacific to refresh their crews at, but even to ships trading from Peru and Chili to Mexico, California, and the Sandwich Isles.

      In a military point of view, this new department of the Equador is not without its importance; for, by its geographical position, it affords at all times, a resort where ships of war may obtain supplies, without being far from their cruizing ground, when employed in intercepting the communication between the different countries above-mentioned. Here they may be victualled without being far out of their course or cruize.

"The Galapagos — Floriade."
      The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle, for 1838. Enlarged series. No. 2, 1838.
pp. 96-97.

Galapagos Islands  Source  Whalesite