A voyage of discovery to the strait of Magellan : with an account of the manners and customs of the inhabitants and of the natural productions of Patagonia

Front matter

4^

Si vV^^-a

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PART I. Pap>

Sect. I. Preparation for the Expedition .................. 1

II. Voyage from Cadiz to the Strait of Magellan ...... 4

III. Occurrences in the Navigation of the Strait . .. 12

IV. Return to Cadiz .. 51

Part II

Sect. I. Description of the Strait of Magellan. — Division of the Country into high and low. — Temperature: Qualities of the Soil. — Productions of the Strait : Herbs, Plants, Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees. — Description of the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and

II. Of the Inhabitants of the Strait of Magellan 84

III. Of the Indians of the Strait of Magellan 94

HHHH IH

Bng. Inches.

The most accurate standard of the yard, is tliat called the Parliamentary Standard, made by Bird in 1758, equal to 36*00023

On a measurement by the late Dr. Maskelyne, astronomer-royal, of two French standard toises, exhibited by M. de la Lande in London,

the one was found to be equal to 76*732

And the other to • 76*736

The medium 76*734 English inches for the toise of 6 teet, or 72 inches French, is adopted by Biot in his Astronomie Physique, 1810. According to this medium proportion, one inch, foot, fathom, or toise, English, is to one inch, &c. French as 1 : 1*06575 precisely. Or, making the French measure the unit, the English measure will be 0*938 of that unit very nearly.

In the end of 1801, Professor Pictet, of Geneva, carried over from London to Paris a brass scale, of 49 inches in length, made by Troughton. On a most accurate comparison of that scale, by Members of the Institute, with the platina and iron standard metres, the mdtre was

found to be (at the the temperature of melting ice) equal to 3938272

Which, reduced to the English rule of comparison, 62° of Fahrenheit, is 39*371

The mitre being the ten-millionth part of a quadrant of the meridian, a sexagesimal degree of a great circle must he equal to 57*012 French toises, or 60,760*54 English fathoms, equal to English miles » 69*046

The late eminent nautical mathematician Captain Mendoza y Rios furnished this rule for converting Spanish into English measures, and vice versa.

From the logarithm of the number of Spanish feet, fathoms, &c. subtract the constant logarithm 0*0384544, and the remainder will be the logarithm of the corresponding liiuului of English fuel, fathoms, E. in. &c.

Hence the Spanish foot is equal to • •••• 10*9831 3

vara, or yard, equal to 32*94954

— braz-i, or fathom, equal to 65*89903

And 12 Spanish brazus are within a small trifle of 11 English faths.

N.B.— The French brasse contains only 5 French feet, and is therefore only equal to 63*945 English inches, equal to 5 feet and nearly 4 inches English.

Preface

OF

THE TRANSLATOR.

" Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?1' is a supercilious query but too frequently directed against various regions of the earth, particularly against bigotted and enslaved Spain. And, indeed, were our opinion of what may be extracted from that devoted country to be formed by estimating the magnitude, or the value of the information lately brought home from it, even by our friendly armies, after a long abode, the answer to the insolent query above-mentioned would justly be, — " Nothing."

Having resided for some time in Spain, and having occasionally, since my return, directed my attention towards Spanish literature, to that qnery I should feel myself warranted to give a very different answer. — To mention one branch of scientific literature only, — I mean what relates to maritime information respecting her dominions, European and American, Spain has done

VI

PREFACE.

more, and in a more systematic manner, than all the other Powers of Christendom put together. She has surveyed, by the most able operators, furnished with the best instruments and instructions which England and France could produce, the whole sea coast of those vast regions ; and the results she has, with a manly liberality without example, laid before the public. The great Coasting Pilot of Spain (including Portugal) was published by the authority of the Government in 1787, accompanied by a set of charts, illustrated by plans of all the principal harbours and naval stations, in the fullest detail ; accompanied by views of the coast, the whole executed in a style far superior to any work of the kind which France or England yet possesses ; except, perhaps, the Atlantic Neptune of Governor De Barres. This Coasting Pilot, forming a good quarto volume, I translated several years ago for Mr. Faden ; and it now forms one of the standard treatises attached to every vessel belonging to the national navy.

Since then I have translated from the Spanish " An Account of a Voyage from Cadiz to the Strait of Magellan." This voyage, performed" under the command of Admiral Don Antonio de Cordova, in a frigate, was projected with the humane view of setting at rest for ever the long-agitated question, whether mariners ought or ought not, on any account, to attempt a passage to the Pacific Ocean through that Strait.

The translation was first suggested to me by the late

I H I {-j, l'REFACE.

Vll ill-fated General Miranda ; and, in the cxecutioin of it, I was encouraged and aided by the late first-raite nautical mathematician, Captain Mendoza y Rios, of the Spanish navy, but long domiciliated in Britain. That the subject is not only important, curious, and entertaining, in itself, and valuable, as filling up a chasm in our Knowledge of the globe, will be seen from the annexed Contents ; and, excepting the filling-up of chasms, little probability remains of discoveries of importance being now made. In the course of the voyages out from Spain to the Strait of Magellan, and home again, and in the perilous traverses of the Strait itself, various important particulars are finally settled by the able commander. The description of the countries bordering on the Strait, that is, of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego ; of the productions, animal and vegetable ; of the famous gigantic race of Patagonians, in the work reduced to a rational standard ; — these, and other matters, are well entitled to notice and to confidence.

The authority of the whole is not to be questioned. Its importance to mariners, particularly in the present eventful crisis of South American affairs, and of our intimate connections and frequent intercourse with the western coasts of the Spanish possessions (to say nothing of our growing navigation to New Holland amd the whole Pacific), is self-evident ; — the notices respecting the productions of the South American promontory, come forward with an air of genuineness sufficient to command our belief, and may in time lead to tlh<e discovery of other objects of singular value.

■mm

VI 11

PREFACE.

This voyage is calculated to be eminently useful at this time, by settling for ever the question in regard to the eligibility of making the passage of this Strait in a voyage to the Great Pacific : — a question which it decides in the negative on the clearest evidence of facts. But, in arriving at this important conclusion, it has added to our stock of geographical knowledge, and brought us acquainted with large tracts, hitherto but imperfectly explored and studied.

ACCOUNT

OF A LATE

VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

>trait of Jttagellam

THE King of Spain, having some time ago resolved to dispatch a vessel, for the purpose of examining and making an accurate draught of the Strait of Magellan, in South America, orders were given to the general of the fleet to select a frigate for the enterprise, who, in consequence, made choice of the Santa Maria de la Caheza of thirty-six guns, whose good qualities were already well known. For several reasons, it was thought proper that she should not be sheathed with copper. She was built on the modern French model ; which, it was believed, could not fail to render her lit for any kind of navigation ; and the experience of this voyage confirmed that opinion : as her good qualities, on many occasions, delivered, the officers and men from dangers, to all appearance inevitable.

The chief command of the frigate, and of the whole expedition, was conferred on Don Antonio de Cordova, of the Royal Navy, with leave for him to choose his officers, seamen, and marines ; as also to carry out a second captain and two other officers, particularly conversant with astronomical observations.

In consequence of this permission, the commander made choice of Don Ferdinand de Miera to be his second captain; and it happened fortunately that Brigadier Don Vincent Tofino was at that time in Cadiz, together with the officers of that department of the Spanish navy, who for two years past had been employed in the construction of a hydrographic atlas, or sea-chart, and coasting-pilot, of Spain : he requested to have two of these gentlemen, who, being thoroughly instructed in astronomical observations, and expert in the use of all the instruments necessary for this expedition, might assist him. in the execution of his commission.

Voyages and Travels, No. 5, Vol. II. b

2 Account of a late Voyage of Discovery

He therefore selected D. Dionisius Alcala Galiano and D. Alexander Belmonte, lieutenants in the navy, who, -without in the ieast excusing themselves from the strict performance of the ordinary duty of the ship, took the charge of all observations, astronomical and geographical ; as also of the marine watches or time-pieces, and other instruments which were put on-board, as requisite for the due performance of the expedition.

Of this charge they acquitted themselves, to the entire satisfaction of the commander: and the following account of the voyage, together with the directions and instructions for navigating the Strait of Magellan, entirely drawn-up by these officers, is almost wholly compiled from their journals, formed and kept with the greatest hkill and attention, and well deserving to be used as models for other voyages of a similar nature.

D. Antonio de Cordova also appointed D. Joachin Camacho to be his chief pilot, or master ; and to him entrusted the operations necessary for taking separate draughts of the harbours, bays, a..,d roads of the strait, and which we can affirm to have been executed with all the care and precision to be expected from the eminent knowledge and experience of that officer.

The following List shows the exact state of the whole officers and crew of the frigate, as she sailed from Cadiz :

Commandant.

Second.

Lieutenants.

Midshipmen.

Officers of Marines.

Chaplains.

Surgeons.

Pilots, or Masters.

Pilotines, or Males,

Don Don fDon J Don "l Don [Don fDon \ Don { Don i Don I.Don C Don 2 Don 5 Don I Don C Don /Don 5 Don iDon r Don -J Don (.Don

Antonio de Cordova.

Ferdinand de Miera.

Miguel de Zapiain.

Tcllo Mantilla.

Dionysius Alcala Galiano.

Alexander Belmonte.

Pedro de Mesa.

Joachin Blanco.

Francisco Villegas.

Joachin Fernandez Salvador.

Eugenio de Cardenas.

Rcinigio Bobadilla.

Julian Martiano.

Joseph Riquero.

Juan Luis Sanchez.

Bartholomew de Rivas.

Joachin Camacho, 1st.

Antonio Castcllanos, 2d.

Antonio Rico.

Antonio Castro.

Pedro Sanchez.

As the season was now far advanced for the nature of this royage, (nth Sept.) no time was lost in getting ready the frigate j so that, on the 27th of the same month, she came out of the Dock-yard, completely equipped, with provisions for eight months, and wood and water for five ; and, as the fortunate conclusion of all sea-expeditions must, in great measure, depend on the health and comfort of the seamen, it was the commander's principal care to use every precaution for that effect.

He therefore sent on-board, not only an ample supply of additional warm clothing for the crew, but also all such medicines, and other preservatives, as the experience of former navigators had shown to be essentially useful.

Whilst the commander was thus employed, the two officers, charged with the nautical observations, carried on-board two marine watches or time-pieces, (Nos. 15 and 16 of Berthoud,) which belonged to the Observatory of Cadiz, and also No. 71 of Arnold, a small one belonging to Lieut. Belmonte ; and, by means of observations on-shore, and signals on-board the frigate, began to ascertain their several rates of motion, and to form the corresponding tables.

At the same time was carried on-board a complete collection of instruments, chosen from those procured by order of His Catholic Majesty in London, under the inspection of Mr. Jacinto Magellan, and from the hands of the most eminent artists of England. In removing them from the Observatory to the ship, the glass tube of the marine barometer suddenly burst, without its having received any blow or other injury, — so that the mercury was lost, — occasioned probably by the mercury having been but imperfectly purified, or perhaps not in the just quantity; so that we were under the necessity of proceeding on our voyage without that most valuable but delicate instrument.

Amongst these instruments were the best English quintants and sextants that could be procured: for if, by the aid of the time-pieces, we hoped to be able to ascertain every clay the errors occasioned in our reckoning, by its own unavoidable uncertainty, as well as by the setting of tides and currents; so, by constant observations of the distance of the moon from the sun or stars, performed with these excellent instruments of reflection, by two distinct observers, it was to be expected, as it was afterwards experienced, that in each lunation we might discover what confidence ought to be placed in these time-pieces, supposing them to preserve one uniform motion : and, from such comparisons and calculations, we made no doubt of obtaining satisfactory results.

Lastly, as every information that could be collected respecting the object of the voyage must be useful, either as furnishing advice to be followed, or as pointing out what was to be avoided, the several officers of the frigate made it their business to draw together the accounts of all expeditions to the Strait of Magellan which had been published in the different parts of Europe ; in which they were zealously assisted by Captain Don Alexander Malespina, of the department of Cadiz ; who not only parted with his own collection of Voyages, but used every endeavour to procure from other persons such books as he himself did not possess.

All these preparations being concluded, and the commander satisfied that he now had on-board every thing requisite for the proper fulfilment of the enterprise, he ordered the vessel to be completely cleared on the <)th of October, and to be in perfect readiness to put to sea on the following morning.

SECTION II. Voy age from Cadiz to the Strait of Magellan.*

Having received from the Captain-general of the Fleet our final instructions and orders, authorising us to undertake the expedition, we set sail from Cadiz, at break of day, on Sunday the 9th of October, with an easy wind from the land, and an ebbing tide. The little wind we had being variable, we made but small progress ; so that at night we were still within sight of the town. This weather lasted all night : however, in the morning early we had a distant view of Cape Spattel, on the coast of Africa. By observations of our latitude at mid-day, and from the longitude indicated by the time-pieces, as well as from our position according to the sea-chart, we found that the currents had carried us towards the south-east quarter, — a thing very common in these parts, on account of their general setting into the Strait of Gibraltar. In the evening we directed our course for the Canary Islands, which we reached without meeting with any thing remarkable on the passage.

The time-pieces, No. 16 of Berthoud and No. 71 of Arnold, kept an uniform pace : but No. 15 of the former artist gave room, from our first setting out, to suspect its accuracy ; as its movements differed continually from those of the other two.

During the passage to the Canaries, no considerable setting of the waters was perceived ; the errors occasioned by them in our reckoning mutually counterbalancing each other.

At day-break of the ltith, we discovered the islands Grand

* The name in the Spanish language is Magallancs, and pronounced nearly thus in English — Magalyttucs, the third syllable being accented. The Italians spell it Magaglianes, which is equivalent to the former.

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Canary and Teneriffe. At 7| hours a.m. we took observations of the sun's altitude, in order to determine our longitude ; and at the same time found the Pic of Teyde, in Teneriffe, bearing: from us W. 3° S. and the W. point of Grand Canary, S. 14° "W. from which observation we ascertained our place on the chart, making use of that of M. Verdun de la Crenne : and the latitude so pointed out agreed with that observed the followingnoon ; when allowances had been made for a reckoning carefully kept during the interval of four-and-a-half hours, and for the setting of the waters to the southward ; which, by observing the bearings of the island, we found had been the case. We were therefore at that time, according to the above-mentioned chart, in N. lat. 28° 18' 20", and in 'long. W. from Cadiz, 9° 28' 48". The time-piece, No. lG of Bertboud, indicated 2' ?", and No. 71 of Arnold 3' 4" more to the westward: differences so inconsiderable on a course of such extent, as to give great hopes of reaping the highest advantages from those machines ; whilst we entirely abandoned No. 15 of Berthoud, of whose accuracy we had all along been very suspicious. The errors in our ship's reckoning bad been so compensated one by another, that it differed only a few minutes from the place laid down on the chart.*

All this day we continued under sail, with light winds, between the Grand Canary and Teneriffe, whose peak disappeared to us soon after midnight ; nor did we see it any more on the following day, on account of the fresh weather. With tolerably fresh breezes we stood on to the S.S.W. that we might the sooner get out of the calms so often met with to leeward of the Canaries.

* It is necessary here to remark, that all the bearings mentioned in tl is account are, corrected for the variation; and that the longitude is counted from the meridian of the Royal Marine Observatory at Cadiz (P 16' VV. from Greenwich.

In the aCCOunt of the last Voyage of the celebrated Captain Cook, an attempt is made to prove, that the position of the Road of Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe, is 14' 30" to the westward of that assigned by Captain Don Joseph Vareja ; who was employed, with Messrs. Verdun de la Crenne. and Horda, in constricting the above chart. The observations of the Spanish astronomer must be preferable to those of Captain Cook, as being absolute, and independent of any errors occasioned by a time-piece. However, as much pains are taken in the above voyag-e to show that Varela was mistaken, we will here compare two positions, as laid down by Cook, witli those assigned by two distinct astronomers; which, joined to Cook's remark on the Cape of Good Hope, which he lays down 8' 25" to the W. of the truth, will demonstrate that his time-piece went out of England witli a positive error ; or that, in a few days, it contracted that error.

Isle of Ouessant (Ushant), according to Cook W.ftom Paris 7° 37' 37"

Ditto, according to M. M. Verdun and Horda 7 24 30

Cook to the westward 0 15 O-i

Cape Finisterre, according to Cook, W. from Cadiz . . .3 12 00

Ditto, according to Don Vicente Torino 2 55 M

Cook to the westward 0 1(5 06 igh it is the ordinary practice to cross the Equinoctial lit the meridian of Teneriffe, (10° 22' W. from Cadiz 0

Althom Line about

yet, in order to avoid the calms which almost constantly prevail to the eastward of that point of longitude, we resolved to cross it more to the westward, viz. from 14° to 15° W. from Cadiz, and accordingly directed our course to that quarter.

As soon as we had passed the Tropic of Cancer, we began to distribute to every man of the crew a large plate of gaspacho, or spiced salad, by the use of which, and by regularly sprinkling vinccrar and brine between the decks, Ave succeeded in maintaining them stout and healthy.

On the 24th at night, the breezes for the first time failed us, in N. latitude 11°. Nothing else noticeable having occurred since we lost sight of the Canaries.

A bright unclouded sky; winds regular and moderate, which temper the intense heat of the sun's rays ; and a sea rarely agitated to excess : these circumstances have procured to this part of the Ocean the appellation of the Ladies' Bay. The sight we enjoyed every day of flying-fish, tunnies, and bonitos, diversified a little the monotony of this scene.- We also had the company of a number of land birds, which, driven by the violence of the winds more than 100 leagues from their native country, hoped to escape unavoidable destruction in the water, by voluntarily delivering themselves into the hands of men.

About noon on the 25th, breezes again sprung up from E. and E.N.E., which, though feeble, still gave us hopes of speedily passing the Line. During the night we were assailed by a furious squall, which, leaving us no time to prepare for it^ did some damage to our rigging; but, on the other hand, it furnished an opportunity of knowing the trim of our vessel ; a circumstance which was afterwards of great consequence to us. The storm veered round by the N. to the W., and, after an hour's duration, it ceased ; the heavens clearing up, which, during the squall, had a most unfavourable aspect.

On the morning of the 27th spoke with a Portuguese vessel, the Fez Ivledeo, out :iS days from Lisbon, and bound for Rio Janeiro in Brasil: her reckoning was very erroneous; and she sailed so ill, that we were not surmised at the small advance she had made in her voyage.

Calms and moderate winds continued successively till the 31st, when the latter became more constant from the N.E. ano\ N.N.E. : our latitude being then about 7° 3o'N. ; and, on the 1st November, they changed to S.S.E.

We were now in longitude 14° VV". from Cadiz. Standing on a tack to the eastward, with the wind at S.S.E. we made no advance in latitude, but on the contrary course towards the S.W. we gained a little southing, but still added more to our longitude, and were consequently departing widely from the meridian of Teneriffe, (|0° 2'i'W. from Cadiz;) the point in which, as we before said, it is customary to cross the Equinoctial.

As two or three ships, which have cut the line much to the W. of that meridian, have not been able afterwards to weather Cape St. Augustine, on the coast of Brasil, other navigators have been induced to keep as near to it as possible ; notwithstanding that experience has uniformly shewn, that the calms are more frequent and lasting, the sudden squalls and storms of lightning more violent and terrible, towards the coast of Africa, than they are towards the westward. In a climate of such a nature, the voyage is unavoidably much protracted ; the stock of water is exhausted ; and sickness, particularly the scurvy, is introduced into the ship, producing effects the most dreadful. The preservation of the health and lives of the ship's company ought to be the principal object of a commander's solicitude; not only because humanity requires it, but because it is the only way to attain the accomplishment of the expedition entrusted to him : and his care and attention ought to be more particularly exerted in a long voyage, in which little or no refreshment or rebel can be expected. From these considerations, Nve resolved to follow such courses as would produce the greatest southing, in order to be freed from those latitudes so subject to calms, squalls, and sudden gusts of wind. We had besides observed that our frigate sailed remarkably well and close to the wind, so that we had reason to hope, if we should fall a little to the leeward, that we would soon recover a proper situation ; especially as we were very confident in our methods for correcting errors in our reckoning, and in our calculations of our position with respect to the American coast.

The winds continued to blow from S.S.E. to S.E. with the sky cloudy and squally, as is generally the case in these parts. On the 8th we discovered a flaw in one of our top-masts about a yard long, and of considerable depth, which obliged us in future to proportion our sail to what we thought the mast would bear.

On the 9th November, at 10 p. m. we crossed the equinoctial line at iy° W. from Cadiz, ('351° 22' from the meridian of Teneriffe, counted easterly,) according to the time-piece No. 16, which coincided with No. 71, and both within half a degree of the longitude deduced from observations of the moon's distance from the sun. Our reckoning placed the frigate 54,'

more easterly than the time-piece, and 1° 22' more easterly than the observations.

From repeated observations of the variation of the magnetic needle, both by amplitude and azimuth, we found the variation chart of M. Bellin, constructed in 1?57, sufficiently exact in the neighbourhood of the line; but by no means so much to be depended on, when at some distance from it.

The discussions between Captain Cook and M. de Monier, on this subject, excited us to the inquiry : in which our results coincided with those of the former navigator; although we couid not justly say of our needle as the captain says of his, — that it was excellent.

As soon as we had passed into S. latitude, the winds fixed themselves in the S.E. quarter, drawing however more to the E. than to the S. ; which was also observed by Captain D. Joseph Varela, of the Spanish frigate Santa Catalina, who, in his voyage from Cadiz to Brasil, in 1777, being obliged to cross the Line far to the W. of the usual point, apprehended he should not be able to make Cape St. Augustine; but he found that, as he advanced in the southern hemisphere, and approached the coast of Brasil*, the winds drew more to the E. ; so that, although he had fallen so much to leeward, as to be within sight of the island of Fernando Norono, he yet weathered that cape without any difficulty. Cook experienced almost the same favourable change of the wind, as do all our vessels on their return from America to Europe; for which reasons it seems not improper that, in a voyage from Europe to South America, navigators should venture to trust a little to such a change ; and therefore to cross theJKquinoctial from 16° to 20° from Cadiz, provided the properties of their ships warrant them to make such attempts.

Captain Cook, in consequence of his own experience, lays it. down, that from the meridian of Teneriffe to the W., the setting of the waters is constantly to the westward ; and, on the E. side of the same meridian, they set to the eastward : that is to say, that they draw always towards the respective coasts of America and Africa. Our experience in this voyage confirmed the former part of the observation, which explains the variety in the accounts of different navigators respecting these currents. Some instances which we had occasion to consult also attest the truth of the remark : for example, Captain D. Philip Gonzalez, of the Spanish man-of-war the San Lorenzo, on his passage from Spain to Lima, having crossed the Line to the eastward of the meridian of Teneriffe, found, on his arrival on the coast of Patagonia, a great difference to the eastward between his reckonto the Sir jit of Magellan. Q

u>«\ and the true situation of that coast. He had ascertained his place by the chart of M. Belli u, the correctness of which, on that coast, we had reason to testify.

On the other hand, ships returning to Europe, which pass always to the westward of that meridian, find tine errors in their, accounts to be constantly to the westward of the truth. Some instances might also be mentioned of vessels which found little or no errors in their reckonings which could be attributed to the setting of the waters, because they had passed at or near the meridian of TenerifFe.

The breezes continued from the eastward until we had reached south latitude 18°, when we experienced their usual change, viz. that as we advanced in south latitude, they veerr ed round more and more to E. and NE. which enabled us without anv difficulty to pass Cape St. Augustine; and to cross without apprehension the parallel of the Abrojois, notwithstand-' iinr that the currents had set considerably to the westward, as we could easily perceive by our observations for ascertaining the longitude. In south latitude 22° 45', these winds failed us; and, which is worthy of notice, at the same itime also ceased the settin<>- of the currents towards the W. For two days we had winds from S. and SW., but they afterwards returned to the NE.

On the 21st November fell in with the ship Los Placeres, belonging to the new Company of the Philippine! Islands, which sent her boat on-board of us as soon as we were within her reach. She had sailed from Cadiz on the 1st October for Lima, and had crossed the Equinoctial two days later, and two or three decrees more to the eastward, than we had done. Her reckoning, corrected for currents to the W., agreed with our account deduced from our observations of lunar distances by the time-pieces. We steered a little more easterly than she did; and, from our superiority in sailing, next day lost sight of her.