best of them built of mud or unburnt clay, and whitewashed, but the greater part Robinson Crusoe like,—­ only of posts and branches of trees.  The governor’s house, as it is called, was the most conspicuous, being large, with grated windows, plastered walls, and roof of red tiles; yet, like all the rest, only of one story.  Near it was a small chapel, distinguished by a cross; and a long, low, brown-looking building, surrounded by something like a palisade, from which an old and dingy-looking Chilian flag was flying.  This, of course, was dignified by the title of Presidio.  A sentinel was stationed at the chapel, another at the governor’s house, and a few soldiers, armed with bayonets, looking rather ragged, with shoes out at the toes, were strolling about among the houses, or waiting at the landing-place for our boat to come ashore.

The mountains were high, but not so overhanging as they appeared to be by starlight.  They seemed to bear off towards the centre of the island, and were green and well wooded, with some large, and, I am told, exceedingly fertile valleys, with mule-tracks leading to different parts of the island.

I cannot here forget how Stimson and I got the laugh of the crew upon us by our eagerness to get on shore.  The captain having ordered the quarter-boat to be lowered, we both, thinking it was going ashore, sprang down into the forecastle, filled our jacket pockets with tobacco to barter with the people ashore, and, when the officer called for ``four hands in the boat,’’ nearly broke our necks in our haste to be first over the side, and had the pleasure of pulling ahead of the brig with a tow-line for half an hour, and coming on board again to be laughed at by the crew, who had seen our manoeuvre.

After breakfast, the second mate was ordered ashore with five hands to fill the water-casks, and, to my joy, I was among the number.  We pulled ashore with empty casks; and here again fortune favored me, for the water was too thick and muddy to be put into the casks, and the governor had sent men up to the head of the stream to clear it out for us, which gave us nearly two hours of leisure.  This leisure we employed in wandering about among the houses, and eating a little fruit which was offered to us.  Ground apples, melons, grapes, strawberries of an enormous size, and cherries abound here.  The latter are said to have been planted by Lord Anson.  The soldiers were miserably clad, and asked with some interest whether we had shoes to sell on board.  I doubt very much if they had the means of buying them.  They were very eager to get tobacco, for which they gave shells, fruit, &c.  Knives were also in demand, but we were forbidden by the governor to let any one have them, as he told us that all the people there, except the soldiers and a few officers, were convicts sent from Valparaiso, and that it was necessary to keep all weapons from their hands.  The island, it seems, belongs to Chili, and had been