Edward Belcher

“ Light baffling airs, with oppressively hot sun, kept teazing us until after noon, when we appeared to move but tardily towards the passage between Montague and Hinchinbrook Islands, where I was prepared to expect strong tides. About eight we had doubled the Cape, and a gig was sent to examine the coast; but shoal water, contrary to Vancouver's idea, rendered it necessary to anchor in seventeen fathoms. ”

“ The half-knowledge to be obtained by this kind of survey, has always acted as a check on the advance of geographical and nautical information, and is in itself useless; for the native coaster wants nothing beyond his local experience; the regular foreign trade employs a pilot; and the occasional visitor sees that all the details are so unlike the truth, that he does not even attempt to correct;—and thus our enterprising carriers in peace, and our active cruizers in war, find themselves equally foiled in their operations along shore. ”

“ The substitution of the mud brick, or adobe of the continent, for their former neat wooden paling, gives the town a most gloomy aspect, and adds a dirty cast, independent of the actual nuisance arising from the clouds of dust which dry weather and strong sea breezes bring to your house, resulting from the constant destruction of the adobes.
The native population has decreased in a degree exceeding ordinary calculation, whilst that of the foreign residents has increased in the same proportion. ”

“ Having entered the Sacramento, we soon found that it increased in Addth as we advanced, and at our noon station of the second day was about one-third of a mile wide. The marshy land now gave way to firm ground, preserving its level in a most remarkable manner, succeeded by banks well wooded Avith oak, planes, ash, willow, chesnut, walnut, poplar, and brushwood. Wild grapes in great abundance overhung the lower trees, clustering to the river, at times completely overpowering the trees on which they climbed, and producing beautiful varieties of tint. ”

“ But if repeated acts of outrage, fit only to be attributed to the dark ages from which they have but just emerged, continue to sully their flag, in which the British union is blended, then will they be hurled back from that footing, into the insignificance which their bad advisers and their consummate presumption will so richly merit. And should a vigorous exertion of power once be called for, then is their sun for ever set, and the flag of these islands, now so proudly but wantonly waving, may be confined to their own ports, as has been the case with San Domingo. ”

“ This division of your labours must be entrusted to your own zeal and prudence, but founded on the one leading principle, that on those parts of the coast which are uninhabited, where no ports or anchorages can ever invite the activity of commerce, and where bold and straight shores offer no difficulties or dangers to the passing navigator, there no precious time should be wasted, or minute accuracy employed, which would be as uninteresting to the geographer as useless to the seaman. ”

“ When obliged to stand far out to sea, in order to reach the remote divisions of the survey, you are to make that passage as useful as possible, by the selection of new ground, or by rapidly crossing the curves of magnetic variation, or by searching for some of the many islands or dangers with which different navigators have studded the Pacific ocean, and which in numerous cases will probably be found to originate in three or four erroneous positions having been given to the same spots. ”

“ The spring-tides overflow all the lower lands, which are well stored with long flag grass, and rushes of great size, of which latter the natives construct their balsas. The ground does not assume a substantial bearing until the flood is overcome by the fresh water; and there the soil is of the finest kind. Roses, arbutus, and other small shrubs flourish luxuriantly, and wild grain produces and re-sows itself, affording perpetual pasturage to the deer, &c. During the dry season the natives burn this down, and probably by such means destroy many oak plantations which otherwise would flourish. ”

“ The extent of coasts along the western side of America is so great that the utmost energy will be requisite in conducting the necessary observations, and can be effected in any reasonable time only, by skilfully combining them with the changes of seasons which take place at alternate periods of the year to the north and south of the Equator. On the approach, therefore, of the monsoon to the coast of Peru, you are to make the utmost expedition in removing both vessels to California, where San Francisco offers a healthy and convenient spot for fresh rating the chronometers. ”

“ Having warped the ship to within a cable's length of the arsenal, the observatory was landed on an island opposite, and we had the good fortune to obtain complete sights, and secure our meridian before midnight. The natives visited us, bringing salmon, &c., and some few skins, but the Governor having most kindly supplied us with more of the former than we could consume, and any traffic in the latter being expressly against the laws of the colony in which we were guests, I considered it prudent, and what courtesy demanded, that traffic on board or at the observatory should be tabooed. ”

“ Here I found my good friend Kellett had fully met my wishes, and after breakfast, the surf being then moderate, we risked our persons, not however without a wetting, and gained the Custom house on the beach, which is little better than a mud hut, with a small cabin at one end for the officer. Here we were detained waiting for mules until two p.m., and without any respectable place of shelter, and nothing to amuse us, or even to kill time. This delay became doubly annoying as it would prevent our reaching San Salvador before dark. ”

“ This is confined to the town limits; at our observatory, and at the port, San Carlos, we enjoyed a constant breeze.
In all harbours there may be objectionable berths, but in that of Acapulco, if care be taken to keep in the line of what I have designated the "west gap" or neck of the peninsula, open of the south point of the town bay, both land and sea breezes will be felt in their full strength, and free from causes which would heat them before entering the port; the neck being but a few feet above the sea-level. ”

“ The whole range is warmed by Dutch-ovens, and the sides being eighteen inches in thickness, are well-calculated to withstand the cold, as well as to defy musketry.
The native allies, who live in huts outside, are filthier than any Esquimaux; arising, doubtless, from their life of inactivity, resulting from doubtful dependence. On my return to the ship, I found that a boat-load of salmon had been sent, which afforded the crew a fresh meal, of a pound and a half of salmon per man. ”

“ Many, of course their picked men, were absent in their vessels, visiting the ports and collecting the furs, which were daily expected to arrive,—when the vessels are laid up, and they remain quiet until the spring.
I visited every part of the establishment with the Governor, and although a man-of-war's man's ideas of cleanliness are perhaps occasionally acute, (and these people are yet a shade lower in civilization by their intermarriage with the natives,) yet I still witnessed comparative cleanliness and comfort, and much to admire, particularly in the school and hospital. ”

“ No consistent account of the currents along the western American coast has been yet framed, though in no part of the world would it be of more importance and value. Observations, therefore, to determine the direction and strength of the current, should not be left to be inferred from the mere error of the dead reckoning, when traversing the sea in the offing, nor to the casual set of the boats when employed in-shore, but should be systematically made, for the express purpose of forming a general view ol this interesting subject, and which can only be effected by a great accumulation of data. ”

“ Supplies of poultry, fruit, bullocks, grain, &c, are, however, very reasonable, and of very superior quality; turkeys are said to attain an incredible weight; they still, however, justly maintain a very high reputation.
At the period of our visit, a young American had imported machinery for a cotton mill, and had also advanced funds to a family of Leon for the cultivation of the cotton plant on the island of Aserradores. But although the house on the island was in progress, and the machinery erected between Realejo and San Antonio, I much doubt the success of either speculation. ”

“ The port, however, is less frequented by whalers, in consequence of their stubbornness in maintaining a ridiculously high port charge. Atooi, where the port dues are evaded, is rapidly seducing the old hands from this port, which, indeed, they do not enter but to refit. I endeavoured to point out this mistake to the king, but his reply was, that the port was in the hands of Kinau—or, in other words, ruled by the missionaries.
If the king and chiefs continue their present course, this island will never improve, but for the benefit of the foreign residents. ”

“ Here also, as on Maui, several very pretty and loftier cascades embellished the scenery, which was rich in colours, but like the work of the scene painter, not bearing to be examined too closely. Attired in nature's clothing only, the scene will probably never be subjected to cultivation.
About sunset we were off the N.W. extreme of Molokoi, and steering for Oahu. About midnight we found ourselves much closer to the breakers of the latter island than our speed warranted us in expecting, the current having helped us considerably. ”

“ The soundings were regular from twenty-five to eleven, and eight and a half fathoms, hard sand, in which latter depth we tacked successively within a mile and a half of the shore surf, and an outer roller about half a mile from us on the last tack. The weather during the whole day was thick and hazy over the land, followed at nightfall by thunder, lightning, and rain. These symptoms of the approach of the bad season rendered me doubly anxious to get to the northward, as our crew were not at this period in the best condition, and the moist heat we experienced was very oppressive. ”

“ With the very dubious knowledge which exists of the periods of the winds, or of the changes of wet and dry weather, which prevail along the great continent, and the still less knowledge of the character of the shores, which will in some places delay, and in others rapidly accelerate your progress, it is impossible to determine beforehand the extent of survey, either to the north or south, which you should perform in the alternate seasons. ”

“ The landing is within the mouth of a small river, which carries, for a considerable distance up, from one to three quarters of a fathom, into fresh water, and is further navigable for boats or canoes (drawing three feet) several miles.
The scenery is beautiful, and my surprise is that such a favourable situation should so long have been overlooked. The Consul possesses a tract of land on which his tenant (Kellett, an Englishman) feeds cattle, makes butter, cheese, and farms to great advantage. ”

“ There is every facility for erecting a substantial pier, and improving the inner anchorage, which must follow the arrival of the steamers, unless they still submit to the miserable landing at the sea-port gate, which is as filthy as it is inconvenient. ”

“ On the 12th the Starling was despatched to Libertad in order to make the necessary arrangements for obtaining time there, at the instant of our arrival, as well as to make enquiries, and provide for our visit to San Salvador, where our Consul-general, Mr. Chatfield, resided.
Realejo is the only port after quitting Panama where British residents can be found, or supplies conveniently obtained. Water of the finest quality is obtained from a powerful stream, into which the boat can be brought and the casks filled by baling, alongside of a small wall raised to cause a higher level. ”

“ On her return, we learned that the Leonora barque, having some English amongst her crew, was at anchor inside, and that water might be obtained close to the beach. On the following morning, we beat in, and anchored in a snug berth in twelve fathoms. We determined the position; obtained ten tons of water and one bullock; and at midnight were again en route.
The bay is small, but safe, anchorage good, water brackish. There are no houses, — men and families living exposed under the trees, and had not the Leonora been there, it is probable that we should not have met a soul. ”

“ The market, owing to the decay of the respectable portion of its inhabitants, is but indifferently supplied, but fowls, fruit, and vegetables, are readily obtained. The very great mistake committed in 1827, by the expulsion of the old Spaniards, has ruined every port on this side of Mexico, and the vexatious system of carrying into effect the Custom House regulations will utterly ruin its commerce, if this has not been already achieved. ”

“ Nootka Sound, the very interesting point of Cook and Vancouver's operations.
At first I doubted my senses, that so small a space could have occupied so much type, and until I had examined it myself in my boat, did not think it could afford shelter to two vessels. However, by placing one anchor outside, one well in, and the stream cable to the rocks, the Sulphur became well secure with the Starling within us. The greatest distance between any two points does not exceed a quarter of a mile, and mostly rocky. ”