doners know how to
value. There is an abundance of wood on the island, and delicious
streams of pure water, one of which runs through the centre of the town.
I must not forget to mention the immense quantity of fish we caught.
This abundance of fish, Captain Frankland considered, is owing to a cold
current which flows by the island from the Southern Pole, and at the
same time tempers the air and adds fertility to the soil. The island is
about 300 miles from Valparaiso, 33 degrees 30 minutes south latitude.
It is about fifteen miles long, and five broad. After we had seen it in
all directions, we agreed that it was indeed a pity that it was in the
possession of those who were so little able to make a good use of it. I
never saw a more idle set of people than the inhabitants who were not
compelled to work. All the time we were on shore, they did nothing but
walk about or lie down in the shade, wrapped up in their big cloaks.

When we returned on board we accompanied the doctor to see his patient,
the mulatto we had rescued from the wreck. The doctor asked him whether
he would not go on shore, where he might have fresh fruit and
vegetables, and be better taken care of than he could be on board.

"No, no," he answered. "Thank you, though, much. There are no good
people in this place. I do not want to be among them."

"Then you know something about them?" said the doctor.

"There are very few places where I do not know somebody," he answered,
evasively.

The doctor did not press the point. Indeed the poor man was not in a
condition to be carried. He told us that his name was Manuel Silva;
that he had all his life been knocking about the world, and that he did
not look upon any one country as his home. We asked him no questions,
and he did not choose to tell us how he had got on board the vessel
where we found him. The next day, when we went on shore, the governor
told us that he had often difficult work in keeping the convicts in
order, and that not long ago a dozen of them contrived to run off with a
boat, headed by a desperate fellow who had been a seaman. They got
clear away, and soon after news was brought that a large brig had been
attacked and taken, and all the crew made to walk the plank.

"It will be necessary for us, then, to be on our guard," remarked the
captain. "They would be ugly customers to fall in with."

"Indeed it will," observed the governor. "They were desperate and
cunning fellow