Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

490 VOLCANOES — POST-OfFICE BAY. Sept. been the summits of volcanoes. Charles Island is peculiar in its outline : for a succession of round topped hills, precisely similar in shape, though differing in size, shews on every point of view. This exact similarity is very remarkable. Must not all these volcanoes* have been thrown up under the same cir- cumstances, such as similar action of the ocean, or even a strong wind — perhaps at the very same time ? -f- The highest and largest of these hills rises 1,800 feet, the next about 1,700 ; the rest are of various smaller heights. The northern sides of the island are wooded, but the wood looks as brown as that on the lower parts of Chatham Island. Post-Office Bay is sheltered, easy of access, has excellent an- chorage, and only wants fresh-water to make it a most desirable harbour for shipping. Its name is the result of a custom esta- blished by the whalers : a box was placed on a post, to receive letters, and homeward-bound ships examined the directions, taking with them all which they might have means of for- warding ; but since the island has been peopled the box has been empty, for letters are now left at the settlement. 25th. Mr. Nicholas O. Lawson, acting for the governor of this archipelago, \ came on board. With him and me a party went to another anchorage called Black Beach Road, landed, and walked up towards the settlement. In 1832, the republic of the ' Ecuador ' decided to use these islands as a place of banishment, and sent a small colony to Charles Island. ' La Floriana'' is the name given to this island by the Guayaqui- lians, though by the Spaniards it was once called ' Santa Maria de TAguada.' The governor, at the time of our visit, was Don Jose Villamil. There were then about eighty small houses, or huts, and nearly two hundred souls upon the island, most of whom were convicts. After walking rather more than a mile along a good path, through the underwood (which as the ground rises becomes very thick), we reached a small spring of water, near which are a few huts, but no cultivated ground. The water from this * For volcanoes they certainly have been. t See page 493. % An oflficer of the republic of the Equator.