The
potato is indigenous to the island.
[Illustration: Catching Cape Pigeons in the Gulf of Penas]
_Tuesday, October 17th_.--At 6 a.m., there being still no wind, Tom,
in despair of ever reaching our destination under sail alone, again
ordered steam to be raised. Two hours later a nice sailing breeze
sprang up; but we had been so often disappointed that we determined to
continue steaming. Just before sunset we saw the island of Mocha in
the distance. It is said to have been inhabited at one time by herds
of wild horses and hogs, but I think they have now become extinct.
One of our principal amusements during the calm weather has been to
fish for cape-pigeons, cape-hens, gulls, and albatrosses, with a hook
and line. We have caught a good many in this way, and several
entangled themselves in the threads left floating for the purpose over
the stern. The cape-pigeons were so tame that they came almost on
board, and numbers of them were caught in butterfly-nets. Their
plumage is not unlike grebe, and I mean to have some muffs and
trimmings for the children made out of it. Allen, the coxswain of the
gig, skins them very well, having had some lessons from Ward before we
left England. I want very much to catch an albatross, in order to have
it skinned, and to make tobacco-pouches of its feet and pipe-stems of
the wing-bones, for presents.
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