JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS

This article appears in Volume V15, Page 529 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: JEE-JUN

JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS , a small group in the South Pacific Ocean, between 330 and 34 S., 80 W., belonging to Chile and included in the province of Valparaiso. The main island is called Mas-a-Tierra (Span. "more to land") to distinguish it from a smaller island, Mas-a-Fuera (" more to sea "), loo m. farther west. Off the S.W. of Mas-a-Tierra lies the islet of Santa Clara. The aspect of Mas-a-Tierra is beautiful; only 13 M. in length by 4 in width, it consists of a

series

SERIES (a Latin word from serere, to join)

of precipitous rocks rudely piled into irregular blocks and pinnacles, and strongly contrasting with a rich vegetation. The highest of these, 3225 ft., is called, from its massive form, El Yunque (the anvil). The rocks are volcanic. Cumberland Bay on the north side is the only

fair

FAIR

anchorage, and even there, from the great depth of water, there is some

risk

RISK

. A wide valley collecting streams from several of the ravines on the north side of the island opens into Cumberland Bay, and is partially enclosed and cultivated. The inhabitants number only some twenty.
The flora and fauna of Juan Fernandez are in most respects Chilean. There are few trees on the island, for most of the valuable indigenous trees have been practically exterminated, such as the sandalwood, which the earlier navigators found one of the most valuable products of the island. Ferns are prominent among the flora, about one-third of which consists of endemic species. There are no indigenous land mammals. Pigs and goats, however, with cattle, horses, asses and dogs, have been introduced, have multiplied, and in considerable numbers run wild. Sea-elephants and fur-sealswere formerly plentiful. Of birds, a tyrant and a humming-bird (Eustephanus fernandensis) are peculiar to the group, while another humming bird (E. galerites), a thrush, and some birds of prey also occur in Chile. E. fernandensis has the peculiarity that the male is of a

bright

BRIGHT, JOHN (1811-188g)
BRIGHT, SIR CHARLES TILSTON

cinnamon colour, while the female is green. Both sexes are green in E. galerites.
Juan Fernandez was discovered by a Spanish pilot of that name in 1563. Fernandez obtained from the Spanish government a grant of the islands, where he resided for some time, stocking them with goats and pigs. He soon, however, appears to have abandoned his possessions, which were afterwards for many years only visited occasionally by fishermen from the coasts of Chile and Peru. In 1616 Jacob le Maire and Willem Cornelis Schouten called at Juan Fernandez for water and fresh provisions. Pigs and goats were then abundant on.the islands. In February 1700 Dampier called at Juan Fernandez and while there Captain Straddling of the " Cinque Porte " galley quarrelled with his men,

forty

FORTY

-two of whom deserted but were afterwards taken on board by Dampier; five

seamen

SEAMEN, LAWS RELATING TO

, however, remained on shore. Other parties had previously colonized the islands but none had remained permanently. In October 1704 the " Cinque Porte " returned and found two of these men, the others having been apparently captured by the French. On this occasion Straddling quarrelled with Alexander

Selkirk

(q.v.), who, at his own request, became the island's most famous colonist, for his adventures are commonly believed to have inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Among later visits, that of Commodore Anson, in the " Centurion " (June 1741) led, on his return home, to a proposal to form an English settlement on Juan Fernandez; but the Spaniards, hearing that the matter had been mooted in England, gave orders to occupy the island, and it was garrisoned accordingly in 1750. Philip

Carteret

CARTERET, SIR GEORGE (c. 1610-1680)

first observed this settlement in May 1767, and on ac-count of the hostility of the Spaniards preferred to put in at Masa-Fuera. After the

establishment

ESTABLISHMENT (0. Fr. establissement, Fr. etablissement,
late
- LATE
Norm. Fr. establishement, from O. Fr. establir, Fr. etablir, Lat. stabilire, to make stable)

of the independence of Chile at the beginning of the 19th century, Juan Fernandez passed into the possession of that country. On more than one occasion before 184o Mas-a-Tierra was used as a state prison by the Chilean government.

End of Article: JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/JEE_JUN/JUAN_FERNANDEZ_ISLANDS.html">
JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS
</a>

(Previous)
JOYEUSE ENTREE

(Next)
JUAN MANUEL, DON (1282-1349)

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email