Isabela and Fernandina Islands
Herman Melville was sailing on the whaling ship Acushnet in 1841 when she drew into the waters of the Galapagos Islands. They were known better at that time as the Enchanted Islands, named such because of the little understood ocean currents which made sailing dangerous and confusing. Later he returned to Boston and wrote a book (among others) titled “The Encantadas” with incredible descriptions, which captured the imaginations of all who read it. I do not, however, recommend the book as a serious travel guide to the islands, but as a fascinating narrative of the islands written when most of the life in Galapagos was still wrapped in mystery, and therefore suspect of who knows what evil forces.
Today we sailed in the wake of the Acushnet to the western part of the archipelago between Fernandina and Isabela Islands. We walked without danger between marine iguanas, over lava lizards and around sea lions, which might have surprised Melville, if we are to believe his report on the area. Melville apparently drew heavily from Captain David Porter's (1790's) scientific reports on the islands to obtain the following data, and wrote:
"If now you desire the population of Albermarle [Isabela Island], I will give you, in round numbers, the statistics, according to the most reliable estimates made upon the spot:
Men none
Ant-eaters unknown
Man-haters unknown
Lizards 500,000
Snakes 500,000
Spiders 10,000,000
Salamanders unknown
Devils do
"making a clean total of....11,000,000 exclusive of an incompatible host of fiends, ant-eaters, man-haters and salamanders.”
"However, we don’t know if Melville saw what we did today. Hundreds of common dolphins in high jump and free fall; bottle-nosed dolphin mother and calf pairs arching and sighing; mysterious whale sightings and disappearances; an oceanic sunfish breech; hammerhead shark cruising the soft swells; green marine turtles swallowing air …and dozens of brilliant Sally lightfoot crabs working the coast.
Herman Melville was sailing on the whaling ship Acushnet in 1841 when she drew into the waters of the Galapagos Islands. They were known better at that time as the Enchanted Islands, named such because of the little understood ocean currents which made sailing dangerous and confusing. Later he returned to Boston and wrote a book (among others) titled “The Encantadas” with incredible descriptions, which captured the imaginations of all who read it. I do not, however, recommend the book as a serious travel guide to the islands, but as a fascinating narrative of the islands written when most of the life in Galapagos was still wrapped in mystery, and therefore suspect of who knows what evil forces.
Today we sailed in the wake of the Acushnet to the western part of the archipelago between Fernandina and Isabela Islands. We walked without danger between marine iguanas, over lava lizards and around sea lions, which might have surprised Melville, if we are to believe his report on the area. Melville apparently drew heavily from Captain David Porter's (1790's) scientific reports on the islands to obtain the following data, and wrote:
"If now you desire the population of Albermarle [Isabela Island], I will give you, in round numbers, the statistics, according to the most reliable estimates made upon the spot:
Men none
Ant-eaters unknown
Man-haters unknown
Lizards 500,000
Snakes 500,000
Spiders 10,000,000
Salamanders unknown
Devils do
"making a clean total of....11,000,000 exclusive of an incompatible host of fiends, ant-eaters, man-haters and salamanders.”
"However, we don’t know if Melville saw what we did today. Hundreds of common dolphins in high jump and free fall; bottle-nosed dolphin mother and calf pairs arching and sighing; mysterious whale sightings and disappearances; an oceanic sunfish breech; hammerhead shark cruising the soft swells; green marine turtles swallowing air …and dozens of brilliant Sally lightfoot crabs working the coast.
