The man who was at the wheel at the time the boat was taken said he knew nothing about the boat going, although the boat-steerer came to the binnacle and took one of the ship’s compasses before his face. He said he thought the man wished to fix the compass. The captain was very much enraged, and could hardly keep his hands off the man. After cruising a few days for the missing boat, and seeing nothing, we squared away for Juan Fernandez. The remark that “we see something new every day” is as applicable to whalers, and perhaps more so, as to any thing else. We now had something _new_, a public auction; the _public_, the ship’s company; the auctioneer, the captain; the “stock,” not Central Railroad, nor yet La Crosse and Milwaukie bonds, but the clothing and other valuables (!) left on board by deserters. This is the usual practice on board of whalemen, and we had several “public auctions” during the voyage. On Tuesday, April 2d, 1850, we first sighted the island of Juan Fernandez, and the next day sent a boat on shore for peaches. Another boat and crew were dispatched fishing. This island looks beautiful from the sea, being very high land, and completely covered with verdure. Peaches and quinces grow here in great abundance. Wild goats are also found here in large numbers. There was but one family living on the island at this time, the head of which, we believe, was governor! We need hardly repeat here that this island is famous for having been the residence of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch sailor, who was put ashore some years since, and remained a long time on the island, his adventures giving rise to the well-known story of Robinson Crusoe. The cave spoken of in that work as “Robinson Crusoe’s Cave” is still pointed out, whether the true one or not we are unable to say. [Illustration: PEAK OF YONKA.] We now returned to the ship with our fish, etc., after having spent most of the day with poor success, and lost our boat-anchor. We found the other boat had arrived with peaches and quinces. We altered our course and steered north. The next day we saw the island of Masa Fuero, very similar in its appearance to Juan; and on the 10th sighted the islands of St. Felix and St. Ambrose. They present a rocky, barren appearance, and are uninhabited except by sea-birds, who flock there in great numbers. [Illustration: CRUSOE’S CAVE.] On the 17th we saw the island of San Lorenzo, off the town of Callao; and the next day we were “standing off and on” in the Bay of Callao, Peru. Our captain here went ashore to obtain medical advice and assistance for Mr. Lowe, our second officer, who has been for some time off duty, sick, his right side being affected with palsy.