V. An account of Falkland Islands

Abstract

Falkland's Islands, or, as the Spaniards and French call them, the Maloine Islands, are situated between the latitude of 52° 26' and 51° 6' S. and longitude from London 56° to 60° 30' W. They are numberless, forming a mass of broken high lands, or very low sedgy keys and sunken rocks. The largest is the Easternmost island, and on the Eastern side the Spaniards had a settlement, which the crown of Spain purchased of M. Bougainville, who, on his private account, had formed a settlement in the year 1764, at the time that Commodore Byron had first discovered Port Egmont. The next large island is of a very considerable extent, and hath many excellent harbours on it. Between these two runs Falkland's Sound, which is navigable through; but the South entrance is pretty full of low sandy keys. Adjoining to the second large island, to the Westward, lies Saunders's Island, on which the English settlement was made, a blockhouse erected, several spots inclosed for gardens and three storehouses, and five dwelling-houses or huts, built at different times by the ships crews who were stationed there.