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[Excerpts from Adventure Guide to Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands, by Peter D. Krahenbuhl]The Galápagos Islands, over the course of a few hundred years, became far and away the most famous islands on earth. They were referred to as enchanted, magical and even as haunted, partly because of the thick fog that often enshroud the islands, making them seemingly disappear and nearly impossible to land on. This was enhanced by the presence of whalers, as well as pirates using the islands as a hideout and home base for their tirades.
In fact, the Galapagos played host to such infamous pirates as John Cook, as well as William Dampier, the first author of the islands, in his A New Voyage Around the World. And with regard to literature, the islands inspired the most famous whaler of them all, Hermin Melville with Benito Serreno and Las Encantadas, both short stories within the collection, The Piazza Tales. Even though Charles Darwin takes first prize for overall and scientific inspiration, by the time the first permanent settlers arrived, the Galapagos continued to host famous visitors and adventures from across the globe. Here is a bit more about the fascinating human history about the Galapagos.
Early Inhabitants
Perhaps a surprise to some, Charles Darwin was not responsible for discovering the Galápagos Islands. Pieces of pre-historic artifacts were discovered, leading scientists to believe that natives traveled here to fish well before the Spanish arrived. This is quite a feat considering the sailing vessels available at the time and the incredible distance from the mainland. The first recorded discovery was 300 years before Darwin in 1535 by Tomás de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama.
At the time Berlanga was en route from Panama to Peru when forces of nature sent him quite a bit off course. Although it was an accidental discovery and obviously not a highlight of his journey (they left quickly), Berlanga did dub the island tortoises “Galápagos” after their resemblance to the Spanish horse saddle, which became the archipelago’s namesake.
Pirates and Whalers
By the late 1600s the Galápagos became a hide-out for English pirates that had plundered Spanish ships full of gold and riches. As a result, the islands’ original names were in English and it wasn’t until Ecuador claimed the islands later that their official Spanish names were given. Permanent settlements, however, did not occur for some time.
By the late 18th century whalers from the US and England used the islands as an outpost and had the greatest early affect on the nature of the islands. Whalers remained around the islands for a short time, until about the mid-1800s, but they devastated several of the endemic species and sub-species of the giant Galápagos Tortoises, utilizing lengthy hibernation and their long-lasting meat for seafaring journeys.
Settlement
Floreana became the first permanently inhabited island, and arguable offers the strangest of events throughout the human history of the archipelago. The first occupant, a lone(ly) Irishman named Patrick Watkins survived a brief occupancy beginning in 1807 after being expelled from his ship, though he lasted only two years before escaping back to the mainland. Shortly after Ecuador officially claimed the islands in 1832, they became home to Ecuadorian prisoners, guarded in a penal colony by General Jose Villamil. Eventually, Villamil was unable to maintain control over the prisoners, who eventually mutinied. Several attempts were made to keep prisoners on Floreana over the years, but the extremely harsh living conditions on the islands forced most everyone away until continuous contact could be made with the mainland.
In 1929 a German doctor and his “disciple” left behind civilization and escaped to Floreana to live with the elements. Shortly thereafter Heinz and Margret Wittmer, also from Germany and also hoping to start life anew, with their ailing son Harry, arrived in 1932. Along with a delusional baroness from Austria and her “workmen”, this small community offered the beginning of Floreana’s first continuous settlement. In addition to others arriving shortly thereafter, as well as the island becoming a brief port of call for luxury vessels, Floreana offered a very interesting history of events. Once all was said and done only the Whittmers survived, quite literally, to this day (See Floreana Island for more).
Recent Times
At the same time as these settlers were making a home of Floreana, a further settlement was growing on San Cristóbal Island, in modern-day Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, which was then and remains today the capital of the province of the Galapagos Islands and the seat of the provincial governor. Though the US and European countries vied for a position of control over the islands as early as World War I, Ecuador kept them away until the next world war. In 1941, Ecuador allowed the US military to use Baltra Island first as a Naval Base to protect the Panama Canal and subsequently as an airbase.
By 1959, The Galápagos Islands were declared a national park, and settlement and growth of the islands from then on was fueled to a greater or lesser extent by tourism. Today, by some accounts approximately 65,000 tourists visit the islands, and over 15,000 permanent residents reside there.
Learn more about the interesting natural and human history by experiencing it first hand on a Natural Habitat Adventures Galapagos Adventure.
