At firft I was at a lofs to difcover, which of the two noticed at noon was
Sir Richard’s rock, as both are much further from the bay of Valparaifo
than he defcribes them to be; "but as we advanced, I had no doubt of
the: moil northern being the “ great rock -or fmall ifland." This lies upwards
of 3 leagues,' m a direction s. ^ l w . from the point of Angels,
which is the weft point o f Valparaifo bay, and is rendered ftill more con-
fpicuous for pointing out. the port, by being fituated clofe to a very
projeffing point called by the Spaniards P1 Qbraumfik, from whence
the Ihores of the main land to the fouthward take a direction fome
degrees to the eaftw&rd of fouth, and thofe to the northward, as before
Rated, towards Valparaifo. It is alfo the fouth-weftern point of a
fpacious open bay bounded by a fandy beach, where anchorage might
probably be found, but which mull be much expofed; and as feveral
rooks were oblerved lying at a very little diftance from the Ihore, -the
chance is that the bottom may be compofed of the fame materials.
On the nofth-eaft fide o f this bay a houfe and fome fraaller habitations
were feen near it, and the country in its neighbourhood appeared to be
lefs fteril and forbidding than thofe parts to which we wereoppofite in
the morning. Its furface, though unequal, was lefs broken; and although
it could not boaft of a luxuriant vegetation, yet the naked, ragged
‘precipices, that formed a barrier againft the ocean on each fide of
the bay, were no longer the general-charafileriftlc -of the ulterior country,
which prefented a furface o f fome foil, on whofe withered herbage
both flocks' of Iheep and herds of cattle were feen grazing, on the fides
of the hills; j '
Alongtfe’efe fliores, which-feetned to be bold, we pafled at the diftance
bf from half a mile to half a league, without difeovering any danger which
is not fefficiendy 'confpicuous to be avoided; and, with the afliftanee o f a
fine foutherly breeze, by two in tbe afternoon we were abreaft o f the point
of Angels, off which fome rocks extend to the diftance -o’f about half a
Cable’s length. !M e we pafled at about twice thacdiftance,- without gaining
foundings. In failing round this point, the-country fudderily opened
upon us, and prefented a feene to which we had long been intire ftrangers;
the whole of the bay was now exhibited to our view terminated'by a