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210 APPENDIX.
Point Lengua de Vaca is a veiy low, rocky point, rising gradually
in-shore to a round hummock, about a mile to the southward of the
Point. There are rocks nearly awash about a cable's length from
the Point, and at two cables' lengths distant there ai-e but five feet.
After rounding Point Lengua de Vaca, the coast inms to the southeast,
and is rocky and steep for about two miles from the Point,
where there are fifteen fathoms about half a müe from the shore.
About three miles from tbe Pomt, a long, sandy beach commences,
which extends the whole length of the large bay as far as the island
or peninsula of Tongoy. The south part of the beach is called Playa
de Tanque, the north and north-east side of the bay Playa de Tongoy.
Oíf the south-west extreme of the beach there is anchorage about
half a mile from the shore, in from five to seven fathoms; the bottom
is a soft, muddy sand in some places, but in others it is hard.
With a southerly wind it is very smooth, and the landing is very
good, but a heavy sea sets in with a northerly breeze. This is an
anchorage that-was once frequented by American whalers. The village,
which is called the Rincón de Tanque, consists of about a dozen
• ranchos.' The only water to be got is brackish; about two miles and
a half to the E.N.E.* where there is good water, the landing is generally
very bad, and the water is some distance from the beach.
From Tanque to the peninsula of Tongoy there is anchorage in
any part of the bay, at from one to two miles from the shore, in from
seven to ten fathoms, sandy bottom. There is good anchorage with
a northerly wind for small vessels, to the southward of the peninsula,
abreast of the small village on the Point, with the outer Point bearing
W.N.W. in four fathoms sandy bottom, with clay underneath it;
but no vessel, however small, should go into less than four fathoms,
as the sea breáis a little inside that depth when blowing hard from
the northward. Large vessels would also find a little shelter with
the wind to the northward of north-west. With a strong southerly
breeze a vessel would not be able to remain at anchor to the southward
of the peninsula; but there is a small bay on the north side,
which is completely sheltered from southerly winds. In the southeast
comer of this bay there is a small creek, into which, when
smooth, boats can go ; it runs about a mile inland, and near the head
there is fresh water for which the whalers sometimes send their boats.
* All bearings are magnetic, unless otherwise specified.
Al'l'UNOIX.
Tlie village of Tongoy consists of half a dozen small houses, built
on a high point at the south side of the peninsula.
The coast on the west side of Huanaquero HiU is broken and
rocky, aflfording no shelter for any thing but a boat; to the northwai
d there is a deep bay, weU sheltered from southerly and westerly
winds, but open to the northward: between this and Port Herradnra
there is no place fit for a vessel.
HESRAnUKA and Cootimbo are well known. Teatmos is a bold
rugged point, the land behind it rising in ridges, which gradually
become higher as they recede from tlie coast to Copper HiU,
which is 6,400 feet high. The point which makes as the north
extremity of the bay, in coming from the northward, is a low rocky
point called Poroto; about four miles to the northward of Point
Poroto istheportof Areayan, or JuanSoldado; but it does not
desei-ve the name : it is merely a small bight behmd a rocky pomt,
scarcely aifording shelter for a boat from southerly wmds, and entirely
open to northerly. A Uttle to the northward of Copper Hill is
another hiU, on the same range and about the same height: the
north side of the hill is steep, and at the foot of it is the small Bay
of OSORNO, which is about half a mile long, but not deep enough to
afford any shelter for the smallest vessel. About half a mile to the
northward of the bay there is a hamlet, consistmg of a few small
houses, called Yerba Buena.
The Pajaros Islands are two low rocky islands, lymg about
twelve miles from the coast; the northern is much smaller than the
southern, and, as far as could be seen from the shore, there is no
danger round or between them. A little to the northward of Yerba
Buena there is a small island, called Trigo, separated from the shore
by a channel about a cable's length broad; but it is only fit for boats :
the island, except when very close, appears to be only a projecting
point • there is a hwge white rock on the west point of it.
About three miles to the northward of Trigo Island, is the Port
of Tortobalillo, which is formed by a small bay fachig the north,
with three small ishmds off the west point. In condng from the
southward, the best entrance for small vessels is between the southernmost
island and the point, where there is a channel about a cable's
length wide, with from eight to twelve fathoms water. The dry rock
off the point on the main land, should not be approached nearer than
half a cable, as a sunken rock lies nearly that distance from it. There
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