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216 APPENDTX.
are several small rocks, and about six miles from it there is a reef
•which runs perhaps haK a mile oflf a low rocky point: the outer rock
is high and detached from the others.
About eleven miles to the northward of Point Lobo, is a very
nigged point, with several sharp peaks on it, about half a mile to
the northward of which is the small port of Hebeadura, which can
hardly be distinguished tiU quite close to it. Off the rugged pomt,
and bet^veen it and the entrance to Herradura, there are outlying
rocks and breakers, about a quarter of a mile from the- shore: off
the south entrance point there is a patch of low rocks, which m
coming from the southward appear to extend right across the
mouth of the port. The entrance faces the N.W., and is between
this low patch of rocks, and a smaU islet to the N.E. of i t : there is
no danger within half a cable of either point. The port runs in
about three-quarters of a mile to the eastward of the islet, and is
sheltered from both northerly and southerly winds, but with a
strong northerly breeze a swell rolls in round the islet. It is rather
small for large vessels, and they would not be able to lie at single
anchor in the inner part of the cove, but there is quite room enough
to moor across it, about a quarter of a mile above the islet, in four
fathoms, fine sand. In this place an American ship, the Nile, of
420 tons, was moored during a northerly gale, which blew very heavUy;
and she was perfectly sheltered. The landing is better than in
any place between it and Coquimbo: but there is a very serious
inconvenience in the want of water. There is a small lagoon
about a mUe from this place, in the valley at the head of Carrisal
Cove, but it is worse than brackish; yet the ' peones,' who
are at work shipping the ore, make use of it. A deep valley runs
in from the head of the cove, separating the high ranges of hills,
and is a good mark to know it by. The range to the southward of the
valley is the highest near the coast, and is distinctly seen from both
the northward and southward; there is a small nipple in the highest
part of it. Carbisal is a smaU cove about a mile to the N.E. of
Herradura, well sheltered from southerly winds, but as it is so close
to Herradura, which is so much superior, it is not likely to be of
much use.
To the northward of Carrisal the coast is bold and rugged, with
outlying rocks a cable's length off most of the points. About nine
miles to the northward of Herradura there is a high point with a
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round hummock on it, and several rugged hummocks a httle mshore.
To the northward of this there is a cove, sheltered from the
southward, where small vessels may anchor, but it is not fit for
large vessels ; there is another cove similai- to it about a mile to the
northward of it. A Httle to the northward of the second cove, tliere
is a high rocky point, which is tlie termination of the high part of
the coast; to the northward of the point there is a smaU port, which
from the chart appears to be TortoraliUo ; it is well sheltered from
southerly winds, and the landing is good. In the inside part of it a
vessel, not drawmg more than ten or twelve feet, might moor sheltered
from northerly wiads, in three and four fathoms, but with a
northerly wind there would be a heavy swell m : there is anchorage
farther out under the point, in from eight to ten fathoms ; but a vessel
should not go nearer the shore than eight fathoms, as the bottom
inside is rocky.
During the summer months this would be a very good port for
small merchant vessels ; but there is no appearance of water near.
Abreast of it the high range of hills recedes from the coast, which
is low, with some low rocky hills a little in-shore.
About two miles to the northward of Matamores there is a low
rocky point, a little to the northward of which there is a small deep
bay, at the mouth of a valley, in which, apparently, there is anchorage
for a vessel ; but there was a heavy surf on the beach, and
as the landing was bad we did not wait to examme it. To the
northward of this the low hills are not so rocky, but are covered
with yellow sand, except near the summits, where they are stony.
About six miles to the northward of this bay there is a remarkable
rocky point, with a detached white rock off it, and a lump with a
nipple on it, a little in-shore. About half a mile to the northward
of this, is the small port of Pajonal, which, in coming from the
southward, may be easily known by this nipple, and a small island,
with a square topped lump in the centre of it, which is off the point
to the northward of the port. A range of hills, higher than any
near, rises directly from the north side of the port ; and. in the valley,
about a mile from it, there is a range of small and very rugged
hills rising out of the low land.
The anchorage is better sheltered from southerly winds than any
to the southward, except Herradura, and there would not be much
swell, as the point and island to the northward project considerably
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