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2 3 6 A P P E N D I X .
N. 2° W. , sixteen miles from Paquiqui, is POINT ARENA, a low,
sandy point, with rocky outline : between the two is a small fishing
viUage, near a remarkable hummock: anchorage may be obtained
under Point Arena, in ten fathoms ; fine sandy bottom.
N. 6° E., twelve mUes from Point Arena, is the gully and river
of LOA, wHch forms the boundary line beüi'een Bolivia and Peru.
It is the principal river on this part of the coast; but its waters
are extremely bad, in consequence of running over a bed of saltpetre,
and the hills surrounding it containing a quantity of copper
ore. It is said that the ashes of a volcano fall into it. which
add greatly to its unwholesomeness ; but bad as it is, the people
residing on its banks have no other. At Chacansi, in the interior,
where it divides, it is tolerably good. In the summer season
it is about fifteen feet broad and a foot deep, and runs with
considerable strength to within a quarter of a mile of the sea, where
it spreads, and flows over, or filters through the beach; but does not
make even a swatchway, or throw up any banks, ever so small.
A chapel on the north bank, haM a mile from the sea, is the only
remains of a once populous village. People from the interior visit it
occasionally for guano, which is in abundance.
There is good anchorage, but rather exposed to the sea-breeze,
with the chapel bearing north, half a mile from the shore, in from
eight to twelve fathoms, muddy bottom ; and landing may be efi'ected
under Point Chüeno ; but the best anchorage near here is the Bay of
Chipana, six miles N. 39° "W. from the river, and a snug cove for
landing, near the extreme of the point; but at the fuU and change,
a hea\'y swell sets in, and I doubt a boat being able to land with
goods at those times.
The best distinguishing mark for the Loa is the gully through
which it runs, that may be easily known from its being in the
deepest part of the bay, formed by Point Arena on the south and
Point Lobo on the north; and the hiUs on the south side being nearly
level, while those on the north are much higher and irregular.
For the BAY or CHIPANA—after making the land in the latitude
of the Loa, a large white double patch is seen on the side of a hill
near the beach, and another similar one, a little to the northward : on
discovering these marks (which may be seen three or four leagues),
a course should be shaped directly for the southern end, where Hes
the anchorage in seven fathoms, sand and broken shells, under a low.
A P P E N D I X . 2 3 7
level point. No danger need be feared m entering; as although the
land is low, it may be approached withm half a mile, in from six to
ten fathoms. The anchorage inside the long kelp-covered reef might
perhaps, be preferred; but the landing is not so good.
N . 27° W . iif this bay, at the distance of eighteen miles, is POINT
LOBO, or Blanca, high and bold, on its extreme are several hillocks.
Between these two is a small fishing village, c a l l e d CHOMACHE. under
a pomt, which has a long reef off it, on the outer part of which
a cluster of rocks shew themselves a few feet above water. The
people of this village get their water from the Loa—a passage
requiring, on a balsa, four days or more.
N. 21° W. , fourteen miles off Point Lobo, is P O I N T PACACHE, a low
rugged projecting pomt, with an islet a quarter of a mUe off it, but
quite clear outside this islet: half way between these two points is
the CONB (PabeUon) of PICA, a remarkable hillock of guano appearing
as if it had been covered with snow which had thawed at
the top, leaving the lower half frozen, contrasting strongly with the
surrounding hills, which are of a barren sun-burnt brown. This is
also a place of resort for the guano vessels ; they find pretty good anchorage
close to the northward of the PabeUon.
East, a Httle southerly, a few miles in-shore of this, is a bellshaped
mountam, named CAKKASCO, 5,500 feet high : in clear weather
it is a good mark for the neighbourhood of Iquique.
From Point Pacache to Point Grande, N. 8° W . twenty-eight mUes,
the coast is low and rocky, the termination of a long range of table
land, called the heights of OYARVIUE, or BARRANCAS, from its chfly
appearance : it has innumerable rocks and shoals off it, and should
not be approached on any account nearer than a league, for the frequent
calms and heavy swell pecuHar to this coast render it unsafe
for nearer approach.
P O I N T GRANDE at the north end of the Barrancas, is a low cliffy
poiht, with three white patches on its northern side; round this
point is the Bay of Cheuranatta.
N. 3°W. , eleven miles from Pomt Grande is the anchorage and
town of Iquique; a miserable place that affords scarcely sufficient
provisions for the consumption of its inhabitants, about five hundred
souls; and no water nearer than Pisagua (a distance of nearly forty
miles), from which place it is brought by boats bmlt for the purpose,
and is very dear. Yet, with these disadvantages, it is aplace of con-
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