îii ii».-
262 A I P E N D I X .
The town lies west from the anchorage, about two mUes distant •;
and the mouth of the river is a mile and a half along the beach.
This is the largest and most rapid river on the coast of Peru: from
Santa Head it is seen to wind its way down the valley, with several
islets interrupting its course ; but at its termination it branches olF
and becomes shallow, with only sufficient strength to make a narrow
outlet for itself, through the sandy beach that forms the coast hne :
a heavy and dangerous surf lies off i t ; so that no boat could approach
with any degree of safety.
This part of the coast may be known by the wide spreading valley
down which the river runs, bounded on each side by ranges of sharptopped
hills; and as you approach, Santa Island will be plainly seen ;
with the Head of the same name ; there is also a smaU but remarkable
wliite island, called Corcovado, to the N.W. of the harbour.
There is no danger in entering; the soundings are regular for some
distance outside; and you may anchor any where between the islands
in a moderate depth of water, but of course exposed to the swell.
N. 39° W. , five leagues from Santa, he the Chao Islands, one mile
and three quarters off the point and hill of that name. The largest
is a mile in circumference, about one hundred and twenty feet high,
and, like most of these islands, quite white ; there are regular soundings
from ten to twenty fathoms, at the distance of a mile off shore.
Between Santa and Chao the coast is a low sandy beach, which
continues and forms a shallow bay, as far as the hill of Guanape,
with moderately high land a few miles in-shore.
The hill of Guanape is about three hundred feet high ; rather
sharp at its summit, and when seen from the southward, appears like
an island; on the north side of it is a small cove, with tolerable
landing just inside the rock that hes off the point.
S. 8° W . from this point, between six and seven miles from the
coast, he the GUANAPE ISLANDS, with a safe passage between them
and the shore; they may be said to he two, with some islets and
rocks lying about them; the southern is the highest and most conspicuous.
From the hiU of Guanape the coast continues a sandy beach, with
regular soundings ; and ranges of high sharp-topped hiUs, about
two leagues from the sea, until you near the little hill of Carretas,
which is on the beach, and has Monro Garita de Mocha overlooking
it. Here commences the valley of Chimu, about the middle of which
A P P E N D I X .
, «..ated thecityof TruxUlo, ^ ^ ^ ^
village and road of of the hUl of
and seems to have been badly chosen . the ^^
Carretas i s a m u c h b e t t e r p U c e f—^
mio-ht be farther improved by sinkmg some
stores, plenty of ^^ t t S d e of a few rocks that
The road of « — 0 . on t h ^ ^ ^^^^^^
run out from a cUfly projection, sheltemg ^^ ^ ^
grec, but affording - tm t t r ' — r f ^^^
the cliff, and not shows very distinctly,
but the church, which is on the nsmg poun
and is a good guide when , tree that stands
The usual anchorage . mth t ^ oh ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^^ ^
in the village m one, bearing eas v, , , e l s often have
the shore, in seven fathoms dark ^ heavy sweU that sets
to weigh or slip and „ncT in the twenty-
: it is also custom^y to s ^ t y^r - h ^ ^ ^^^^^ ^ ^^ ^^^^^
four hours, to prevent its Beuig im
much time to weigh it when ' are launches con-
Landing cannot be effected in ^^ e , who are
.tructed for the purpose, off on ^our arrival,
being that for wHch you pay^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ¡^
Fresh provisions maybe i ^QQ inhabitants. Rice is
thequestion. T h - i ^ - ^ i ^ e and specie
the principal production of the vaUey , lor
it is that vessels call here. j g».
If bound for this road, you Mount Campana, a
(«hich is a mile to wmdward) you^ ^^ ^^^^
f
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