PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 21 



The sea-port of Conception is a deep, commodious chap. 

 bay, well protected from northerly winds by the w-v^' 

 fertile little island above-mentioned, lying at its en- °fj£ r ' 

 trance : there is a passage on either side of it, but 

 the eastern is the only one in use, the other being 

 very narrow and intricate. The land on the eastern 

 and western sides of the bay is high, well wooded, 

 and on the latter very steep ; on the former it slopes 

 from the mountains toward the sea with gentle un- 

 dulations. Several villages are situated along the 

 shore on both sides, but principally on the eastern. 

 Around these hamlets, some diminutive patches of 

 a more lively green than the surrounding country, 

 show the very limited extent to which cultivation 

 is carried ; of which we had further proof as we pro- 

 ceeded up the bay, by witnessing groups of both 

 sexes up to their middle in the sea, collecting their 

 daily subsistence from beds of choros and other 

 shell-fish. 



Talcahuana we found to be a miserable little town, 

 extending along the beach, and up a once fertile 

 valley ; divided into streets and squares, but much 

 dilapidated, dusty, and in some places overgrown 

 with grass. A thousand inmates occupied these 

 wretched dwellings, who acknowledged the supre- 

 macy of a governor, poor, but independant ; and 

 intrusted their spiritual concerns to the care of 

 a patriot priest. In the principal square stood a 

 church, in character with the rest of the buildings ; 

 and in front of it a belfry, which for some time past 

 must have endangered the life of the bellman. His 

 occupation, however, was less laborious than in 

 other catholic countries, as it was here called into 

 action but once in seven days ; and was then at- 



