Aug.J 



ADVENTURE WITH A PULLA-PEREE MAN. 



115 



wish for nearly all the year round. It is approached without danger, 

 and enjoyed without any molestation from the elements. The only 

 annoyance to be apprehended is from man — degraded, base, mercenary 

 man ! as I was taught by experience before my departure. 



The town of Coquimbo, sometimes called La Serena, is prepossess- 

 ing in its appearance ; the streets are shaded with myrtle-trees, and 

 arranged so as to form squares ; a garden well stored with fruit trees 

 is attached to every house. It was the capital of the province of the 

 same name previous to the revolution, being the second town built by 

 Valdivia, for the purpose of maintaining an intercourse between Peru 

 and Chili. It stands about a mile from the sea, in a most delightful 

 situation, commanding an extensive view of the country, the ocean, and 

 a river of the same name. The country around presents a charming 

 prospect, diversified with shady groves, cultivated fields, and verdant 

 meadows. 



The town is large, but is said not to be proportion ably populous. It 

 has several churches and convents ; also a town-house, and some other 

 public buildings. It is furnished with water by canals cut from the river 

 on its north side, which has previously meandered through a beautiful 

 valley of the same name ; by this means the freshness, beauty, and fer- 

 tility of their gardens are rendered so conspicuous. This river empties 

 into the bay where we were now lying at anchor, ready for sea. The 

 country is not only very prolific in vegetable productions, but also 

 abounds with mines of various kinds. There is one of copper about 

 five leagues from the town, on a high green hill in form of a sugar- 

 loaf, which serves as a landmark in entering the port. The climate 

 is very agreeable, being almost uniformly mild and serene. 



Before I take my leave of Coquimbo, I feel it my duty to give one 

 serious caution to shipmasters who visit this port ; and that is, to pro- 

 hibit their crews from having anydealings with the pulla-perees, or 

 grog-shops, as they are called ; as I can assert, from experience, that 

 they are kept by some of the greatest villains on earth. I had much 

 trouble with these fellows while heaving my vessel down at this port ; 

 as they enticed a great part of my crew from their duty, and kept them 

 concealed in a continued state of intoxication, at a time when I most 

 wanted their services. 



On the evening before I sailed, Thursday, the twenty-first, one of 

 these pulla-peree men came to me and said that he knew where my 

 men were, and that if I wished it he would take a guard of soldiers 

 and conduct them on board. I readily assented to the proposition, 

 and directed him to get them on board as soon as possible, though in 

 a state of intoxication. They were accordingly taken on board at 

 about four, P. M. ; and at five, P. M., the same villain came to me 

 while I was on shore in company with Captain Hutchins, and told me 

 that he had a small bill against some of my crew. I took the bill, and 

 the reader may guess my astonishment on finding the amount to be 

 one hundred and eighty-seven dollars ! 



1 coolly returned him the account, telling him he must bring it on 

 board in the morning, as I could not discharge it till the men had ex- 

 amined the bill, and acknowledged it to be correct. He appeared 



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