174 



VALPARAISO— COPIAPO. 



[1824. 



I lost no time in paying my respects to my old friend, Mr. Hogan, 

 who received me in the most cordial and affectionate manner, tendering 

 his services in that kind, polite, delicate, and friendly style which re- 

 lieves a favour from the weight of obligation. Indeed, the generous 

 feelings of this truly good man are too prone to run ahead of his limited 

 means, especially in cases where the interests of his countrymen are 

 concerned. His life is devoted to acts of usefulness and beneficence, 

 and the emoluments of his office are nothing in comparison with the 

 sum of good he performs. Few things would afford me greater pleasure 

 than to see this venerable and faithful officer rewarded by his country 

 with some situation under the government where the labours would be 

 lighter and the reward more commensurate with his deserts. 



As a brief description of Valparaiso, comprising all the particulars 

 with which I am acquainted, will be found in the journal of my former 

 voyage, I have nothing to add in this place. Having transacted the 

 little business I had to perform at this port, we sailed for Callao on 

 Saturday, the 11th of December, with fresh winds from south-south- 

 west, and fair weather. After passing Coquimbo, we touched at the 

 Bird Islands in search of seals, but found very few of the fur kind. 

 These islands are in lat. 29° 35' S., and lie about north-west from 

 Point Tortuga, distant eight leagues ; being ten miles from the nearest 

 land. Still farther north is the island of Choros. Ships may run any- 

 where among these islands, or between them and the main, with 

 perfect safety. 



Eleven leagues from these islands, in the direction of north-by-west, 

 is the island of Canaveral, joined to the main by a small sandbank, 

 which is covered at full sea. Six leagues farther, north-half-east, is 

 Point Aliade, off which there are a few rocks, which extend into the 

 sea for the distance of about half a mile. Nearly north, at the dis- 

 tance of two leagues, in lat. 28° 24' S., long. 70° 58' W., is the port 

 of Huasco, or Guasco, which is merely a roadstead, open to the winds 

 from north to west-by-south ; which never blow at this place, however, 

 so as to injure any ship. The anchorage is in front of the river, 

 under a small low island, in from fifteen to seven fathoms of water, 

 sand and mud bottom. Huasco Hill is high, rising in two peaks, the 

 northernmost of which is the highest, forming a good mark in running 

 for this place, as there is no other like them on all the coast. 



December \4ktk. — We left the port of Huasco on Tuesday, the 14th, 

 and steered to the north, with a favourable wind, and fair weather ; 

 and on the following day we were off the port of Copiapo. All the 

 islands and rocks between this place and Coquimbo are frequented by 

 hair-seals ; and a small cargo might be obtained in the pupping season. 



The city of Copiapo is the capital of a province of the same name, 

 which contains mines of iron, copper, platina, lead, and silver, and 

 abounds in gold, lapis-lazuli, and fossil salt. The city is situated on 

 a river which also bears the same appellation, and is in lat. 27° 10' S., 

 and long. 71° 4' W. The province, which stretches from the Andes 

 to the sea, is one hundred leagues in length, and about seventy in 

 breadth. Its northern part is inhabited chiefly by the hunters of an 

 animal called the vicugna, about the size of a tame goat, but greatly 



