Dec] 



COPIAPO. 



175 



exceeding it in the length of its neck and legs. In this province, as 

 in its more southerly neighbour, Coquimbo, it very seldom rains ; but 

 the dews fall in such abundance as in a great measure to supply the 

 want of rain. Snow, except on the Andes, is very uncommon ; and 

 on the coast entirely unknown. The climate is mild, equable, and 

 salubrious, and the inhabitants enjoy a constant succession of fine 

 weather from the beginning of spring until autumn. 



Previous to the invasion of the Spaniards, in 1535, the provinces 

 of Copiapo and Coquimbo had been subdued by the Peruvians, under 

 their tenth inca, Yupanqui, who imposed on them an annual tribute of 

 gold, but made no innovation, either in their customs, manners, or gov- 

 ernment, all of which they were suffered to retain free and unaltered, 

 till the year 1535, when Chili was invaded by the Spaniards, under 

 Diego Almagro. This brave and enterprising officer, who afterward 

 fell in a contest with the army of his rival, Pizarro, was succeeded by 

 Valdivia* who gave his name to the city and river mentioned in the first 

 part of this chapter. He was finally defeated by the intrepid Arau- 

 canians, his army cut to pieces, and himself taken prisoner. Not a 

 single Spaniard escaped the slaughter ; only two Promaucians, who 

 were now allies to their invaders, reached Conception with intelligence 

 of the battle. Valdivia condescended to ask his life of the conquering 

 Araucanians, but was put to death. 



The city of Copiapo has been frequently destroyed by earthquakes, 

 which have occurred at different periods, about twenty-five years dis- 

 tant from each other. Thus there was one in 1773, another in 1796, 

 and a third in 1819. The ruins, which are still visible, present a 

 scene of dreadful destruction ; the walls of the different buildings and 

 churches having fallen in different directions. On the west side of the 

 ruins, at some distance, is the silver mine of Santa Clara. There are 

 also gold mines in the neighbourhood. 



The point of Copiapo forms a remarkable headland, and from a dis- 

 tance appears like an island. The river empties into the north-east 

 part of Salada Bay, and there is a small island lying before its en- 

 trance. The bluff point, or Moro of Copiapo, lies in lat. 27° 10' S., 

 long. 71° 4' W. Variation per azimuth 11° 55' easterly. 



To the northward of Copiapo the coast runs north, a little westerly, 

 to the Bay of Mexillones, which has good anchorage under the south 

 shore, in from fifteen to five fathoms of water, sandy bottom. This 

 place is situated in lat. 23° 2' S., long. 70° 24' W. — the great Desert 

 of Atacama forming the interior. We continued examining the coast 

 in this direction to the river Loa, in lat. 21° 31' S., long 69° 57' W. 

 This river divides Peru from Chili, and is the boundary line between 

 Atacama in the latter and Tarrapaca in the former. The coast, from 

 this place to Copiapo, has many small islands and rocks lying near 

 its shores, on each of which may be found hair-seals, the most of 

 which can be easily taken. The whole extent of this part of the coast 

 is entirely free from dangers, half a mile off-shore. 



December 20th. — On Monday, the 20th, we left the river Loa, and 

 steered for Callao, with a fine breeze from south-south-east, and fair 

 weather ; and on Thursday, the 23d, we came to anchor on the east 



