230 



PORT OF CHORILLOS. 



[1826. 



albatross, which I have described elsewhere ; it is carnivorous and 

 very voracious, frequently seizing the lambs as they are feeding. Some, 

 it is said, are much larger than any I have seen. When violently 

 pressed with hunger, this gigantic bird has been known to seize upon 

 children ; and the Indians assert that it will carry off a deer or calf in its 

 talons with as much ease as an eagle will a lamb. The hummer is 

 a night bird, and generally lives in the mountainous parts of the country. 

 They are seldom seen, though often heard, as the rapidity of their flight 

 produces a humming sound in the air, somewhat like that of a rocket. 



There is another curious bird at this place, which is called the 

 awakener, about the size of a small fowl. Its plumage is white and 

 black, its neck thick ; head large, erect, and beautifully adorned with 

 a tuft of feathers. Its eyes are large, bright, and lively. On the fore- 

 part of each wing is a spur about an inch in length, which it uses in de- 

 fending itself against its enemies. They give an alarm to all the feathered 

 tribes when there is any appearance of danger, so that every kind of 

 bird within hearing is put on its guard. Hence the name of " awakener" 



The mountainous regions of this district abound in metallic wealth, 

 such as gold, silver, copper, lead, quicksilver, &c. Besides these, 

 there are emeralds, marcasites, and other precious stones. I have no 

 doubt that if the mines of Peru were wrought with skill and industry, 

 they could supply sufficient gold and silver for every nation on earth. 



January 17 th. — After examining the coast with our boats thirty 

 miles north and south of this anchorage, without finding any thing but 

 hair-seals, and having ascertained the latitude and longitude of our 

 anchorage to be as I have stated above, we got under way on Monday, 

 the seventeenth, and commenced plying to the south, with the land- 

 breeze from south-south-east, and the sea-breeze from south-south- 

 west, attended with fair weather, which continued for a week. 



January 24th. — On Monday, the twenty-fourth, we arrived at the 

 port of Chorillos, and at one, P. M., anchored in five fathoms of water, 

 sandy bottom ; latitude 12° 8' S., long. 77° 3' W. 



Chorillos is a pleasant little fishing village, on the seacoast, a few 

 miles south of Lima, and south-east of Callao. It is a great resort of 

 pleasure parties from Lima, who come hither to enjoy the sports of 

 fishing, sea-bathing, &c. During the long siege and blockade of Cal- 

 lao, which only terminated the day before our arrival, the port of 

 Chorillos was used as a depot for the commerce of Lima. Every 

 thing, however, was now in a state of bustle and confusion, as an im- 

 portant change had just taken place in political affairs, which I shall 

 notice hereafter. 



The village of Chorillos is situated on the southern extremity of the 

 south bay of Lima. This bay is formed on the north-west by Point 

 Callao, and on the south-east by another projection, which shelters it 

 from the prevailing winds, while St. Lorenzo and other islands protect 

 it on the west. It is of sufficient capacity to accommodate a great 

 number of ships at the same time. Vessels bound to Callao from the 

 south should haul outside of all the islands before they pass this 

 village ; otherwise it will be found very difficult to get sufficiently west- 

 ward to pass to the northward of Lorenzo Island. 



