APPENDIX. 



221 



S.E. ; there are several small rocky patches in it, and at the north end 

 of the long sandy beach there is a piece of rocky coast, the north ex- 

 treme point of which has a small island olF it. The entrance to Port 

 Yngles is to the southward of this point, round a low rocky point, to the 

 southward of which, close in- shore, there is a small island off a sandy 

 cove ; there is a rock a-wash at high-water, about a cable's length to 

 the N.W. of the south extreme point, but it always shows ; after 

 passing this rock the point is steep-to, and may be approached within 

 a cable's length. The harbour inside forms several coves, in the first of 

 which, on the starboard hand going in, there is anchorage for small 

 vessels, but the bottom is stony and bad. There is a low island to 

 the S.E. of this cove, above which is the best anchorage, with 

 southerly winds. About half-way between it and a projecting rocky 

 point on the east shore, small vessels may go much closer into the 

 cove, to the southward of the island, where the landing is very good. 

 The bay in the N.E. corner is well sheltered from northerly winds, 

 and no sea could ever get up in it ; but the landing is not so good 

 there, the best is at a rocky point at the south end of the northern- 

 most beach, where there is a small cove among the rocks perfectly 

 smooth : it is by far the best harbour, but there is no fresh water 

 near. The cove at the head of the harbour is very shoal ; no 

 vessel should go higher up than abreast of the projecting rocky 

 point on the east shore, where she would have four and five 

 fathoms in mid-channel. The bottom is hard sand, and may be seen 

 in twelve fathoms water, which makes it appear very shallow. In 

 the entrance there are eighteen fathoms close to the shore on both 

 sides. 



Port Caldera is close to the northward of Port Yngles, and is 

 directly round the point with the small island off it ; it is a fine bay, 

 well sheltered, but the entrance more open than Port Yngles, and 

 the landing not so good. There was a cargo of copper ore ready to 

 be shipped in the south corner of the bay ; but no vessel had then 

 ever taken a cargo away. There were a few fishermen living in a hole 

 in the clilF during the fishing season : the only vessel they had ever 

 seen in the port was a brigantine, with provisions for the mines. 

 No vessel had ever been in Port Yngles. There is water near 

 the beach, on the east side, but it is very salt ; it appears wonderful 

 how they can make use of it, but they have no other nearer than 

 Copiapo. The land is entirely covered with loose sand, except a few 



