APPENDIX. 



247 



larly over the cliff on the north side of the bay ; and three leagues 

 to the eastward, a short distance from the coast, a high bluff head, 

 the termination of a range of a table land. Between this bluff and 

 the harbour the land is low and level, with few exceptions, and has a 

 number of rocks lying off it to the distance of half a mile. 



S.W. three-quarters of a mile from Steep Point (the southern point 

 of the harbour) lies a small black rock, always visible, with a reef of 

 rocks extending a quarter of a mile to the northward ; and nearly two 

 miles to the S.E., there is an islet that shows distinctly. A passage 

 may exist between this reef and the point, but prudence would forbid 

 its being attempted ; the safest plan is to pass to the northward, 

 giving it a berth of a cable's length ; and not close the shore until 

 well within the next point (a sunken rock lies off it), when you may 

 haul your wind and work up to the anchorage at the head of the bay, 

 and come to in any depth from five to fifteen fathoms, muddy bottom. 

 In working up, the northern shore may be approached boldly ; it is 

 steep- to, and has no outlying dangers. 



The harbour of San Nicolas lies N. 41° W. eight miles from San 

 Juan, is quite as commodious and free from danger as the latter, but 

 the landing is not so good. 



Harmless Point may be rounded within a cable ; there are a num- 

 ber of scattered rocks to the southward of it, but as they all appear, 

 there is no danger to be feared. There are no inhabitants at either of 

 these ports, so that vessels wanting any repairs may be sure of not 

 being interrupted while so employed. 



N. 59° W., eight and a half miles from Harmless Point, is Point 

 Beware, high and cliffy, with a number of small rocks and blind 

 breakers round, and some heights close above it ; from this point the 

 coast is alternately cliff and small sandy bays, till you reach Point 

 Nasca, round which is what has been termed Port Caballos. 



Point Nasca may be readily distinguished : it is a bluff head of a 

 dark brown colour, 1,020 feet in height, with two sharp topped 

 hummocks of a moderate height at the foot of it ; the coast to the 

 westward falls back to the distance of two miles, and is composed 

 of white sand hills ; in the depth of this bight is Caballos, a rocky 

 shallow hole, that should only be known to be avoided ; we lay at 

 anchor in seven fathoms, as far in as it was thought prudent to go, 

 for twenty four hours, without being able to effect a landing : the 

 wind came round the head in heavy gusts, which, combined with the 



