260 



APPENDIX. 



N.W. and S.E. direction, and a mile and a half deep from the outer 

 part of the cheek, with regular soundings from fifteen to ten, and 

 three fathoms near the beach. 



The best anchorage is with the inner part of the south cheek, bear- 

 ing about S.S.E. a quarter of a mile off shore, in seven fathoms water ; 

 by not going farther in you escape, in a great measure, the sudden 

 gusts of wind that at times come down the valley with great vio- 

 lence. Captain Ferguson, of H.M.S. Mersey, mentions a rock with 

 nine feet water on it, on the south side, half a mile from the shore, 

 that sometimes breaks : we saw nothing of it while we were there, 

 but doubtless it exists. 



This i3lace seemed quite deserted ; the only things that indicated 

 its ever having been visited, were a few stacks of wood piled up on 

 the beach. 



The best distinguishing mark for Casma, is the sandy beach in the 

 bay, with the sand hills in- shore of it contrasting strongly with the 

 hard dark rocks, of which the heads at the entrance are formed : 

 there is also a small black islet lying a little to the westward of it. 



From Casma the coast takes rather a more westerly direction, but 

 continues bold and rocky. 



N. 44° W., five leagues from Casma, is the Harbour of Samanco, 

 or HuAMBACHO ; midway between them is a bay, almost hidden by 

 two islands that lie across the entrance : this bay is four miles long 

 and two miles deep ; but as the Bay of Samanco is so near at hand, 

 it was not examined by us as to its capabihties. 



The Bay of Samanco is the most extensive on the coast to the 

 northward of Callao ; it is two leagues in length, in a N.W. and 

 S.E. direction, and a league and a half wide : at its entrance it is 

 two miles wide, formed by Point Samanco on the south, and Seal 

 Island on the north, and has regular soundings aU over it. 



At the S.E. corner, in a sandy bay, is a small village (the resi- 

 dence of some fishermen), situated at the termination of the River 

 Nepeiia. This river, like most on the coast, has not sufficient 

 strength to force a passage for itself through the beach, but termi- 

 nates in a lagoon within a few yards of the sea. 



The town of Huambacho is the nearest place to this bay ; it lies 

 about a league distant, at the east extreme of the valley. Nepena, 

 which is the principal town, lies to the north-east about five leagues 

 off. There is very little trade at this place ; small coasting vessels 



