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PORT SANTA ELENA. 



Nov. 1826. 



Our course was therefore southerly, and in latitude 45° south, 

 a few leagues northward of Port Santa Elena, we first saw the 

 coast of Patagonia. I intended to visit that port ; and, on the 

 28th, anchored, and landed there. 



Seamen should remember that a knowledge of the tide is of 

 especial consequence in and near Port Santa Elena. During a 

 calm we were carried by it towards reefs which line the shore, 

 and were obliged to anchor until a breeze sprung up. 



The coast along which we had passed, from Point Lobos to 

 the north-east point of Port Santa Elena, appeared to be 

 dry and bare of vegetation. There were no trees ; the land 

 seemed to be one long extent of undulating plain, beyond 

 which were high, flat-topped hills of a rocky, precipitous 

 character. The shore was fronted by rocky reefs extend- 

 ing two or three miles from high-water mark, which, as the 

 tide fell, were left dry, and in many places were covered with 

 seals. 



As soon as we had secured the ships. Captain Stokes accom- 

 panied me on shore to select a place for our observations. 

 We found the spot which the Spanish astronomers of Malas- 

 pina's Voyage (in 1798) used for their observatory, the most 

 convenient for our purpose. It is near a very steep shingle 

 (stony) beach at the back of a conspicuous red-coloured, rocky 

 projection which terminates a small bay, on the western side, 

 at the head of the port. The remains of a wreck, which proved 

 to be that of an American whaler, the Decatur of New York, 

 were found upon the extremity of the same point ; she had 

 been driven on shore from her anchors during a gale. 



The sight of the wreck, and the steepness of the shingle 

 beach just described, evidently caused by the frequent action 

 of a heavy sea, did not produce a favourable opinion of the 

 safety of the port : but as it was not the season for easterly 

 gales, to which only the anchorage is exposed, and as appear- 

 ances indicated a westerly wind, we did not anticipate danger. 



While we were returning on board, the wind blew so 

 strongly that we had much difficulty in reaching the ships, 

 and the boats were no sooner hoisted up, and every thing 



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