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CHILI. 



22d of Nov. — We had some difficulty in find- 

 ing the harbour of Copiapd, which was not dis- 

 tinctly laid down in the plans in our possession. 

 On coming near it^ a dangerous line of reefs was 

 discovered, of which no books nor charts made 

 any mention. This circumstance determined me 

 to have the whole bay trigonometrically survey- 

 ed, and carefully sounded. As soon, therefore, 

 as the ship was anchored, I sent one of the mid- 

 shipmen, Mr Henry Foster, an admirable sur- 

 veyor, on this service. * But as it was soon dis- 

 covered, that two days would be barely sufficient 

 to accomplish this indispensable work, I deter- 

 mined to employ the interval in visiting the town 

 of Copiapd, lying eighteen leagues in the inte- 

 rior. 



The first thing which arrested our attention, 

 after anchoring, was a curious pile, or large 

 brown stack on the beach, apparently of hewn 

 stones. After we had in vain examined it through 



* This officer has since been promoted to the rank of 

 lieutenant, and appointed surveyor to the present expe- 

 dition under Captain Parry. (1824.) 



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