THE NUMA/^ 



75 



bound to Callao. She had just arrived from 

 New South Wales, and is to seek at Rio Alejo 

 a homeward freight of logwood, but touches first 

 at Callao ; and it was on board this ship, in bal- 

 last trim, and therefore high out of the water, 

 that we determined finally to take our passage. 



The roadstead at Valparaiso, which varies from 

 ten to thirty fathoms, with a bottom of stiff 

 mud, is so impracticable, that our small English 

 crew were not sufficient to get up the ship^s 

 anchor without assistance. Captain Simpson 

 here stood our friend, by sending some of the 

 Achilles^s Indian crew to help ours at the wind- 

 lass. 



At six o^clock p. M. we got under way, and 

 sailed out of the bay with a fresh breeze. This 

 wind gave us an offing of seventy miles from 

 Valparaiso in a south-westerly direction. We 

 steered by Captain Basil HalFs instructions, 

 E 2 



