338 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC- 



CHAPTER XVIL 



Arica — Appearance from the anchorage — Mole — Advertisements — Streets- 

 School — Water and provisions — Ancient cemetery — ^Founding of Arica — 

 Population — Products — Commerce — Guano. 



About two o'clock P. M., oq the 19th September 1832, 

 we anchored in the roadstead of Arica. It is situated in 18° 

 28' south latitude. 



The town of Arica is placed under a high sand hill and 

 headland, that shelter it from the southerly winds, which pre- 

 vail nearly throughout the year. The houses are white ; and 

 the churches and belfries, standing on the high ground in the 

 rear of the town, give it a neat and imposing appearance from 

 the anchorage. 



The long valley of Azapa, running inland, with clusters of 

 trees in the distance, and the town at the entrance, is seen from 

 far at sea. With the exception of a few gardens and trees to 

 the left of the town, the vale is entirely naked for two or three 

 leagues back, and the hills that rise in a long ridge to the north 

 and south to form it, are sandy and totally barren, not afford- 

 ing even soil enough to nourish a single cactus. The morro or 

 headland of Arica, which is a prominent bluff of rocks and 

 sand, whitened by the deposites of birds, forms a very striking 

 landmark in approaching the port. On its summit is erected a 

 wooden cross, which is said to be eight hundred feet above the 

 level of the sea.* Not far from the base of the morro, is a low, 

 flat island of rocks, also whitened with similar deposites ; be- 

 tween this islet and the main are many small rocks, rising even 

 with the surface of the water, amongst which the breakers are 



* This headland was sunk by an earthquake, in September 1833 ! New 



York Courier and Enquirer. 



