NOTICES OP PERU. 361 



After taking a second potation of chicha, and leaving them 

 a small gratification, we left this pic-nic party, and followed 

 the path towards the town, which, however, we lost in the sand, 

 and ascended a high sandy hill, from whose summit, where 

 there are some Indian ruins, after some difficulty we descried 

 the village, almost hidden in trees, and after a toilsome walk 

 succeeded in reaching it, though we were near passing it 

 when not more than a hundred yards off. We stopped in a 

 small pulperla, where we found a quantity of new cheeses 

 hung up over head, and a supply of pisco, bread, and chicha. 

 Having refreshed ourselves with these, and well pleased with 

 the hospitality of the old woman who kept the shop, we re- 

 turned on board with our game bags filled with ducks, water 

 hens, and wild pigeons. 



Not far from the landing, are the ruins of an ancient fortress; 

 and in fact the valley is crossed by the vestiges of a wall, 

 which it is supposed was built by the Grand Chimu in his last 

 war with the Incas. This war, which was one of religion, 

 ended in the complete subjugation of the empire of that valiant 

 chief. 



On the 27th of April, we again weighed anchor, and set 

 sail for the bay of Samanco ; but passed it at night ; and about 

 ten o'clock the next morning, anchored in the bay of Ferrol. 

 This bay is two leagues from Santa, and about five from the 

 port of Samanco. Ferrol is a beautiful bay, completely shut 

 in by two or three rocky islands at its mouth, and is about 

 seven miles long and four broad. At its northern extremity 

 is a small Indian village, containing about five hundred inha- 

 bitants, called Chimbote; and also several springs of fresh 

 water, accessible to boats, for watering ships. The bay is 

 only visited by sealers, and occasionally by smugglers. The 

 rocks, during certain seasons, are completely covered with 

 seals, which are taken in great numbers. The southern ex- 

 tremity of the bay is separated from that of Samanco by a flat 

 neck of sand, about three quarters of a mile wide, extending 

 from the main to a large morro or headland, forming in part 

 the northern cape of Samanco. Ferrol bay is in 9° T south 

 latitude and 78° 3' west longitude. The extent of the bay of 

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