PORTER S JOrRNAL* 



vated hills, and fertile valleys, which wc had been prepared 

 to meet in this part of the world. 



The whole coast is skirted by a black and gloomy rock, 

 against the perpendicular sides of which the sea beats with 

 fury. At the back of this rock the country appears dfeary 

 beyond description. Yellow and barren hills, cut by tor- 

 rents into deep ravines, and sprinkled sparingly here and 

 there with shrubs; but not a tree of any size was to be 

 seen on this whole extent of coast. When the weather 

 was clear we always saw the Andes ; and as these were 

 ' never clear of snow, they were not calculated to give us a 

 more favourable impression of the interior. 



The next poiiit which presented itself, on the top of 

 which the afore-mentioned tile-covered house was situated, 

 was the point of Angels, which I had learned formed the 

 western point of the Bay of Valparaiso. As I perceived 

 some rocks lying off it, I doubled it, with a stiff breeze from 

 the southward, at the distance of nearly half a mile, keep- 

 ing the lead going, but got no bottom at the depth of sixty 

 fathoms. As we rounded this point I sought with my glas^s 

 the city of Valparaiso, or some proofs of our approach to 

 it : first a long sandy beach, on the opposite side, oflfcred 

 itself to my view ; next a large drove of loaded mules co- 

 ming down the side of the mountain by a zigzag pathway : 

 and in an instant afterwards the whole town, shipping with 

 their colours flying, and the forts, burst out as it were from 

 behind the rocks, and we found ourselves becalmed under 

 the guns of a battery prepared to fire into us. The scene 

 presented to us was as animated and cheerful as it was 

 sudden and unexpected ; and haS I not hoisted Enghsh co- 

 lours, I should have been tempted to run in and anchor, 

 A moment's reflection induced me to believe, that, under 

 existing circumstances, it would not be adviseable to do so, 

 as several large Spanish ships, with their sails bent, and in 

 readiness for sea, were lying in the port. As those vessels 

 were, beyond doubt, bound to the northward, and in ail 

 probabihty to Lima, I concluded on keeping the sea a few 

 days longer, to give them time to get out, in order that iu- 

 telligence might not be given by them of an American fri- 

 gate being in this part of the world. There was also in the 

 port an American brig deeply laden, pierced for eighteen 

 guns, lying close in shore, with her yards and topmasts 



