24 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, on the rocks, and among the trees. There are one or two species of 
snakes ; a large one resembling the common English adder is frequent, 
October, and a small green snake was caught by one of the officers. 
iS2o. very numerous, only coming into the bay 
with a particular wind. The number of whales which guard the 
entrance, and the shoals of seals, grampuses, and porpoises, which crowd 
the bay, must destroy a great many. Shell-fish are an exception to 
this scarcity, and being very large, form no small portion of the food 
of those inhabitants who live on the borders of the bay. Besides the 
chores, a large muscle, and locas (concho lepiis), mentioned by Ulloa, 
there are several other small species which are more esteemed than the 
large chores, a number of razor-shells, and some venuses. Large sea- 
eggs are highly esteemed, and, like the others, eaten raw. The smaller 
shell-fish are, various sorts of limpets, turbos, neritas, murex, and some 
others : there are also a great many crabs. 
In the survey of the Bay of Conception a shoal was discovered by 
Lieutenant Belcher on the Penco side, which is probably that upon 
which a vessel struck some time previous, but which the boats of the 
squadron could not afterwards find. It was necessary to make some 
alteration in the position of the Belen bank, from the manner in which 
it is laid down in the Spanish charts, and the shoal said to occur off the 
sandy point of Quiriquina does not in fact exist. The western en- 
trance was thoroughly examined, and found to be quite safe, though 
very narrow, and should only be used in all cases of difficulty in 
weathering Paxaros Ninos, with a northerly wind. The Bay of St. 
Vincent does not appear to me to afford security to any vessel of more 
than a hundred tons w'ith a strong westerly wind ; and I would advise 
no large ship to put in there under such circumstances, if she could 
possibly avoid it. Further information on the subject will be found 
among the Nautical Remarks. 
Conception, as a place of refreshment, in every way answered our 
expectations : fresh heef, poultry, good water, vegetables, and wood 
are to be had : they happened to be dear at the time of our visit, but 
no doubt, if the country remains tranquil, they will be both cheap 
and more abundant. 
