PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
97 
of the coast of America, and that on so small a scale, as not to be 
relied on but for the direction of the coast, projection of head¬ 
lands, &c.; and on that the island of St. Maria’s was merely 
marked as a point. I had no views of land, no descriptions or 
draughts of harbours on this coast, and felt myself greatly embar¬ 
rassed, from the extreme caution with which I was compelled to 
navigate. I however hoped to remove this difficulty the first 
prize I should be so fortunate as to make, and felt more desire 
to get possession of the charts than can well be conceived, for at 
this time good charts of the coast would be the greatest treasure 
we could meet with. 
Finding that I could not run in for the anchorage, or send in 
a boat, on account of the violence of the wind, which had now 
increased to a gale, I hauled off under three double-reefed top¬ 
sails ; but we were soon compelled to bring to under close-reefed 
fore and main top-sails, and send down our top-gallant yards: but 
the ship pitching very deep, and straining considerably, I deter¬ 
mined to run to the northward as far as Conception, and directed 
the helm to be put aweather; but the gale increasing through 
the night, I found it would not be safe to bring her to, and in the 
morning we found ourselves considerably to the northward of that 
port. About 8 o’clock, the wind became very light, and shifted 
to the northward, bringing with it a very thick fog. I, however, 
stood to the eastward, with an expectation of seeing the land; 
and at meridian, the fog having cleared off for a few minutes, we 
discovered it, at the distance of about 8 miles, our latitude being 
35° 40' south, and our soundings 105 fathoms, green oozy bot¬ 
tom : the water at this time was much discoloured. 
I now considered myself in a good position to meet vessels 
plying between Conception and Valparaiso; and as the health of 
the crew, and state of my provisions, or the distresses of the ship, 
did not yet render my going into port absolutely necessary, I de« 
termined to keep the sea a while longer, in hopes of meeting 
some of the enemy’s ships, and thereby obtain such supplies as 
would render it entirely unnecessary to make ourselves known on 
the coast, until we were about quitting it. Unfortunately, the 
fog continued to envelope us, and prevented our extending out 
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