Page:Voyage of discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and round the world in the years 1791-95, volume 3.djvu/436

Rh dmg we to the purpofe he land, it was )Out ten was no liood ot 1 of that. 1 former Ireftion, diredion. I did not think it prudent in our crippled fituation to ride a difappointment, and for that reafon we flood off fhore until an obferva- tion for the latitude could be procured ; which by the help of a double altitude, was accomplifhed about eleven o'clock, when we bore away in latitude 33° 10' fouth, for a point not far dillant from the place where we expelled to find the bay of Valparaifo. At noon the above point, which was the mofl northern part of the coafl in fight, and appearing like a fmall rocky ifland, lying clofc to a low or moderately elevated proje6ling point of land, and terminating at the fea fide in a round hummock like a bell, bore by compafs N.43E.; a rugged rocky iflet lying clofe to the main land, near the foulh point of a fmall fandy bay, being the nearefl fhore, N.6| e., two or three miles diflant ; and the fouthernmofl part of the coafl in fight, s,e. by s. The view we had thus gained of the coafls of the kingdom of Chili prefentcd but little to attraft the attention, or excite the curiofity, of flrangers. Thofe parts immediately on the fea fhore were com- pofed of rude chffs and rocky precipices, againfl which the weflern fwell broke with unremitting violence. Above thcfe cliffs the country was varioufly broken by irregular eminences, fome formed of naked barren rocks, and others confifling of a reddifh fubflance almofl equall}' unproduftive, on which fome verdure appeared here and there, with a few flunted fhrubs and bufhes, fome of which were at great diflances from each other; but nothing like a tree was to be feen, and the landfcajiC. bounded by the frozen fummits of the lofty Andes towering above the lower barren mountains that dcfcend from them towards the fea coaft, exhibited an extremely dreary, defolate, and inhofpitable picture. As we proceeded, a low fleep bluff point of land, beyond that whic'*. terminated our northern view of the coafl at noon, was now feen lyi'o in a dire6lion from it, N. 51 e., about 3 leagues diflant, and which proved to be the weflern point of entrance into Valparaifo bay. Our attention was now directed in quefl of the " great rock or finall " ifland" defcribed by Sir Richard Hawkins in 1593, as lying "' a league At
 * or better to the fouth of, and a good mark and fure fign of, the port."