Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2- Appendix): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

APPENDIX. 249 is five miles in width, and clear in all parts. It is bounded on the west by the Islands of Vieja and of Santa Rosa, and on the east by the main-land, which is moderately high, cliffy, and broken by a sandy beach, at the south end of which is a small fishing village called Tungo. The people of this village are resi- dents of Yea, the principal town in the province, which is about twelve leagues distant; they come here occasionally to fish and remain a few days, bringing with them aU their supplies, even to water, as that necessary of life is not to be obtained in the neigh- bourhood. ITiere is anchorage in any part of this spacious bay the bottom is quite regular, about twenty fathoms all over, excepting off the shingle spit on the north-east side of Vieja Island, where is a bank running off that spit to the northward, on which are five and six fathoms : this is decidedly the best place to anchor, for on the weather shore, near Quemado Point, it blows strong and in sudden gusts off the high land, and great difficulty would be found in land- ing ; whereas, at the spit, you are not annoyed by the wind, and there is a snug cove, or basin, within it, where boats may land or lie ui safety at any time. Approaching this part of the coast from seaward, it may be dis- tinguished by three clusters of hiUs, Quemado, Vieja Island, and Carretas ; they are nearly of the same height, and at equal distances from one another. The S.W. sides of Morro Carretas and the Island of Vieja are steep dark chff, but Morro Quemado slopes gra- dually to the water's edge, and is of a much lighter colour. At the southern extreme of Vieja Island, is a remarkable black lump of land, in the shape of a sugar loaf : off which lies the white level island of Santa Rosa, the S.W. side of which is studded with rocks and breakers, but there is no danger a mUe from the shore. N. 35° W., six leagues and a half from the north head, or Point Carretas, is theBoqueron, or southern entrance to the Bay of Pisco ; between the two is a deep angular bay, with the Island of Zarate near its centre. The Boqueron is formed by the main land on the east, and the Island of San Gallan on the west ; this island is two miles and one-third long in a north and south direction, and one mile in breadth : it is high, with a bold chffy outHne. There is a deep valley dividing the hUls ; which when seen from the south-west, gives it the appearance of a saddle ; the south extreme terminating abruptly, while at its northern end it slopes more gradually and has