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, 259 uncertain; but, generally speaking, three feet may be considered about the extent to which it ranges. The sea breeze sets in so strongly occasionally, that it is difficult for boats to pull ao-ainst it this is particularly the case under the high land, whence it comes in sudden gusts and squalls. In coming from seaward, the best way to make this port is to stand in on a parallel of 10° 06', and when within a few leagues of the coast, a sharp -peaked hill, with a large white mark on it, will be seen standing alone a little north of the port : the break in the hills through which the river runs, is high and clifiy on each side. The land is also much lower to the northward of Legarto Head; and there is a large white islet at the north end of Guarmey Bay. N. 34° W., seven miles and a half from the white islet at the north extreme of Guarmey Bay, is Point Culebras, a level project- ing point, similar in appearance to Legarto Head, as seen from the northward ; the coast between is a mass of broken cliffs and innu- merable detached rocks, with moderately high land near the coast. On the north side of Point Culebras, there is anchorage off the valley of that name. From this point the coast is rocky, with small sandy bays, and some rocks lying off it about three quarters of a mile ; there is also a white clifiy islet, five miles to the northward of Culebras ; whence the coast takes a bend inwards, forming^a bay, and then runs out towards the Colina Redonda ; a point with two hummocks on it, and as seen from the southward, appearing Hke an island. On the north side of this point is the Caleta (only fit for boats) ; and immediately over it, the Cerro Mongon. The Cerro Mongon is the highest and most conspicuous object on this part of the coast ; when seen from the westward it has the ap- pearance of being round, with rather a sharp summit ; but from the southward, it shows as a long hUl with a peak at each end. It is said there is a lake of fresh water on its summit, and that its valleys abound with deer ; but the truth of this cannot be vouched for, as our examination did not extend so far. From Mongon there is a range of hills running parallel to the coast (which is high and rocky, with some white islets lying off it) as far as Casma, where they terminate in a steep rocky bluff, that forms the southern head of the port of that name. The Bay of Casma is a snug anchorage, something in the form of a horse-shoe ; at its entrance it is a mile and three quarters in a