53' S.[208] The land here
was very high, having three distinct ranges of hills behind each other,
that nearest the water the lowest, and the farthest off the highest. We
coasted along shore to the northward, and passed the port of Capaipo
on the 14th, said to be a very good harbour, fenced from almost all
winds. The land is here inhabited by Indians, who make good wines; and
it is said to abound in good meat, corn, and other provisions, and from
this port they export wine, money, and other goods for Coquimbo. We
would willingly have gone ashore for refreshments, but could not for
want of boats.
[Footnote 208: There must be a material error here, as they afterwards,
in sailing along the coast to the northwards, passed Copaipo, which is
in lat. 27 deg. 13' S. and they consequently must have fallen in with the
coast of Chili, improperly named Peru in the text, considerably farther
south. - E.]
Continuing along the coast, which is the highest and most mountainous I
ever saw, we were surprised, on the 19th of March, to see the waves
changed to a red colour for seven or eight leagues, though on sounding
we had no ground at 170 fathoms; but on drawing up some of the water, we
found the colour owing to a vast quantity of fish-spawn, swimming on the
surface.
