The 5th February, I Dispatched Mr Brooks
Ahead In The Mercury, To See If There Were Any Ships In The Harbour Of
Arica, In Lat.
18 deg.
26' S. and next day, at one p.m. having ranged along
shore, by the breakers of Pisagua, Camarones, and Victor, I got
sight of the head-land of Arica, with a ship at anchor on its northern
side, and saw the Mercury standing out of the bay, by which I judged the
ship was too warm for her, and therefore made all haste to get up to her
with the Speedwell. On coming up, we found that the ship was already
taken, and the Mercury only accidentally adrift. This prize was called
the Rosario, of 100 tons, laden with cormorants dung, which they use for
manuring the land which produces the cod-pepper, or Capsicum, from the
cultivation of which they make a vast profit in the vale of Arica. The
only white face in this ship was the pilot, whom I sent ashore to see if
the owner would ransom his ship, the cargo being worth gold to them, but
entirely useless to us. Next morning I received a letter from Miguel
Diaz Gonzale, the owner of the ship, insisting pitifully on his poverty
and distress, having a large family to provide for, and promising to
meet me at Hilo or Quaco, to treat for a ransom.
We soon after took a small bark of ten tons, laden with guana, or
cormorants dung, and having also some dried fish, which lay within a
mile of Arica.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 734 of 825
Words from 199566 to 199830
of 224764
