Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-12-07
cuINcuA IsLANns.
iCozrespondencc of the Provi1snoe Journal.
CarNuuA IsLhNps. Aug. 20. 1883.

iCoErespondenec of the ProTi3sreS Journal
CHINUuA ISLANDS, Aug. 20, 1853.
have now been here about three
weets. aud will endeavor 10 give you
some idea cfthe Islands and vicinity, and
matters and things in general. The Is
lands are situated in the heart Of the
'trade-wints, which blow continually from
L. :. E. to s. S. E., about 100 miles s.
aud E. from Callao. The wind seldom va
ries from the point of the compass above
named, and this occasions an almost con-
slant current n. and w. which is dead
ahead for vessels coming from the north
An average passage for common vessels
from Callao to the Islands, is eight to ten
days; many are twenty, and some even
thirty coming down. The wind in shore
being very light. the constant, current TO
the n. and w. makes it at times very dif-
icult to reach the Islands. There are
now some forty American ships here,
among them, eight of the finest clippers
belonging to the United States, ali home
ward bound with guano. The feet here
is composed of 140 vessels, American,
English, French, Russian, Italian, Dutch
and Swede.
In describing the Islands and vicinity
to you, 1 would refer you to the draft or
sketch enclosed, showing you the situa-
ton of them. the mainland. &c. On
the right, YOU see the city of Pisco, of
which I-cannot give You a description, as
have not visited il. hear it is almost
impossible to land there in common ship
boats. on account of the surf on the beach
There are three Of the Cbincha Islands,
- h., l.ft a
rocks orpinnacles, which have, l think,
in past ages. been reft from the other Is
lands. The water around the main ones
is very bold. A ship would strike her
iib- boom afoul of the rocks before her
keel wouid touch. The fleet now lies
moored off at the Il. and E. of the island.
The faithest, say one mile of, thence
close IN TO the rocks. and some made fast
to the rocks. One part of the fleet lies
in between the middle and the north Is
lands In this fleet am now lying
Ny boT anchor Is in ten faLhoms water,
with thirty-fve faIhoms chain out, with
my stern in FIVE fathoms, within one hun
dred feet OF the rocks. being fast to them
with two hawsers, one on each quarter,
the rocks and guano about two hundred
and fifty feet perpendicular above me-
The lower part of the rocks are worn full
Of eaverns by the sea. We were At first
very much dis,nrhed OF nights By the
surf-roaring under our stern. but are now
quite used to it. The ships lie close 10
each other, and often swing afoul.-
Close to the rocks we have much more
swell than of, say one quarter of mile.
On certain days Of the moon, as the full.
we have much more swell than on others.
Little is then done. as boats cannot lie AT
the rocks. but we then have 10 keep a
sharp look out to prevent getting afoul of
each other.
a few days since. ship -moored near
me, dragging her anchors and came afOul
of me. We we're together about two
hours, ere we could get her clear. The
islands are from one hundred 70 one hun
dred and fifty feet high. The south one
the lowest, and these covered with gnano,
the north one TO the depth of one hundred
and twenty feet. This seems almost