CALLAO, a sea-port town of Peru, situated on the west coast of South America, at the embouchure of the river Lima, and about 2I leagues from the city of Lima. Prior to the earthquake which happened in 17.16, the Spaniards regarded this town as impregnable. It was defended by a garrison, and was fortified with bastions and batteries. Two of the suburbs were then inhabited by the Indians.
The harbour of Callao has always been regarded an the largest and most secure in the South Sea. There are no rocks in the bay, and the water is very deep. As the winds which prevail here during the winter always blow between the south east and the south, but most ge. nerally from the south, the bay of Callao is always tran quil, being defended from the south winds by a long neck of land which projects into the sea, and by the large island of St Lawrence opposite to this cape, and the small islands of Fronton and El Corcobado. The river of Lima, which discharges itself into the sea under the walls of Callao, furnishes abundance of good water, and the loading and unloading of vessels is facilitated by a mole furnished with excellent cranes.
On the 20th of October 1687, at the second concus sion of the earthquake, the sea retired within its usual limits, and returning in mountainous waves, overwhelm ed Callao and the adjacent country. During the earth quake of 1746, this town suffered still greater devasta tions. The port of Callao and several of the buildings sunk into the ground ; but this evil was nothing, com pared to the dreadful catastrophe which succeeded it. " The sea, says Ulloa, receding to a considerable dis tance from the shore, returned in mountainous waves, foaming with the violence of the agitation, and suddenly turned Callao and the neighbouring country into a sea.
This was not, however, totally performed by the first swell of the waves, for the sea retiring further, returned with still more impetuosity, the stupendous water co vering both the walls and other buildings of the place, so that whatever had escaped the first, was now totally overwhelmed by these terrible mountains of waves, and nothing remained except a piece of the wall of the port of Santa Cruz, as a memorial of this terrible devastation. There were then 23 ships and vessels, great and small, in the harbour, of which 19 were absolutely sunk, and the other four, amongst which was a frigate called St Fermis, carried by the force of the waves to a great distance up the country. This terrible inundation ex tended to other parts on the coast, as Cavallos and Gua nape. At Callao, where the number of inhabitants amounted to about 4000, two hundred only escaped; and tv.unty-two of these by means of the abut e-inentioncd fragment of a wall." The town of Callao has been rebuilt upon the same place, at the distance of a quarter of a league from the sea, and has brim called Bella-i ista. As ( Ilao is the sea-port of Lima, a full account of its trade will be given under the article LI 11A. West Long. 76° 58', South Lat. 12° I' 53". Sec Juan and U loa's Voyage to South .imerica, vol. ii. book vii. chap. rill. p. 82-8•, in hiCil ill be lound a plan of the port of Callao.