November. from the coaft tlian thofe we had lately noticed. From the fouth point
i---- .---- ’ o f port Bodega, which is formed by fteep rocky cliffs with fome detached
rocks lying near it, the coaft makes a lhallow open bay, which
is bounded by a low fandy beach; towards the s . e . part o f which the
elevate^ land of point de los Reys again commences, and ftretches like
a peninfula to the fouthward into the ocean, where its higheft part
terminates in fteep cliffs, moderately elevated, and nearly perpendicular:
to the fea, which beats againft them with great violence. Southward
o f this point the Ihore, compofed o f low white cliffs, takes, for about
a league, nearly an eaftern direftion, and there forms the north point
of a bay, extending a little diftance to the northward, which is intirely
open, and much expofed to the fouth and s . e . winds.
The eaftern fide o f the bay is alfo compofed of white cliffs, though
more elevated. According to the Spaniards, this is the bay in which
Sir Francis Drake anchored; however fafe he might then have found
it, yet at this feafon o f the year it promiled us little Ihelter or fecurlty.
The wind blowing frelh out of the bay from the n . n .w ., I did not
think it proper to lofe this opportunity o f proceeding with all difpalch
to St. Francifco; where there was little doubt o f our obtaining a fup-
ply o f thofe refrelhments which were now much wanted by the whole
crew.
From point de los Reys are fituated fome rocks, called Farellones;
thofe we faw were tolerably high, and appeared to be in two diftinft
clufters of three or four rocks each, lying in a s . e . and N .w . direflion
from each other. The higheft. rock of the northernmoft group lies
from the extremity of point de los Reys s. 13 w ., diftant 14 miles ;
the fouthernmoft s. 5 e., at the diftance of 17 miles. From un-
queftionable authority I learned, that a third d ulle r of rocks, fcarcely
above the furface of the fea, lies 12% miles diftant from the above point
s. 36 w
With a favorable gale and pleafant weather we failed, at the diftance
o f two or three miles, along the coaft; which, from point de los Reys to
port St. Francifco, takes a direClion s. 62 E ., diftant 8 leagues. At
noon the obferved latitude was 37°53', longitude 237° 35'; in this fitua-
2 tion
tion point de los Reys bore by compafs N. 72 w . ; the fuppofed bay of
Sir Francis Drake N. 45 w . ; a low fandy projecting point, off which i,_ . >
fome breakers extended nearly two miles to the e .s.e ., being our near-
eft fhore, N.34W,, about a league diftant; the fouthernmoft land in
fight s.e. ; and the fouth-eafternmoft o f the Farellones s. 35 w . ; to the
eaftward o f the low fandy projecting point, the coaft fuddenly rifes in
abrupt cliffs, with very unequal furfaces, prefenting a moft dreary and
barren afpect. A few fcattered trees were growing on the more elevated
land, with fome patches of dwarf Ihrubs in the vallies; the reft of
the country prefented either a furface o f naked rocks, or a covering o f
very little verdure.
We had approached, by two in the afternoon, within a fmall diftance of
the entrance into port St. Francifco, and found a rapid tide fetting againft
us ; the depth of water regularly decreafed from 18 to 4 fathoms, which
appearing to be the continuation of a Ihoal that ftretches from the
northern fhore, then diftant from us not more than a league, I hauled to
the s.w\, in order to avoid it, but did not fucceed in reaching deeper
water, as the bank we were upon extended a long way in that direction, as
was evident from the confided breaking fea upon it, and the fmooth
water on either fide o f it. We therefore made for the port, and foon
increafed the depth of water to 8 and 10 fathoms, until we arrived
between the two outer points o f entrance, which are about two miles
and a half apart, and bear from each other N. 10 w . and s. 10 e . ; here
we had 15 and 18 fathoms water, and foon afterwards we could gain
no foundings with a hand-line.
Although favored with a pleafant breeze which impelled us at the
rate of 4 or 5 knots, it availed us no more than juft to preferve
our ftation againft the ebb fetting out o f the port. We did not advance
until four o’clock, and then but flowly, through the channel leading
into this fpacious p o r t; lying in a direClion N. 61 e . and s. 61 w ., and is
near a league in length, with fome rocks and breakers lying at a little
diftance from either fhore. Thofe on the fouthern fide were furtheft, detached,
and moft confpicUous, efpecially one, about a mile within the
S.w. point of entrance, which feemed to admit of a paffage within it;
but