466.
November P°'nt we differed fome miles from that afligned to it by the Spa-
i— -v— 1 niards ; Sen'- Quadra’s chart placing it in latitude 33” 50', and the printed
chart in latitude 33° 54'.
This fituation would equally well correfpond with the defcription of
the bay o f St. Pedro as that we had been off the preceding day | yet,
from the fhape, appearance, and other circumftances attending the bay
now before us, I had reafon to conclude this to be the bay of St. Pedro.
Towards its fouth-eaft part is a fmall bay or cove, and a low point of
land forming its eaft point, called by me P o i n t L a s u e n , bore by
compafs i]t noon, N. 40 k dillant 7 miles. In the neighbourhood of
that ftation I had been informed was the milhon o f St. Gabriel, founded
in the year 1773 ; this eftablifhment is faid to be in fight alfo o f the
fea, but we were not able to difcern it, or the Pueblo de Ios Angelos; yet
had great reafon to believe that their refpeftive fituations correfponded
with the intelligence I had received.
The wind continuing light and variable, rendered our progrefs ftill
exceflively flow; by the' evening, however, I confidered that we had
reached the fouth-eaft extremity o f the canal o f Sa Barbara, having fight of
the ifland of St. Clement, (fo called by the Spaniards) and which we found
to lie s. 18 w., diftant about 5 or 6 leagues from the fouth-eaft point of
the ifland o f S“ Catalina.
Thus finilhed our tedious examination o f the continental Ihore o f this
canal; and although we were able nearly to afcertain the pofitive, as well
as relative, fituation of the different iflands forming its fouth-weft fide,
- yet we paffed at too great a diftance for the delineation o f thofe lhores
with that degree o f accuracy, that may be depended upon with confidence.
There are fome rocks and fhoals introduced in the Spanifh charts
which we faw nothing o f ; and, excepting the very light and baffling,
winds that prevailed, there were neither currents nor any other obftruc-
tion, fo far as our examination went, to interrupt its navigation; which,
to thofe who may have occafion only to pafs through it, will be found
neither difficult nor unpleafant.
Early
Early the next morning we were favored with a light breeze from the No’v^ tr
weftward; with this we fleered along the land, and by nine in. the fore- e— ,— ->
noon, being within about two miles of the fhore, our attention was fud- Tueiaay
denly-called to a Spanifh eftablifhment ere&ed clofe to the water-fide, in
a fmall fandy cove, near the center o f which was a little detached rock,
and another lying off its north point. The former is reprefented in the
Spanifh charts as a fmall ifland lying nearly three miles from the fhore,
yet we paffed it within half that diftance, and could fcarcely difcern that
it'was detached. Its appearance, and fituation: relative to the miflion of
St. Juan Capiftrano, correfponding with the defcription I had received of
that fettlement, made me conclude it to be the fame, and it is the laft
eftablifhment between SB Barbara arid the Prefidio of St. Diego.
This miflion is very pleafantly fituated in a grove of trees, whofe luxuriant
and diverfified foliage, when contrafted with the adjacent fhoresi
gave it a moft romantic appearance; having the ocean in front, and being
bounded on its other fides by rugged dreary mountains, where the
vegetation was not fufficient to hide the naked rocks, of which the
country in this point o f view feemed to be principally compofed.
The buildings of the miflion were of brick and of ftone, and in their vicinity
the foil appeared to be o f uncommon and ftriking fertility. It was
founded in the year 1776, and is in latitude 33*29', longitude 242*35';
The landing on the beach in the cove feemed to be good; and had it not
been for the very favorable gale with which we were now indulged, I
fliould have been tempted to have paffed a few hours at this very enchanting
place.
The obferved latitude, at noon, was 33*23', longitude 242° 41'. The
eafternmoft land in fight bore by compafs s. 70 E . ; the neareft fhore N .
x 2 e ., diftant 3 miles; the miflion of St. Juan Capiftrano n. 40 w . ; and
the wefternmoft land in fight n . 49 w . From the cove o f this miflion
the coaft takes firft a direflion s.45 E ., 7 leagues, and then s. 16 E ., 26
miles, to a point in latitude 32“ 51', longitude 242* 59', forming the north
point of the bay in which is fituated Puerto Falfo; the fhores between
this point and the above cove are in general ftraight, and intirely cora-
paft. The face of the country here afl’umed a more uniform appearance,
3 O 3 and