Novenfber. and rofe from the fea coaft> which chiefly confifted of fandy beaches or
i---- ,---- > low cliffs, with a gradual afcent. It was broken into fome chafms and
vallies, where a few fmall trees and fhrubs in two or three places were
feen to vegetate.
We plied as ufual during the night with a light breeze from the e.s.e.,
having in and about the bay foundings from 65 to 23 fathoms, mud and
fandy bottom. The land wind blew a moderate breeze on the follow-
Wcdncr. t7. ing morning, with which we flood to the fouthward along (hore; but the
weather was fo exceflively hazy as to prevent our feeing about us until
after eight o’clock, when we difcovered ourfelves to be near the fouth-weft
point o f entrance into port St. Diego, called by the Spaniards Ponta
de la Loma, bearing by compafs s, 57 e., diftant 3 or 4 miles; the north-
ernmoft o f fome fmall iflands, named by the Spaniards the Coronados,
s. 13 e ., and the Lagoon, that is to fay, Puerto Falfo, n. n. e., 4 miles
diftant. Point Loma is the fouthern extremity o f a remarkable range of
elevated land, that commences from the fouth fide o f Puerto Falfo, and at
a diftance has the appearance o f being infular, which effefl is produced by
the low country that connects it with the other mountains. The top o f
this traft of land feems to terminate in a ridge, fo perfeft and uniformly
lharp, as apparently to render walking very inconvenient. The fa£t
however is not fo ; but when viewed from fea it has that Angular appearance.
It defcends in very fteep rocky cliffs to the water fide, from whence
a bed of growing weeds extends into the ocean, half a league or 2 miles.
The land wind died away as noon approached, and was fucceeded by
a gentle brgeze from the n . w ., with which we fleered towards point
Loma, through a continuation o f the bed of weeds, extending in a fouth-
wefterly dire&ion from that point, whence lie fome breakers at the diftance
of a mile. Our foundings on firft entering the weeds were 20 fathoms
; this depth gradually, though not very regularly, decreafed to 6
fathoms as we pafled within about a mite o f the fouthern part of the
breakers; then deepened again to g fathoms, and fo continued until we
entered the channel leading into port St. Diego, acrofs which is a bar.
1 his we pafled in 3^ fathoms water, and, favored with the afliftance of
the flood tide, we turned into the port; where, about two in the afternoon,
R O U N D T H E W O U L D , 469
noon, we anchored in 10 fathoms water, fine fandy bottom, at the ufual ' 793-
. J ; Noverobef.
place or anchorage in the harbour. Point de la Loma> in a line with <__ „—
the fouth-eaftemmoft of the Coronados, bore by compafs s. 8 E.; ponta
de Guiranos, a low fpit o f land, projecting from the high fteep cliffs
within the former, and which, properly fpeaking, conftitutes the weft
point of entrance into the port, s. 18 e.; the eaft point o f entrance,
which is alfo very low, but not a fpit of land, bore s. 36 E.; the former
diftant about a mile, the latter about three fourths of that diftance. The
Prefidio o f St. Diego bore n. 2t e., diftant three miles and a half, and
the neareft Chore north-weft, within a quarter of a mile of our anchorage.
Having taken this ftation without having feen, or been vifited by, any
o f His Catholic Majefty’s fubjecls, I difpatched Lieutenant Swaine immediately
up the harbour to the Prefidio, in order to inform the commanding
officer o f our arrival; and to inquire if any difpatches for me
had been entrufted to his care, or if he knew of any that had pafled this
ftation in their way to Monterrey; as St. Diego is invariably the flopping
place o f the poll paffing from New Spain, to their northern efta-
blilhments on this coaft. Mr. Swaine was likewife directed to inquire,
whether the officer fo commanding would do me the favor of forwarding
fuch difpatches as I might find neceffary to tranfmit to England.
During the abfence o f Mr. Swaine I received a very polite letter
from Senr- Antonio Grajero, a lieutenant in the Spaniffi cavalry, and
commandant of this port and eftabliffiment, requefting to be informed of
the bufinefs that had brought our little fquadron within the limits o f his
command.
Mr. Swaine returned foon afterwards, and acquainted me that he had
been received with marks o f great politenefs and hofpitality by the commanding
officer, who informed him, that he had neither feen nor heard
of any letters or other difpatches addreffed to me; but that he would
with great pleafure take charge of, and forward to Europe, any thing of
that nature which I might have occafion to tranfmit. He very obligingly
allured Mr. Swaine, that fuch refrefhments as the country afforded
were perfeftly at our command, and that it would be his ftudy to Ihew
- 1 us