_ 1794* As the fituation of the Marias iflands lying between cape St. Lucas
December. , J ° .
v—__j and cape Corientes before the port of St. Bias, had been variouily denned
by different perfons, and as thefe iflands were nearly in our route, an
opportunity was likely to be afforded me for determining their pofition;
and on confidering the length of the paffage we had yet to perform, I
was induced to hope we might at thofe iflands be enabled to recruit our
flock of water; for thefe reafons our courfe was directed towards the Marias,
with a frefh gale from the northward, and delightful- weather. The
fea ftill abounded with fifties, and feveral turtle .were feen; but as our
former fupply was not yet exhaufted, and as the gale was too favorably
tempting to admit of a moment’s delay, they remained unmolefted.
According to Dampier, the iflands for which we were then fleering are
fituated e . s. e., at the diftance of 40 leagues from cape St. Lucas ; according
to the Spanilh chart 47 leagues; and by the Spanilh MS. chart
they are ftated to be 60 leagues from that promontory. This irreconcilable
difference rendered it no eafy talk to determine on which to rely;
the difference in the Spanilh charts rendered the accuracy of each equally
queftionable, and our own experience had proved both of them to be
very erroneous; in feveral inftances. Under this uncertainty about ■ nine
Monday 15. o’clock on monday night, being then 42. leagues from cape St. Lucas,
and in the direction in which the Marias were faid to lie, we plied under
Tuelday 16. an eafy fail until the next morning, when we made all fail, fleering to the
e . s. e., which courfe, by nine in, theTorenoon, brought us in'fight of
thofe iflands, bearing by compafs E .iN .;. in this direction we inftantly
fleered, but as we were not fufficiently up with the land to gain anchorage
before dark, the night was paffed in preferving our fituation with
Wccnef. 17. rhe land, and in the morning of the. 1.7th we fleered for the paffage between
the northernmoft and the middle, or Prince George’s ifland, fo
diftinguifhed by Dampier. The molt northern and largeft ifland of
this group, is about thirteen miles long, in a s. e . by e . and n.. w . by w .
direction, which is alfo nearly the line.in which thefe iflands feemed: to lie
from each other. As we paffed along the northernmoft ifland it- appeared
to be but moderately elevated, notwithftanding that we had de-
fcried it at the diftance of near 18 leagues; its higheft part is. towards the
fouth,
fouth, from whence it gradually defcends and terminates in a long low
point at its north-weft extremity, which according to our obfervations '---- ----- '
is fituated s. 68 E., and at the diftance of 64 leagues from cape St. Lucas.
A 'fmall low detached iflet, and a remarkably fteep white cliffy rock, lie
off this point of the ifland, whofe Ihores are alfo compofed, but particularly
fo on its fouth-weft fide, of fteep white rocky cliffs; the fame fort
of fubftance feemed to be its principal component part, and although in
fome places it was tolerably well covered with a low kind of fhrubs, yet
upon the Whole it prefented but a dreary and unproductive fcene. Its
fouth-eaftern extremity, which likewife defcends gradually from the fum-
mit of the ifland, terminates alfo in a low projecting point with fome rocks
lying off from it. • On either fide is a fmall bay; that on the eaftern fide is
bounded by a beach, alternately compofed of rocks and fand, and as we
- gained foundings of 35 fathoms at fome diftance as we paffed by it,
little doubt was entertained of its affording good anchorage, provided
the bottom fhould be- good ; as it is protected againft the general prevailing
winds. The furf however broke with fome violence on its Ihores, and
as it did not feem from the fcanty portion of its vegetable productions,
and the apparent drynels of the foil, to poflefs what we principally, and
indeed only wanted, water;-we proceeded towards that ftation which
Woods Rogers defcribes to have occupied, and where about the fame
feafon o f the year, he procured a great fupply of excellent water. This
was on the north-eaft fide of Prince George’s ifland. In our way thither
we paffed between Prince George’s and the north-wefternmoft ifland, in
a paffage about fix miles wide, with foundings from 20 to 40 fathoms,
fandy bottom, and fo far as we became acquainted with its navigation, it is
free from danger or interruption. The fouth-weft fide of Prince George’s
ifland is bounded by detached rocks lying at a fmall diftance from its
Ihores; thefe in general, but more fo on its northern and eaftern fide,
defcend gradually from the center of the ifland- (whofe fummit is nearly
as high as that of the northernmoft ifland,) and terminate at the wat^r
fide in a fine fandy beach. This" wa's infinitely more verdant than the
Other ifland, as its vegetable productions extended from the more elevated
parts to the walh of the fea, and grew with fome luxuriance,
Y y 2 though