35s
d *,94ber tu r^ e tracks were on the beach, and nearly a hundred of dead manatee,
* v i or fea-cows, were lodged at fome diftance beyond the prefent range of
the furf. The carcalfes of thefe animals, from their then ftate of putre-
faftion, were conlidered by Mr. Manby to have been fo left about ten
or twelve days before, and as they all feemed to be nearly in the fame
ftate of decay, the Only conjecture that could be .reafonably formed, was,
that they had been fo depofited in a violent foutherly ftorm. They were
eagerly devoured by the vultures, hawks, and other birds of prey that
had affembled about them in great numbers, and it appeared to be not
improbable that the carnivorous animals of the Marias are frequently
regaled with fuch fumptuous repalls, for, belides the fea-cows that remained
intire, the Ikeletons of many hundreds of the fame or limilar animals
had been in like manner call on Ihore, at more remote and different
periods. A variety of filh, common to the tropical regions were
feen in great numbers about the Ihores; amongft thefe the lharks were
very bold and daring, they followed the boats, and made repeated attempts
to catch the oars, in which one of them at length fucceeded, but
with the lofs of five of its teeth, which were left in the blade of the oar.
A few fnakes and guannas were alfo feen, and fome of the latter were very
good eating." No traces of human vifitors were perceived, though on
Ihore fome drift wood was found, with evident marks of its having been
worked or hewn with European took.
This appeared to me to be the fubftance of the information we acquired
by calling at thefe iflands, which are not more than 160 leagues from
Acapulco, and in the immediate vicinity o f St. Bias, In the Spanilh
M.S. chart they are placed Weft from that port, at the diftance of
about 20 leagues, which appeared to correfpond exaftly with our Ob-
fervations, in refpeft to the bearings from cape St. Lucas, and to differ
only three leagues in the diftance from that promontory ; this was further
proved (fo far as eftimated diftances could be relied upon) by the diftant
view we had had of the continent in that direction at our lad place
of anchorage; notwithftanding which, thefe iflands do not feem to have
engaged ox attracted the attention of the Spanilh government.
As
As on leaving the Mariasxt was my intention to make cape Corientes, Dc)c7^(.r
in order to afcertain its latitude and longitude, our- courfe was direfled — ...--- >
between the iflands and the main land; fleering well to the eaftward at
firft, in order that we might avoid a Ihoal faid to extend fome diftance
from the Ihores o f the fouthernmoft of the Marias ; at midnight we pur-
fued a more foutherly courfe, but the wind, though attended with fine
pleafant weather, was fo moderate, that at day-light the iflands we had ThurfdayiS.
left were ftill in fight, bearing by compafs the fouthernmoft N. 82 w. to
n . 72 w. • Prince George’s ifland, N:. 70 w. to N. 64 w . ; the eaft point
of the northernmoft, n . 58 w . ; and' a diftant view of the continental
Ihore from n . e . by n .' to e . by s. This was too remote to form any judgment
refpeCting the country, further than its appearing to have a very
lofty and uneven furface, fwelling into various eminences of different
forms and magnitude.
The obferved latitude at noon was 21°, longitude 2540 27', and the
variation of the compafs 7° go' eaftwardly. In this Iituation the high
land over cape Corientes bore by compafs s. 25 e . , land appearing like
a fmall ifland, lying at fome diftance from the continent s. 66 e. ; the
northernmoft part of the main land in fight n.n.e., and the fouthernmoft
of the Marias iflands N. 58 w., diftant 9 leagues. Much to our
furprize, in the afternoon we approached a fmall black rugged rock, or,
more properly fpeaking, a clofely-conneCted d u lle r ; of fmall rocks,
which though deferving of attention, from their Iituation, and the fafety
of the navigation between cape Corientes,. St. Bias, and the Marias, yet.
they are not inferted in either of the Spanilh charts, nor do they appear
to have been noticed -by any former vifitor with whole obfcrva-
tions I have become acquainted. The fpace they occupy does not appear
to exceed the dimenfions of a large Ihip’s hull, nor are they much
higher. They are at a great diftance from any land, and, fo far as we
could perceive on pafling by them at the diftance of about half a league,
the water near them appeared to be deep in every direction. We could
not gain foundings clofe round them with the hand-line, nor did this fmall
rocky group feem to be fupported by any bed of rock or fhallow bank.
The Ihores of the main land, to the eaftward of them, at the diftance of
1 about