NO. 1 GEOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT AND STATION RECORDS 19 



anchorage may be had in 7 to 8 fathoms. These bays are located off the 

 towns of Porlamar and Pampatar, respectively, on the southeast shore of 

 the island. The latter anchorage is frequented by coastwise traders and 

 is a regular port of call for ocean-going vessels, with a customs house and 

 pier. No recent figures are available on the population of Margarita 

 Island, but it approached 50,000 in the days of natural pearl fisheries. 



The aspect of Margarita Island is quite different from that of Curagao 

 and Aruba, the only two off-coast islands approaching it in size. There 

 are probably two good reasons for this difference. One is that, being so 

 much higher than the Dutch islands, Margarita receives condensed mois- 

 ture from the higher atmospheric layers. The other is that the desert 

 aspect of the mainland coast in western Venezuela has by this time be- 

 come more tropical. The result is that Margarita Island, particularly the 

 eastern portion, is well vegetated. This was apparent even at the end of 

 the dry season. The similarity to the dry, but well-covered hillsides of 

 Parker Bay, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, from which members of 

 the Velero party had recently come, was striking. 



The Velero III did not put in to port at Margarita Island, but 

 several dredging stations were occupied near by in passing. These were 

 midway in the channel between Mosquitos Point and Coche Island, 19-33 

 fathoms, coarse sand and shell, accomplished on the eastern lap of the 

 cruise, and 7 miles north of the west end of the island, 21-22 fathoms, 

 sand and shell, and 4 miles north, 17-18 fathoms, sand and shell, ac- 

 complished on the return voyage. (See Chart no. 7.) 



Los Frayles are a group of rocks lying 10 miles east by north of Cabo 

 de la Isla, most northerly point of Margarita Island. The largest is about 

 300 feet high and steep sided, with no sandy beach visible. 



Cubagua and Coche Islands 



(Collecting Stations A24-A33) 

 In the channel between Margarita Island and the Venezuelan main- 

 land lie two small islands so similar in many respects that they are treated 

 together. The westernmost is Cubagua and the easternmost Coche Island. 

 The distance between them is 9^^ miles, which is a little more than the 

 distance of Cubagua from the mainland and about twice the distance of 

 either from Margarita Island. The length of Cubagua Island is 5 miles, 

 that of Coche 6. The height of each is approximately 200 feet. Both are 

 steep sided, with conspicuous light bluffs, and from each a shoal extends 

 toward the most southerly projecting point of Margarita Island. Depths 

 of 24 and 25 fathoms may be found, however, between them and the 

 larger island. 



