PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 323 



west of the anchorage, a hundred and thirty feet high, chap. 

 with twelve fathoms water all round it. v 



The afternoon was well advanced before we anchor- Jan. 

 ed in the Road of San Bias, and the refreshing sea- ^^^^' 

 breeze, sweeping the shores of the bay, had already 

 dispersed the mist, which until then steamed from the 

 hot swampy savannahs that for many miles surround 

 the little isolated rock upon which the town is built* 

 The inhabitants had not yet returned from Tepic, to 

 which place they migrate during the tiempo de las 

 aguas ; the rainy season, so called from the manner in 

 which the country is deluged with rain in the summer 

 time. 



At the time of our arrival in Mexico political affairs 

 were very unsettled, and the property of British mer- 

 chants was so much endangered, that I was compelled 

 to accede to a request of the merchants, made through 

 the vice-consul of San Bias, that I would delay my 

 return to England, and remain until they could collect 

 their funds, and that I would receive them on board 

 for conveyance to Europe. As it would require several 

 weeks before this specie could be got together, I pro- 

 posed to visit Guaymas, and to examine the eastern 

 coast of the Gulf of California ; but this was frus- 

 trated by the revolt of Bravo, the vice-president of 

 Mexico, and by the affairs of the state becoming so 

 disorganized that the merchants further requested me 

 not to quit the anchorage until they assumed a less 

 dangerous aspect. 



Shortly after our arrival we began to feel the effects 

 of the unhealthy climate of San Bias, by several of 

 the seamen being affected with intermittent fevers and 

 agues, the common complaints of the place, particularly 

 with persons who reside upon low ground, or who are 



