LOS CORONADOS 207 



of the sea. It can be found readily by yachtsmen and 

 fishermen, the northwestern end lying about twenty- 

 seven miles 164° true (s.s.e. j e. mag.) from the eastern 

 end of San Nicolas Island, and about thirty-seven 

 miles 247° true (s.w. f w. mag.) from the northern end 

 of San Clemente Island. 



Cortez Bank, which lies to the south, is the real 

 "lost island," as this submerged mountain rises from 

 water over half a mile deep to within fifteen feet of 

 the surface, and has an area of about twenty-five 

 miles long and eight miles wide. 



At some points the depth is six hundred feet, but 

 the shallow portion is over Bishop's Rock at the south- 

 ern portion of the bank. The south end of the bank 

 lies about thirty-eight miles south-southwest from the 

 south end of San Clemente Island. The exact direc- 

 tion may be found in the "U. S. Coast Pilot." 



Bishop's Rock, which is the summit of this moun- 

 tain of the sea, or the remains of a lost island, has but 

 fifteen feet of water over it; even in smooth weather 

 the sea breaks, while in rough weather the summit is 

 a mass of foam. 



For several miles west of the rock there is from 

 fifty to seventy feet of water on which is often a 

 heavy ground swell. In almost any civUized country 

 such a menace would have a buoy or a lighthouse or 

 something to warn the mariner, but Bishop's Rock is 

 only charted, and how many galleons of old times or 

 ships of modern days have gone down on the lost island 

 it would be difficult to tell. On very smooth days the 

 bottom shows rocks covered with richly colored weeds, 

 waving in the curious currents which sweep in and 

 about the summit seemingly without rhyme or reason. 



