AYES ISLAND. 369 



noon, when, perceiving that I was unable to conliniie the pursuit, I 

 returned to El. Pie. We searched the whole island, and found there 

 some hags filled with guano, some with stone, and others empty, im- 

 plements, rope, picks, &c., left there by the Americans. In the fissures 

 of the stone guano of various kinds was found, samples of which I 

 have on board, and also have the articles left by tlie persons belonging 

 to the schooner. I then returned to Juan Griego, communicated what 

 had taken place to the governor, and thereupon went to Barcelona. I 

 was there two days. From thence I came to La Tortuga, and after- 

 wards to Higuerote, to gather information about the state of Laguayra 

 and Caraccas, and moreover, to take in a fresh supply of water. There 

 I got sick, and could not leave until the 22d, and to-day I have arrived 

 in this port. 



I remain your obedient servant, 

 LSEAL.j Gutierrez. 



J. LEON CORONADO. 



[Translation.] 



E. 



Command of the ivar scJiooner, "IZth of December, 1848. 



Vela de Co^o , Septemher 17, 1855. 

 Mr. Secretary of State in the Office of Treasury : 



In fulfillment of the commission and orders which his excellency 

 the executive authority has thought fit to intrust to me in regard to 

 my keeping strict watch over the islands of Los Monges and coast of 

 Paraguana, I have to communicate to you the following: 



On the 13th of the last month, I came to anchor in this port, for 

 the purpose of landing General Falcon, agreeably to your official 

 order ; and on the 14th, at daybreak, I set sail for the islands of Los 

 Monges, On the same day I arrived at those islands, and on the 

 following day I examined them, one by one, carefully; finding on the 

 first isle, which lies to the southward, two small shanties made of 

 boards and temporarily constructed ; and on the latter, lying further 

 north, another shanty made of boards, and smaller than the shanties 

 on the former island, but of the' same construction. In these shanties 

 were living the North Americans, who were removing guano. I 

 ought to state to you that the kind of guano which is on these islands 

 must be of superior quality to that heretofore discovered on the other 

 islands, on account of its being without any mixture of sand, and on 

 account of its stronger smell, for it is composed of the stones, them- 

 selves petrified with earth, or limestone dissolved from those stones. 

 This is a sufficient reason for believing that it is better; but there is 

 also much difficulty in removing it, and consequently a vessel of regu- 

 lar size, coming to these islands to load with guano, may calculate on 



Ex. Doc. 10 24 



