158 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL.1 



for coral masses, and several dredging stations in 2 to 40 fathoms in a 

 variety of bottom, mostly from the head of the bay along the north shore, 

 out past Punta Blanca, but there is one near Cape Elena. The dredge 

 hauls in the mud and dead shell were not very productive. 



Cape Elena is a conspicuous, long, narrow, rocky ridge, like Punta 

 Blanca, rising high, abruptly from the water's edge. South of Cape Elena, 

 the Gulf of Culebra, larger than the Gulf of Papagayo, extends 32 miles 

 to Cape Velas. Within the gulf and forming the head of it is an open bay, 

 not named on the charts, 16 miles long and 7 miles wide. The north 

 shore of the gulf is bold and hilly, but the remainder of the coast, in gen- 

 eral, is relatively low. There are several small sandy beaches. On the 

 north shore, between Cape Elena and the entrance to the inner bay, there 

 are two small bays, wide open toward the south, Murcielago Bay, con- 

 taining the Bat Islands and the Little Bat Islands, and Potrero Grande 

 Bay, free of islands. Appearing as extensions of the southern portion of 

 the inner bay, there are a number of small bays, the most important of 

 which is Port Culebra; "the finest harbor in Central America is spacious, 

 secure, and easy of access, with depths sufficient for the largest ships." 

 The entrance to the southwest, 1 mile wide, lies between Mala Point, to 

 the north, and Buena Point, to the south. Inside the entrance, it increases 

 in width to 2 miles or more ; the head is 4 miles from the entrance. 



Off Point Mala are the North Viradores, two rocky islets, the outer 

 of which has a conspicuous rocky column 60 feet high. 



Although Buena Point is at the immediate entrance to Port Culebra, 

 it might be considered that the southeast shore extends beyond this point 

 to Cacique Point, 2 miles farther out, off which are the South Viradores, 

 three small grass-covered islets that stand out similarly to the North 

 Viradores to guard the entrance to the port. 



Although the harbor is safe and secure, the papagayo that blows up 

 during the day may make the surface choppy enough to materially disturb 

 small boats. The coast here supplies a good example of the way in which 

 the arid cactus-laden, sea-swept points lead inland to well-wooded sur- 

 faces or even good grazing land. 



Shore collecting has been done along the slough on the south shore, 

 on the rocks at Mala Point, Buena Point, and Cacique Point, dredging 

 from the head of the bay, where mollusks and echinoderms are dominant, 

 to out past the South Viradores, in depths of 20 fathoms or less. The bot- 

 tom varies, there being mostly sand, mud, and shell at the head of the 

 bay and sand, shell, and rock farther out, with a greater variety of species. 

 Coral masses were obtained from near Point Mala. 



