NO. 2 FRASER : SCIENTIFIC WORK, VELERO III, EASTERN PACIFIC 167 



South of the mouth of the San Juan River, for a long way, the type 

 of the coast line changes but little. It is 20 miles southeastward to Buena- 

 ventura Bay, 80 miles southwest from this, 35 miles westward, and 32 

 miles south-southwest to the entrance of Ensenada Tumaco, which is 23 

 miles wide at the entrance. It is 18 miles southwest of this, and then 14 

 miles southeast to the boundary between Colombia and Ecuador. 



Ecuador 



Plates 89-92; Charts 89, 90 



Lying 16 miles off the islands in the delta of the Sangnianga River, 

 in the western trend of this part of the coast, is Gorgona island, 5 miles 

 long north-northeast and south-southwest, and 1% miles wide, with three 

 noticeable peaks, the highest 1,296 feet. In its ruggedness, in its lush vege- 

 tation, and in its abundant precipitation, it bears some resemblance to 

 Cocos Island. 



Just a quarter of a mile south of Gorgona is the smaller island, Gor- 

 gonilla, about a mile in length, with a precipitous shore except for a palm- 

 laden beach near its northwest point. La Roca, a saillike or shiplike rock, 

 1% miles south of Gorgonilla, is a conspicuous landmark that can be seen 

 from the south for a long distance. 



Three calls have been made at Gorgona Island, and 24 collecting sta- 

 tions established. The shore collecting has been largely confined to the 

 north end and the east side, as far south as Watering Bay, some of it in 

 the fresh-water stream there, mostly though on the rocks, and in the 

 crevices and caves that abound around the northeast point. Coral masses 

 are relatively abundant and easily obtained. For dredging, the east side 

 of the island is not very good. The water deepens rapidly and the bottom 

 is mostly mud, but not the silt variety near the mainland. Some mud 

 brought up from 150 fathoms, northeast of the island, surely took the 

 palm for real stickiness. North of the island, in rock and gravel, it is 

 much better. Along the west side the water remains shallow much far- 

 ther out, and in 30 fathoms or less the bottom is mostly shell. Sometimes 

 the masses of shell are all dead and then the hauls are not so valuable. 

 Farther south, toward Gorgonilla, the bottom is rocky, rough with corals, 

 some of which may readily be seen in the clear, shallow water. In the 

 channel between Gorgona and Gorgonilla the mud again appears. 



From the Colombia-Ecuador boundary the coast extends southward, 

 80 miles, to Galera Point. Here the nature of the coast line begins to 



