360 THE REDISCOVERY OF PUERTO RICO 



fitted out for this duty and sailed from Baltimore December 27, Mr Hodge- 

 kins commanding. She arrived off Ponce early in January, and began 

 work in that vicinity by the measurement of a base line and the develop- 

 ment of a scheme of triangulation along the south coast, to serve as a basis 

 for the topographic and hydrographic surveys which were simultaneously 

 in progress. An astronomical azimuth was also measured near Ponce, to 

 insure the correct orientation of the work. In the beginning of the sur- 

 vey, the western point of the bay, which forms the port of Ponce, was 

 taken as the western limit of the detailed work, which was thence carried 

 to the eastward toward Jobos and Arroyo. At the end of March the work 

 on the south coast was temporarily suspended in order to comply with a 

 request from the Navy Department for a detailed survey of the important 

 harbor of San Juan. The survey of the entrance and the principal part 

 of the harbor was completed before the end of April, and the results are 

 shown on a large-scale chart which is about to be issued to the public, 

 blue-print copies having been furnished to the naval authorities at San 

 Juan. This survey verified the important fact that the depth of water 

 on San Juan bar is thirty-five feet, instead of twenty-four, as previously 

 reported. Returning to the south coast, the Blake's company spent the 

 month of May in completing the survey of Port Jobos and approaches 

 of Arroyo bay. Point Viento was the most eastern point reached by the 

 triangulation and topography, and here the season's work was closed. 



Perhaps the most interesting feature of the information obtained dur- 

 ing the season is the careful development of the haven known variously 

 as Port Aguirre, Port Jobos, or Boca del Infierno. previously described 

 by Mr O. H. Tittmann in The National Geographic Magazine (vol. X, 

 p. 206). The Blake found here a good harbor of refuge with a wide and 

 deep entrance and anchorage of sufficient depth for any vessel. The 

 upper portion is somewhat difficult of access and not so deep as the lower 

 anchorage, but is still of considerable value and may in time, under the 

 stimulus of American energy and capital, develop into an important port. 

 Of 'the south coast of Puerto Rico in general it may be said that though 

 there are real dangers to be avoided, they are less to be dreaded than the 

 uncertainty engendered by the old and inaccurate maps. Knowing the 

 true location of the shore line and of the few outlying reefs, navigation 

 along this coast becomes very easy and perfectly safe. 



A curious circumstance developed by this survey is the fact that the 

 island seems to be considerably smaller than has been supposed, at least 

 if one can safely generalize from the experience of one season. Accord- 

 ing to previous information, Point Viento is about fifty miles east of 

 Ponce, but the actual distance was found to be about seven miles less. 

 If this "shrinkage" should be found to extend to other portions of the 

 island, it would make a considerable decrease in the area of the island 

 from the figures usually stated. 



The Harriman Alaska expedition returned to Seattle July 31, after 

 having traveled 1,600 miles in 78 days. The expedition proved most 

 successful, discovering a new bay, several new glaciers, and bringing back 

 an immense treasure Of specimens of birds, plants, animals, etc. 



