4 SUMMARY OF THE VOYAGE OF 



the latter was made the centre of some extensive surveying operations on the coast. On 

 the 19th November, the vessel anchored in the Gulf of Fonseca, for the purpose of 

 survey. The town of San Carlos, situated on its shores, is in 13° 21' N. lat. The 

 examination occupied till the close of the year, and during this time the floor of the 

 gulf was very closely examined : our success was not, however, in proportion to our 

 exertions ; and it was thought, that the recent eruption of the neighbouring volcano of 

 Conseguina might have destroyed many of the inhabitants of the sea, and it was the 

 received opinion that the water was more shoal. Molluscous animals were propor- 

 tionately few, whilst there seemed a greater number of those fish which are usually 

 brought up from the mud by the dredge and trawl, and a fair proportion of Crus- 

 tacea. 



On the 14th January, 1839, we entered the Gulf of Nicoya, in 9° 55' N. lat. 

 which in many respects proved directly the reverse of Fonseca — as far as natural history 

 was concerned. The belt of the gulf was found richly furnished with its peculiar 

 tenants ; the waters abounded with multitudes of fish, and at night was endued with a 

 phosphorescence, even brilliant to those accustomed to witness it. Every spot within the 

 influence of the ocean was fertile in the simpler organized beings. Beyond the shores, 

 however, the nature of the country was such, that little could be obtained. Early in 

 March the Sulphur quitted the gulf for Panama, touching, on her way, at the bay of 

 Honda and at Quibo. On the 2Cth we finally bade farewell to Panama, and sailed for the 

 Sandwich Islands. Cocos Island was in the track, and accordingly again visited. A 

 fortnight was spent in the group ; and on the 16th June we were again under weigh on 

 another circuit of the North Pacific. 



As, on the previous occasion, the northern ocean was noticed to abound in marine 

 animals, and in numbers truly astonishing. A continuous belt of anatifa, upwards of 

 a hundred miles across, was traversed, and velellse were likewise very abundant. On the 

 6th July, a few hours were spent at Kodiack, on the peninsula of Alashka, among a 

 glowing and vigorous vegetation. The same evening saw us on our way to Sitka ; and, 

 on the 16th, we regained our former anchorage. In a few days the Sulphur sailed for 

 the Columbia River, in 46° 1G' N. lat., where she arrived on the 28th. The time spent 

 here was not so productive to our pursuits as might have been expected. The surround- 

 ing shores are indeed clothed with a magnificent vegetation, and here there was much 

 occupation. But the extensive bay into which the Columbia river expands, previous to 

 mixing with the ocean, and which was chiefly accessible, is filled alternately by the fresh 



