COAST OF OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. 



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east ; the whole is high and bold, but less elevated near the sea-shore. 

 The Farallones de los Frayles lie off the entrance to San Francisco ; 

 they consist of two groups of rocks and islets, the South, and the 

 Northwest, and lie from each other northwest, 8 miles distant. 



The South Farallones consist of two rocky islets : they bear from 

 the entrance of San Francisco south 66° west, 28 miles, and south 3° 

 west from Punta de los Reyes, 18 miles. The largest is a mile in 

 length, lying east-northeast and west-southwest. It is of volcanic 

 formation, and has a knob or hill on each end ; these are 250 and 300 

 feet high ; from the southward or northward it has a resemblace to a 

 saddle. The land between them is covered with volcanic scoria and 

 pumice : there is no fresh water upon the islet. There are soundings 

 off the southeast side in 15 fathoms water, with good holding-ground. 

 On this side a landing may be easily effected. In clear weather it 

 can be seen 25 miles. The smaller islet is one-third the size of the 

 larger : it lies on the west side of it. The northern cluster consists 

 of several naked rocks, extending in a northwest and southeast direc- 

 tion 3 miles. Between the Northwest and South Farallones there are 

 soundings in 25 to 40 fathoms. When the weather is thick and 

 foggy, which is often the case, if sighted, it is better to approach them 

 and anchor until daylight, rather than stand in toward the coast. 



The entrance to San Francisco is distant from Punta de los Reyes 

 30 miles. To the north, Table Hill rises 2430 feet, descending in 

 lesser hills to Boneta Point, the north and outer point of the entrance ; 

 to the south lie the heights of San Bruno, not so elevated, but quite 

 conspicuous, sloping down towards Point Lobos, which forms the 

 southern point. Off the entrance to San Francisco there is a bar, 

 which extends from the north shore south-by-east 4 miles, and lies 

 outside Boneta Point 5 miles. The shoalest part is near the north 

 shore, gradually deepening towards the south. The least depth of 

 water on the bar is 4 \ fathoms ; as it is approached from seaward, it 

 shoals gradually ; after passing it, the depth again increases to 10 

 and 30 fathoms. On this bar there is usually a long swell, but at 

 the full and new moon very heavy breakers are met with, even on its 

 southern part, in 7 fathoms. Those which we experienced in the 

 Vincennes were entirely unexpected. At sunset, from its falling calm 

 and the tide having changed, we anchored, — the sea then was quite 

 smooth : a few hours afterwards, the swell arose gradually, until we 

 found ourselves riding at anchor among heavy breakers, several of 



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