PACIFIC PORTS. 
Ill 
" I have carefully examined the charts of Mr. Trastour, and 
have not the slightest hesitation in expressing my confidence in 
his accuracy. I should therefore have been merely repeating 
the work which Mr. Trastour has just completed with so much 
industry. In all points where I have obtained results in deter- 
mining the latitude, the variation of the compass, the rise and 
fall of the tide, and the time of high water at the full and change 
of the moon, and in sketching in the topography of the adjacent 
country, our conclusions coincide." 
( Again, he says in another place : " From all the foregoing- 
considerations, I am of opinion that La Ventosa is not only the 
best, but the point for a harbor on the Pacific coast of the 
Isthmus. It is a far safer and better port than either Val- 
paraiso in Chili, or Monterey in California; ports in con- 
stant use the year throughout. I speak from personal observa- 
tion, as well as from an examination of the several charts, and 
their similarity of outline has suggested the comparison ; for, 
although the indentation of the coast is possibly a little deeper 
at each of these places than at La Yentosa, yet they are both 
open to the northward, and as the general c trend' of the coast 
is nearly north and south, the prevailing gales blow directly 
along shore, and into these harbors, creating a heavy swell, and 
often forcing vessels to c slip and go to sea' for safety : whereas, 
at La Yentosa the ' trend' of the coast is east and west, so that 
the c Northers' blow directly off shore, and create no swell what- 
ever. The danger being from the sudden strain brought upon 
a cable by the surging of a vessel in a sea-way, and not from 
the steady strain caused by the wind, it follows that northers 
may be disregarded in an estimate of the safety of this anchor- 
age, as was satisfactorily shown in the case of the Gold Hunter. 
But northers, although frequent during the winter, and seldom 
occurring at other seasons, are the only gales that blow in this 
region. The southerly winds, characteristic of the summer and 
autumn, are said to be nothing more than thunder squalls of 
short duration, and incapable of raising a sea. Even the fresh 
and steady sea-breezes that prevailed during the latter portion 
of our stay at La Yentosa, were unaccompanied by any increase 
of swell. 
