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June.] COAST ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 99 



foxes, and a number of other quadrupeds of different species. The 

 groves are tenanted by a great variety of birds of the most beautiful 

 plumage, and the gently undulating plains are clothed with a rich ver- 

 dure, gayly enamelled with a variety of flowers. 



June 2d. — We arrived at Byers's Strait (so called in honour of one 

 of our owners), which separates the island of St. Martin from that of 

 La Madre de Dios. A ship of any size may pass through this strait 

 with ease and safety, as it is clear of danger. On the north shore are 

 two fine harbours, and there is another which is very commodious on 

 the south-east part of the island of St. Martin, about five miles from 

 Cape St. Jago. By following the eastern shore of St. Jago, which 

 runs in a north-east direction, this port is easily found. The entrance 

 is plain, and the course of the channel is north-west for about two miles, 

 forming a circular basin completely land-locked by a few small islands 

 at its entrance. The depth of water in going in is ten fathoms ; and 

 within the basin from five to fifteen fathoms, mud and clay bottom. 

 Both water and wood can be procured here with the greatest ease, 

 and a ship may heave-out with perfect safety on the west side of the 

 basin. 



June Vlth. — On leaving the little strait of Byers, we proceeded to 

 examine the western shore of the island La Madre de Dios, keeping 

 the boats along-shore for that express purpose, until we arrived at Cape 

 Three Points, in lat. 49° 48' S., long. 75° 50' W. This was on 

 Thursday, the 12th of June. Here we found the variation 19° 56' 

 easterly, per azimuth. 



About twenty miles north-by-west-half-west from Cape Three Points 

 is Cape Corso, projecting from the continent, and between these two 

 capes is the entrance to the Gulf of Trinidad. On the north and south 

 sides of the cape last named are several excellent harbours, and within 

 the gulf, about fifteen miles south-east of Cape Corso, is one of the 

 finest I have ever seen, running into the mainland, and sheltered by a 

 small round island, of moderate elevation, which lies in front of the 

 entrance. A ship may pass on either side of this island within a 

 cable's length, and then choose her own anchorage either on the east 

 or west side of the basin, in from four to twenty fathoms of water, clay 

 bottom. 



The harbour on the north side of Cape Corso is about eighteen miles 

 from its point, in the direction of north-north-east-half-east, being a 

 spacious bay, sheltered from all winds, and sufficiently capacious to 

 moor one hundred ships of the line. The depth of water at its entrance 

 is forty fathoms ; but on the west and south-west side of the bay are 

 found from five to twenty fathoms, sand and mud bottom. 



The island of La Madre de Dios, of which Cape Three Points is 

 the north-western extremity, terminates that chain of islands which 

 forms the Sound or Gulf of Trinidad ; that extensive channel or striit 

 which, as before stated, runs in a southerly direction to the Strait of 

 Magellan, with which it unites at Cape Tamer. Its northern entrance 

 is between Cape Corso on the main, and Cape Three Points on the 

 island of La Madre de Dios. This passage, throughout, abounds with 

 good harbours and excellent places of shelter. Its eastern side, which 



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