A TRIP TO TRINIDAD. 



387 



At sunrise, I persuaded our captain to sound, and 

 at sixty fathoms we did not reach bottom. The 

 temperature of the surface water was much warmer 

 than we had found it elsewhere, being 26°. 8 C, (80° 

 F.), exceeding by 4°. 2 0. our observations near the 

 breakers of Diego Perez. Half a mile from the 

 shore, the water was only 25°.5 C, (78° F.), and 

 although we had no opportunity to sound, I do not 

 doubt that the depth was less. On the 14th of 

 March, we entered the river Guaurabo, one of the 

 ports of Trinidad, to land the Batabano pilot who 

 had run as on the mud so often while crossing the 

 banks of the Jardinillos. We also hoped to find 

 there a mail packet, under whose convoy we might 

 sail to Oarthagena. I landed in the afternoon, and 

 set on the beach Borclas' dip-needle, and an artificial 

 horizon, in order to observe the passage of several 

 stars across the meridian ; but we had hardly begun 

 our preparations, when some Catalan shop-keepers, 

 who had been dining on board a foreign vessel 

 which had lately arrived, invited us with many 

 demonstrations of pleasure to accompany them to 

 the city. These honest people made us mount, two 

 on each horse, and as the heat was excessive we did 

 not hesitate to accept their frank and simple offer. 



Trinidad is four miles from the mouth of the 

 Guaurabo in a northeast direction, and the road 



