50 



FORrfcR's JOURNAL. 



S.W., and stood lor the passage between the East Point an J 

 the island of Alvarade, until eight at night. Being then at 

 the distance of between twelve and fifteen miles, 1 lay oil* 

 and on until naorning, when we ran in with light winds from 

 the northeast. As I had no person on board who knew 

 any thing of the place, I was compelled to trust entirely to 

 the lead 5 therefore kept it constantly going, from the time 

 we first got soundings in seventy fathoms, until we anchored 

 in six ; and nothing could have been more regular or gra- 

 dual than their diminution. The bottom is also remark- 

 able; for, from the time of first striking soundings, until 

 you get inside of Alvarade in ten fathoms water, it is a 

 blue and tenacious mud, so soft that the lead would sink a 

 considerable distance into it. From thence to the anchor- 

 age, it was composed of fine sand mixed with mud. With 

 these soundings, and keeping in the middle of the bay, I ran 

 up within two and a half miles of the principal fortifica- 

 tion, which stands upon an island, at the distance of about 

 one hundred yards from the continent. I then anchored, 

 with the middle of the large barracks in the fort bearing, by 

 compass, N. three quarters E., distant three quarters of a 

 mile. 



Immediately on anchoring, I despatched a boat with 

 lieutenant Downes, to inform the commander of the fort 

 that we were Americans, and in want of supplies, and to 

 come to an understanding about a salute. He returned m 

 aboat two hours with offers of civilities, and a promise from 

 the commander, that he would send an officer and pilot on 

 board, in the morning, to take the ship nearer in, and in a 

 better place for taking in our water, &ic. In the morning, 

 about nine o'clock, an officer came on board with the pilot, 

 and we got under way, with a light baffling wind from the 

 southward, and the tide in our favour, which generally runs 

 here about one and a half knots. After making two tacks, 

 the wind and tide both failed us. We were then about two 

 miles from the place I wished to anchor in. Being anxious 

 to get the vessel secured as soon as possible, and finding 

 that our boats could give us very little assistance in towing, 

 I put in operation an invention of mine for propelling a ship 

 in a calm, which in three quarters of an hour brought her to 

 an anchor, at the back of the fort, and opposite the most con- 

 fenient watering-place, in six fathoms water. This contri- 



