500 
GUAYMAS TO 
ta de la Bruxa, a mile and a half in width. The hills 
which encompass the bay, rise abruptly; hence the 
water is very deep, and ships of the largest burden 
may approach within a few yards of the shore. A 
thousand vessels might lie within the harbor, and be 
amply protected against any wind. A stranger ap- 
proaching the town by land, except just opposite the 
entrance, would imagine that he saw before him a 
placid mountain lake, rather than an arm of the sea. 
So completely inclosed is the town with high hills 
immediately behind it, that it enjoys little benefit from 
its proximity to the sea. On the western side, the bay 
is separated from the ocean by a narrow isthmus, about 
four hundred yards in width, where, it is said, nature 
intended forming a third entrance, but this has never 
been accomplished. One of the enterprising governors 
of Acapulco conceiving the idea of completing what 
nature had begun, actually caused an opening to be 
made through the mountain, which, as it answers the 
purpose of admitting the air, is acknowledged to be of 
essential service. This opening is called “ VAbra de 
San Nicolas. 
At the extreme point of the town commanding the 
entrance to the bay, is the Castle of San Carlos, a for- 
midable looking fortress. It is built of large blocks of 
stone, and is surrounded by a deep trench redoubt, 
but, like every thing else in the country, is much out 
of repair. The walls have been rent in several places 
from top to bottom by earthquakes ; and where large 
portions had fallen entirely, the stones had simply been 
piled up again. . Around this fortification I saw hun- 
dreds of well dressed people taking an afternoon walk, 
