TO SAN DIEGO. 87 
the sea, that it was with some difficulty that we could 
find a landing place. Seeing a little nook, which the 
dashing waters had worn away from the rocky mass, 
we made for this, and succeeded in getting on shore, 
From this place it required much labor to clamber 
up the rocks for some fifty feet; after which the 
ascent became easy, and we met with no difficulty 
in reaching the crest of the island, half a mile distant. 
The island is a solid wedge-shaped rock, about five 
hundred feet high, save at the point where we landed, 
where it is slightly shelving. It runs north-east and 
south-west, and is about a mile in length, by half that 
in breadth at its widest part. ‘Towards the northern 
end its breadth is less than a quarter of a mile. There 
is some soil on its surface; yet it is entirely destitute 
of trees. A few small shrubs are seen; and wherever 
there is soil, it is covered with grass and a great abun- 
dance of wild flowers, which in certain spots are so 
numerous, that they appear like patches of orange, 
purple, and yellow, when seen from the water. I 
walked across and along the whole length of the 
island, but could descend in no place except where 
we landed. Cacti and other plants grew among the 
rocks, of which Mr. Thurber obtained specimens. 
About a mile to the north-west is another island of 
nearly the same dimensions as that we were upon, and 
between them two smaller ones, or rather two masses 
of rocks, some fifty feet high, without any vegetation. 
It was among these that Captain Ottinger wished to 
examine the depth of water; and he was gratified to 
find excellent anchorage there. Vessels may, therefore, 
anchor on both sides of these islands, and be well pro- 
