E.VKK OF LA TXBOEA. 
201 
'Lestci’n extremity of the great bank of La Vibora. Wo 
M'ere often torce’d to diverge from our course; and, on 
account of the extreme smallness of our vessel, no were 
almost constantly under water. On the 18th INfarch, at 
Loon, we found ourselves in latitude 18° 17* 40®, and in 
81° 50* longitude. The horizon, to the height of SO", was 
covered with those reddish vapours so common within the 
tropics, and which never seem to affect the hygrometer at 
the surface of the globe. We passed fifty miles west of 
Cape Isegril on the south, nearly at the point where several 
charts indicate an insulated flat, of which the position is 
similar to that of Sancho Pardo, opposite to Capo San 
Antonio de Cuba. We saw no change in the bottom. It 
appears that the rocky shoal at a depth of four fathoms, 
uoar Ca,p6 has no moro cxistcnco than the rock 
(cascabel) itself, long believed to mark the western extre- 
mity of La Yibora (Pedro Bank, Portland Eock,_or la Sola), 
marking the eastern extremity. On the 19th of March, at 
four in the afternoon, tlie muddy colour of the sea denoted 
tliat we had reached that part of the bank of La Vibora, 
where we no longer find fifteen, and indeed scarcely nine or 
ten, fathoms of water. Our chronometrie longitude was 
81° 3*; and our latitude probably below 17°. I was sur- 
prised that, at the noon observation, at 17° 7* of latitude, 
We yet perceived no change in the colour of the water. 
Spanish vessels going from Batabano or Trinidad de Cuba 
to Carthagena, usually pass over the bank of La Vilrora, on 
its western side, at ‘between fifteen and sixteen fathoms 
Water. The dann'crs of tlie breakers begin only beyond the 
meridian 80° 45' west longitude, lii passing along the 
hank on its southern limit, as pilots often do in proceeding 
from Cumana or other parts of the mainland, to the threat 
Cayman or Cape San Antonio, they need not ascend along 
the rocks, above 16° 47' latitude, i'ortunately the currents 
*■^11 on the whole bank to S.W. 
Considering La Vibora not as a submerged land, but as a 
heaved-up part of the surface of the globe, which has not 
reached the level of the sea, we are struck at finding on 
this great submarine island, as on the neighbouring land of 
Jamaica and Cuba, the loftiest heights towards its extern 
boundary. In that direction are situated Portland Eock, 
