ClIAlS Of SITOAta. 
22 !) 
Punta de Mulas, in the ports of Sama, Naranjo, del Padre, 
and Niievas Grandes. It is remarkable, that near the latter 
port, almost in the same meridian where, on the southern 
side of the island, are situated the shoals of Buena Esperanza 
and of Las doce Lcguas, stretching as far as the island of 
Pinos, we find the commencement of the uninterrupted 
series of the cayos of the Old Channel, extending to the 
length of ninety-four leagues, from Niievitas to Punta 
leacos. The Old Channel is narrowest opposite to Cayo 
Cruz and Cayo Eomano ; its breadth is scarcely more than 
five or six leagues. On this point, too, the G-reat Bank of 
Pahama takes its greatest development. The Cayos nearest 
the island of Cuba, and those parts of the bank not covered 
'vith water (Long Island, Eleuthera) are, like Cuba, of a 
long and narrow shape. Were they only twenty or thiity 
feet higher, an island much larger than St. Domingo would 
appear at the surface of the ocean. The chain of breakers 
and cayos that bound the navigable part of the Old Chamiel 
towards the south, leave between the channel and the coast 
of Cuba small basins without breakers, which communicate 
■^’ith several ports having good anchorage, such as Guanaja, 
Moron, and Kemedios. 
Having passed through the Old Channel, or rather the 
Channel of San Nicolas, between Cruz del Padre and the 
l^ank of the Cayos de Sel, the lowest of which furnish 
Springs of fresh water, we again find the coast, from Punta 
de Icacos to Cabanas, free from danger. It afibrds, in the 
interv'al, the anchorage of Mataiizas, Puerto Escondido, the 
Havannah, and JIuriel. Further on, westward of Bahia 
Honda, the possession of which might well tempt a maritime 
enemy of Spain, the chain of shoals recommences* and ex- 
tends without interruption as far as Cape San Antonio. 
Prom that cape to Punta de Piedras and Bahia de Cortez, 
the coast is almost pi’ecipitous, and does not afford soundings 
at any distance ; but between Punta de Piedras and Cabo 
Cruz, almost the whole southern part of Cuba is surrounded 
^'ith shoals of which the isle of Pinos is but a portion not 
covered with water. These shoals are distinguished on the 
West by the name of Gardens (Jai’dines y Jardinillos) ; and 
* They are here called Bajos de Santa Isabel y de los Colorado*. 
