138 
BOOA BEL DEAGO. 
the captain continued to steer NNW, in search of tlm 
latter island. 
An observation of the meridian altitude of the sun fully 
confirmed the latitude obtained by Douwes’s method. No 
more doubt remained as to the position of the vessel, with 
respect to the island, and we resolved to double Cape North 
(Tobago) to pass between that island and Grenada, and steer 
towards a port in Margareta. 
The island of Tobago presents a very picturesque aspect. 
It is merely a heap oi rocks carefully cultivated. The 
dazzling whiteness of the stone forms an agreeable con- 
trast to the verdure of some scattered tufts of trees. Cylin* 
dric and very lofty cactuses crown the top of the mountains, 
and give a peculiar physiognomy to this tropical landscape. 
The sight of the trees alone is sufficient to remind the 
navigator that he has reached an American coast ; for these 
cactuses are as exclusively peculiar to the New World, as the 
heaths are to the Old. 
We crossed the shoal which joius Tobago to the island of 
Grenada. The colour of the sea presented no visible change ; 
but the centigrade thermometer, plunged into the water 
to the depth of some inches, rose only to 23° ; while farther 
at sea eastward on the same parallel, and equally near the 
surface, it kept at 25’6°. Notwithstanding the currents, 
the cooling of the water indicated the existence of the 
shoal, which is noted in only a very few charts. The 
wind slackened after sunset, and the clouds disappeared 
as the moon reached the zenith. The number of falling 
stars was very considerable on this and the following 
nights ; they appeared less frequent towards the north 
than the south over Terra Pinna, which we began to coast. 
This position seems to prove the influence of local causes 
on meteors, the nature of which is not yet sufficiently 
known to us. 
On the 14th at sunrise, we were in sight of the Boca 
del Drago. We distinguished Chacachacarreo, the most 
westerly of the islands situated between Cape Paria and the 
north-west cape of Trinidad. When we were five leagues 
distant from the coast, we felt, near Punta de la Boca, the 
effect of a particular current which carried the ship south 
