EXPLANATION OF THE SKETCH OF THE ISLANDS 
OF ST. CATHARINE’S AND ALVARADO. 
(See the /date of he ad-land 8.) 
At the time these appearances were sketched, we were in 50 
fathoms of water ; the ground was soft blue mud, very tenacious, 
and almost of an impalpable grain. The wind was very light and 
variable, and much of our advancement toward the entrance of the 
sound we were obliged to make by beating; consequently, we had 
the better opportunity for proving the soundings. Our aim, in 
fetching the entrance, was to reach, as near as we could with safe¬ 
ty, the south point of Alvarado. The lead, while on either tack, 
was kept constantly going ; the ground was uniformly of the same 
quality, and the soundings very gradually decreased. When we 
had arrived between the northern point of St. Catharine’s and the 
southern point of Alvarado, the distance between them being about 
2| miles, and the latter point about 1 mile distant from the ship, 
we found the depth of the water to be 12| fathoms, and the ground 
of the same quality as before, except its being a little harder, and 
intermixed with some coarse white grains of sand. Having pass¬ 
ed these points, we proceeded, about midway between the shores, 
toward fort Santa Cruz, a small island close to the main-land. 
Fetching this fort to bear, per compass, S.W.^S., distant S| miles, 
and fort Ponte Groce S.E., distant about two miles, we came to, 
and anchored in 6| fathoms of water; the soundings, all along, 
having preserved the character of remarkable regularity. On 
the following morning, we weighed, passed by fort Santa Cruz, 
came to and anchored in 5| fathoms of water; when fort Santa 
Cruz bore, per compass, N.-JE, dist. | mile; fort Ponte Groce, 
E.N.E.^E., dist. 7miles; fort Ratonia,S.by E.-|E.,dist.4miIes; and 
the highest point of Alvarado, N.E.JN., disk 13 miles. The town 
of St. Miguel, on the main, was in plain sight, bearing south-west¬ 
ward and the town of St. Catharine, not in view, was said to be 
