s nearing the coast, which convinced the
commander that it was due to the tide, and this was confirmed by the
soundings; in entering the port, as on the first occasion, the tide was
going out, and on the second one the tide was coming in. The altitude
of the sun was taken at noon of that day, with the utmost care, and the
latitude was found to be 37 deg. 42' and the longitude 17 deg. 14' W. of San
Blas. At this time Point Ano Nuevo was about fourteen leagues distant
to the southeast south; the Farallones to the northwest, distant four
leagues, and Point Reyes north 1/4 northeast, distant four leagues.
The wind was from the west. At 4 p. m. the vessel was steered to the
north-northeast, and half an hour later soundings were taken and bottom
found at sixteen brazas[46] of mud and sand mixed, and distant from the
mouth about two leagues. At 5 p. m. bottom was found at fifteen brazas,
with the same kind of bottom material. Sounding was continued and the
bottom was found to be as noted in the large map. The current was so
great at the mouth of this port that at 8:30 p. m., with a strong wind
from the west-southwest with full sails, the current allowed them to go
not more than a mile and a half per hour, which shows that the current
must go at least six miles at the middle of the channel. The swiftness
of the current, the fact that the launch had not returned and that night
was coming on, made it necessary to seek for an anchorage; this was
done with great care and precaution; as the force of the wind made it
necessary to have full sail, it was feared that some of the rigging
might give way. For that reason, soundings were taken continually with
a 20-lb. lead, and a line of sixty brazas could not reach bottom, either
in the channel or near the point. This seemed very strange until it was
realized that the current was carrying the lead and it did not strike
bottom. They continued thus until they were one league inside the
mouth of the bay and a quarter of a mile from the shore, when the wind
suddenly stopped. Finding that the current was carrying the ship towards
the mouth, an anchor was thrown overboard, after having made it fast
to the big mast so that if it did not catch the bottom it would not
be lost. It was found that the anchor held. Two more anchors were made
ready to drop in case the big one should drag. When the wind stopped
and the current ceased, the vessel was found to be in twenty-two brazas,
with sandy bottom[47].