Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/199

1838.] the authorities, landed her invalids, and established an hospital in a house hired for that purpose. Her astronomical and other observations were conducted at the south extremity of the town beach, on a spot inaccessible to land or sea breeze.

During our stay we re-surveyed the port, and corrected several errors which were said to exist, particularly one of three and a half fathoms in the fairway; upon which, however, eight and a half were found by the lead. It must therefore be an error in figure.

The harbour of Acapulco has long been reckoned, for its size, one of the most complete in the world. It affords sheltered land-locked anchorage of sixteen fathoms and under, in a surface of one mile square; which, allowing for moorings, would, at half a cable range, or one cable asunder, accommodate one hundred sail of vessels, even of the line. The bottom is sandy at its surface, but clayey beneath, and holds well.

It would naturally be inferred that, surrounded on its north and east sides by mountains ranging from two thousand, to two thousand seven hundred feet, and by others of three to five hundred feet on the west, the breeze would scarcely be felt, and the heat be intolerable. This is confined to the town limits; at our observatory, and at the port, San Carlos, we enjoyed a constant breeze.

In all harbours there may be objectionable berths, but in that of Acapulco, if care be taken to keep in VOL. I.