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 1837.] having been completed, we again put to sea in our route to Realejo.

As the 21st March was at hand, I determined on selecting the first eligible spot for making our first suite of quarterly observations, and on the evening of the 20th was fortunate enough to find safe landing on a very convenient island off the mouth of the river leading to Pueblo Nueva.

As these observations were principally magnetic, this island received the name of Magnetic Island. No natives who could afford us any information presented themselves; and all we succeeded in eliciting, was that Pueblo Nueva was situated some distance up the river, of which a very partial survey was at that time made.

Our operations here having been completed, we moved on for Realejo. On the 28th, passed the Island of Cano, and on the 29th, between it and the main, found ourselves at daylight, off the mouth of a large inlet, which we had not time to examine; the current setting strong to the eastward; the weather very hazy, followed by thunder, lightning, and rain.

On the morning of the 30th, we passed the Gulf of Nicoya, and close to the island termed Cape Blanco, at its western point. Here we found ourselves obstructed by a point off which the breakers and rocky ledges above water, extended a considerable distance to seaward. The soundings were regular from twenty-five to eleven, and eight and a half fathoms, hard sand, in which latter depth we tacked