Angelos Island, N. W. 7 miles.

Angelos island, which we also passed on the 12th, is separated from the California shore by Whale's channel, which is about ten or fifteen miles wide. The island is about thirty miles in length, mountainous, rocky, and uninhabited. It lies between 29° 10′ and 29° 50′ N., and in longitude about 113° W.

We had received information in Guyamas of a small bay somewhere upon the California coast, in this vicinity, where fresh water could be obtained, and on the 13th, having rounded the northern extremity of Angeles island, we ran before the wind down Whale's channel, (where we observed a southerly current of about three miles per hour,) in search

of it.

We discovered a large island lying close to the California shore, off the southern extremity of Angeles island, in latitude 29° 3', longitude 112° 59' W., which, not being put down upon any chart, I named Smith's island, in compliment to the general commanding, by whose order the expedition was undertaken.

This island is about a mile north of Angeles bay, which we found and entered on the 14th. This is a small indentation in the coast, about four miles in width, slightly open to the castward, with a sandy bottom, in about ten fathoms water. The adjacent country is extremely wild and rugged. The hills are covered with huge boulders, which are coarsely aggregated masses of quartz, mica, and feldspar, and I noticed several isolated blocks of grey granite and sienite. There are three springs of slightly brackish water at the foot of the highest hill, and a bed of most excellent oysters is exposed at low tide. The water may be found by noticing the reeds which grow about it, and which are the only green things to be seen in the vicinity.

and

The deep and rugged channels running down the sides of the mountains, and the immense pile of boulders forming their sides, would seem to indicate that at certain seasons of the year great quantities of water must fall here; but at the time of our visit everything appeared dry and parched. There are many varieties of cactus in the vicinity, but no nourishing herbs or grasses, and we saw no traces of game, but a few tracks of coyotes wild goats near the spring. The bay is probably well known to the people inhabiting the interior, as we found many traces of old encampments, piles of oyster shells, heaps of ashes, and many mule-tracks leading to the southward. There are plenty of turtle in the harbor, but we did not succeed in taking any. The sketch will give an idea of the character and topography of the bay, though by no means the result of an accurate survey.

We remained at Angeles bay until the 18th, when, having filled our water-casks, we weighed anchor and stood out from our anchorage into Whale's channel. If being low tide we noticed several sunken rocks at the entrance, which we had not perceived on coming in. The rise and fall at Angeles bay is about fifteen feet. Its longitude is 113° 25′ 30′′ W., latiitude 29° 5' N. We had rain on the 19th in squalls, and on the 20th a gale from the northwest, against which we steadily beat up for the head of the gulf. On the 21st we sounded when about five miles from the California shore, and found the depth from twenty to twenty-five fathoms. On the 22d we passed within four miles of a very remarkable rock, which at a distance has the appearance of a ship with all sail set. I named it the "Ship rock," but am inclined to think it identical with Hardy's "Clarence

island," although twenty miles to the westward of the position which he lays down. We sailed over the latitude and longitude of his Clarence island, but saw nothing of it. The Ship rock is apparently a mile in circumference, about two hundred feet in height, and perfectly white with guano. We sounded continually on the 22d, and found a depth of twenty fathoms, with a sandy bottom. In the afternoon we observed a column of smoke in the distance, bearing N. 60° W., which we afterwards ascertained to be caused by the Indians burning the reeds on the river Colorado. On the 23d the land was plainly discernible on both coasts of the gulf; on the California side bold and mountainous, but on the Mexican low and sandy. Sounding continually, we found but about thirteen fathoms water, and we noticed constantly masses of reeds, trunks of trees, &c., floating past us, and at 6 p. m., the wind having died away, we dropped anchor in six fathoms water. We found by throwing the log, a current setting southward about a mile and a half per hour. The soundings from the 21st had shown us that the bottom was a fine blue pipe-clay, which (mentioned by Hardy) indicated our approach to the mouth of the river. On the 24th we weighed anchor and ran over to the California shore, the water shoaling gradually from six fathoms to ten feet, and at night we anchored between Montague island (which we readily recognised by Hardy's description, see chart) and the main land. The country here is low, flat, and covered with dwarf reed and coarse grass. Thousands of trunks of trees lie scattered over its surface as far as the eye can reach, showing that it must be entirely overflowed at the season of freshets.

We landed on the 25th, both on Montague island and the main, and found the soil clay detritus and the vegetation scanty. The two islands

Sargent's Pt.

Montague I.

Gore I.

situated in the mouth of the river, called by Hardy Montague and Gore, are low, flat and sandy. They are separated by a channel about one mile in width, and extremely shallow. They are evidently formed by the accumulation of the sand and detritus from the river, and are gradually increas ing in size. We commenced the survey of the river upon the 25th, which we continued from day to day, as we ascended. On the 27th, by taking advantage of the tide, we had succeeded in reaching Unwin's point, off which we anchored, and noticing the smoke of several fires in the distance, which we hoped might be at Major Heintzleman's encampment, fired several guns to warn him of our approach. The log gave us at this point a current at ebb tide of four miles and a half per hour, which we found to be the average velocity, except at spring tides, when it is much increased.

On the 28th we left our anchorage at 7 a. m., and beat up with the flood tide until about 9, when we grounded off Charles's point. The sound

Ballecitas Mountains-Sketch, looking west.