First. There is no objection to Samana in respect to size, position orshape. That it is a little island, lying east and west, is in its favor. Theerosion at the east end, by which islets have been formed, recalls theassertion of Columbus that there it could be cut off in two days and madeinto an island.

　　The Nassau vessels still find a snug anchorage here during thenortheast trades. These blew half a gale of wind at the time of the landfall;yet Navarette, Varnhagen, and Captain Becher anchored the squadron onthe windward sides of the coral reefs of their respective islands, a "leeshore."The absence of permanent lagoons at Samana I have tried to explain.

　　Second. The course from Samana to Crooked is to the southwest,which is the direction that the Admiral said be should steer "tomorrowevening." The distance given by him corresponds with the chart.

　　Third. The second island, Santa Maria, is described as having twosides which made a right angle, and the length of each is given. Thispoints directly to Crooked and Acklin. Both form one island, so fitted tothe words of the journal as cannot be done with any other land of theBahamas.

　　Fourth. The course and distance from Crooked to Long Island is thatwhich the Admiral gives from Santa Maria to Fernandina.

　　Fifth. Long Island, the third, is accurately described. The trend of theshores, "north-northwest and south-southeast;" the "marvelous port" andthe "coast which runs east [and] west," can nowhere be found except at thesoutheast part of Long Island.

　　Sixth. The journal is obscure in regard to the fourth island. The bestway to find it is to "plot" the courses FORWARD from the third island andthe courses and distances BACKWARD from the fifth. These lead toFortune for the fourth.

　　Seventh. The............