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mile east-southeastward from Jobos Harbor light. A reef awash surrounds the islet and extends 300 yards northeastward from it.

Ratones Islands lie about 3 mile southward of Point Arenas, and on the western side of the entrance to Jobos Harbor. The islands are two in number, about 4 mile apart, and extend about 1 mile east and west. Jobos Harbor light (white skeleton tower, flashing white), on the eastern end of the eastern island, marks the west side of the main entrance to Jobos Harbor. There is a narrow channel, which may be used by vessels, northward of the islands, connecting Rincon Bay and Jobos Harbor.

Aguirre Central, a prominent large and high red building with high light-brick stack, is on the north side of the harbor northwestward of Point Rodeo. A road leads inland 12 miles to the highway between Ponce and Guayama, and there is communication by telegraph and telephone. A railroad is operated eastward to Guayama and westward to Ponce. There are small piers at the central where lighters can land, and fresh water can be obtained at the pier in boats. In 1920 there was a gasoline boat that would assist vessels in the harbor when the conditions were favorable. Aguirre has a population of 5,807.

Jobos Landing is a small settlement on the north side at the eastern end of the harbor.

Channels.-There are channels between the groups of islands forming the harbor, which are sometimes used by small sailing craft with local knowledge in entering the harbor with the prevailing wind. They are described with the islands preceding.

The principal entrance is between Morrillo Islet and Ratones Islands, and has a clear width of about 2 mile. It is marked by Jobos Harbor light, which stands on the eastern end of Ratones Island. When inside the entrance the channel has a general 120° true (SE by E mag.) direction, and leads across a ridge, with depths of 23 to 29 feet, northward from Pajaros Island.

The channel at Point Colchones leading to the anchorage off Aguirre Central is close to the point and leads between a sand shoal on the southeast and a coral reef fringing the shore on the northwest. The channel is buoyed, and is about 100 yards wide in its narrowest part, with a depth of over 20 feet. The deepest draft taken through the channel is 2212 feet, but this requires local knowledge.

The channel northward of Ratones Islands may be used with care by vessels from Rincon Bay to enter Jobos Harbor or the reverse. It has a depth of about 30 feet, but is only a little over 100 yards wide in its narrowest part between the 24-foot curves.

Anchorages.-Vessels sometimes anchor just inside the entrance between Morrillo Islet and Jobos Harbor light to await daylight or when headed off by the wind from standing up the harbor.

There is good anchorage in the channel from abreast Pajaros Island to abreast the middle of Barca Islands, with depths of 28 to 36 feet in the middle.

The anchorage off Aguirre Central is about 3/4 mile in diameter, and has depths of 19 to 20 fect on the east side, increasing to 23 to 26 feet on its west side. Mooring buoys are maintained off the central. A little swell makes in through Boca del Infierno with southerly winds.

The harbor east of Point Rodeo is landlocked, but rarely used. It has a depth of about 17 feet at its western end, decreasing to about 10 feet at Jobos Landing.

DIRECTIONS, JOBOS HARBOR.-The directions following are good for vessels of 20 feet or less draft to an anchorage in Jobos Harbor off Aguirre Central.

From eastward. From a position 4 miles southward of Point Figuras lighthouse make good a 273° true (W 12 N mag.) course for 11 miles to a position I mile southward of Barca Islands. Then steer about 292° true (NW by W 34 W mag.), and follow the islands at a distance of about 1 mile. When Jobos Harbor light bears 345° (N by W mag.) steer for it until it is about 1/2 mile distant, and then steer about 42° true (NE mag.) and pass midway between it and Morrillo Islet.

From westward.-Approaching from Muertos Island. From a position 3 miles southward of Muertos Island lighthouse make good a 72° true (ENE 34 E mag.) course for about 14 miles to a position 1 mile southward of Jobos Harbor light. Pass about 3 mile southeastward of the light (midway between it and Morrillo Islet) on a 42° true (NE mag.) course.

Approaching from Jauca Islands.-From a position 1 mile southward of Jauca Islands steer 81° true (E 12 N mag.) for nearly 6 miles, giving Media Luna Reef a berth of 34 mile, to a position 1 mile southward of Jobos Harbor light. Pass about 3% mile southeastward of the light (midway between it and Morrillo Islet) on a 42° true (NE mag.) course.

From entrance to anchorage off Aguirre Central.-Pass midway between Jobos Harbor light and Morrillo Islet on a course 42° true (NE mag.), and then haul eastward and pass about 100 yards northward of nun buoy No. 2. Then steer 117° true (SE by E 14 E mag.) for nearly 5 mile to a position 300 yards northward of the northwest end of Pajaros Island. Then steer 105° true (ESE 3% E mag.) with Jobos Harbor light astern and Boca del Infierno ahead, until Point Colchones opens eastward of Puerco Island.

Then round the south point of Puerco Island and pass 200 to 250 yards southeastward of the island on a 48° true (NE 12 E mag.) course heading for Point Rodeo. When up with the fringing reefs at Point Colchones, haul northward to a 34° true (NE 5% N mag.) course, heading between it and the red buoys, and follow the edge of the reef at a distance of about 80 yards, giving the red buoy a berth of 125 yards. Pass about 40 or 50 yards eastward of the black can buoy, and continue the course for the prominent point on the north shore 1/2 mile eastward of the Central. Anchor with the Central bearing 0° true (N 4 E mag.) and Point Rodeo bearing eastward of 109° true (ESE mag.)

From the anchorage off Aguirre to the anchorage off Jobos.There is a depth of 17 feet about 1/2 mile eastward of Point Rodeo. Thence the water shoals gradually to 10 feet off Jobos Landing.

Round Point Rodeo at a distance of 200 yards, and follow the southern shore at that distance, passing in mid-channel southward of the shoal (with prominent bush) lying 3 mile ENE from Point Rodeo. When past this shoal bring it to bear 268° true (W % N mag.) astern, and steer 88° true (E % S mag.). Anchor according to draft.

From Rincon Bay, passing northward of Ratones Islands-Note.— This channel has a width at its narrow part of about 175 yards between the 18-foot curves, and 125 yards between the 24-foot curves, and is not marked. The slope is abrupt on both sides, especially on the south side of the channel, where the shoal generally shows by discolored water. The narrowest part of the channel is about 400 yards westward of the light. The following directions lead through the middle of the channel:

Pass about 1/2 mile northward of the western end of Ratones Islands, and bring the tangent to the north side of the eastern end of Ratones Islands (a little northward of the light) in line with the tangent to the south side of Pajaros Island. Stand in on this range, course 120° true (SE by E mag.) until Point Arenas bears N. Then steer 105° true (ESE 3 E mag.), and follow the north side of Ratones Islands at a distance between 175 and 200 yards. Continue the course and pass 100 yards northward of buoy No. 2, lying 600 yards northward of Morillo Islet. Then steer 117° true (SE by E 14 E mag.), and follow a part of the direction given in section preceding, to Aguirre.

RINCON BAY.

This is the name applied to the large indentation on the south coast of Porto Rico, between Jauca Islands on the west and Ratones Islands on the east. It is about 5 miles wide east and west and 3 miles north and south. The bay is of no commercial importance, but there is a good anchorage on its eastern side during ordinary weather and it is easily entered in the daytime. The general depths in the bay are 8 fathoms, irregular bottom, at the southern end, decreasing to about 5 fathoms at 1 mile from the northern shore. The shores of the bay are mostly low and wooded and the foothills of the mountains lie some distance inland. Several small rivers empty into it.

Point Petrona, lying 534 miles westward from Point Arenas, is low and partly covered with brush or mangrove; it is prominent from eastward or westward, but not from southward. There are a number of prominent sugar mills with stacks northward of the point near Santa Isabel. Foul ground, with depths of 3 to 8 feet, extends southward of the point to Jauca Islands. There is a narrow crooked channel north of the islands, but it is not marked and should not be attempted without local knowledge.

Jauca Islands, lying 14 miles southward of Point Petrona and close together, are three in number, low, and covered with brush and mangrove. The islands are near the western end of a reef which extends about 1 mile northeastward, nearly to Caracoles Island. This reef is bare or awash at low water, nearly steep-to, and the sea always breaks on its southern side. The western end of the reef awash should be given a berth of 400 yards or more.

Caracoles Island, lying 3/4 miles east-northeastward of Jauca Islands, is low and wooded, and about 1/4 mile long east and west. A reef awash extends 1/4 mile east from the island and there is a channel 1/4 mile wide between this reef and Alfenique Reef. There are shoals between the island and the shore northward of it.

Alfenique Reef, awash and on which the sea breaks, lies 3/4 mile eastward of Caracoles Island. It is 3⁄4 mile long in a northeasterly direc

tion, apparently steep-to, and there is a clump of bushes on its southern end. There is a good passage 112 miles wide east of this reef, between it and Media Luna Reef, which leads into the middle of the bay. The depths are 5 to 11 fathoms, irregular bottom, between the reefs. A spot with 414 fathoms lies 3/4 mile northwestward from Media Luna Reef.

Media Luna Reef, partly bare and on which the sea breaks, lies 1 mile west-southwestward from the western end of Ratones Islands. It is about 3 mile long in a northeasterly direction and there is deep water fairly close-to. There is a deep channel into the bay between this reef and Ratones Islands, on either side of a shoal which has a least depth of 11 feet.

A shoal with 2 to 6 feet extends about 250 yards northward from the western Ratones Islands the 18-foot curve lying about 350 yards northward of the island. The western end of this shoal has 13 to 18 feet and lies nearly 1/4 mile northward from the western end of the island.

The western side of Point Arenas should be given a berth of over 600 yards. The 24-foot curve lies about 600 yards southwestward of Mata Island and 5% mile off Salinas Landing.

The best anchorage in Rincon Bay is north of the western Ratones Islands, where the depths are 44 to 51⁄2 fathoms, and affords good shelter during ordinary weather.

A good anchorage may also be had about 3⁄4 mile from the east side near the northern end of the bay, in 4 fathoms, sandy bottom. The northwest shore of the bay should be given a berth of over 3/4 mile; the 18-foot curve is nearly 5% mile off Salinas Landing.

Salinas is a village about 211⁄2 miles northward of Ratones Islands and 1 mile inland. It is on the highway and railroad which lead eastward from Ponce and has communication by telegraph. A road leads to the landing, which is a small settlement on the shore 12 miles northward of Ratones Islands. Anchorage can be made from 5% to 34 mile off the landing in 3 to 5 fathoms. A gray water tank is prominent.

DIRECTIONS, RINCON BAY.-Bring the west end of Ratones Island to bear 10° true (N by E 14 E mag.) distant nearly 1 mile, and Jobos Harbor Light, on the eastern end of Ratones Islands, to bear 55° true (NE by E14 E mag.). From this position steer 325° true (NNW 34 W mag.) passing about 5% mile southwestward of Ratones. Íslands and about 3% mile northeastward of the bare part of Media Luna Reef. When the reef bears abaft the beam, haul northward and eastward and steer for Point Arenas on a course between 89° true (E 14 S mag.) and 112° true (SE by E 34 E mag.). Anchor with Point Arenas bearing about 94° true (E 34 S mag.) and the west end of Ratones Islands bearing between 179° true (S 14 W mag.) and 212° true (SW 34 S mag.).

Coast from Jauca Islands to Ponce.-Point Petrona and Jauca Islands are described on page 80. A shoal in the form of a ridge lies from 114 to 314 miles southwestward from Point Petrona. The depths on it are 15 to 22 feet on its northeast half and 24 to 30 feet on its southwest half. The least depth found is 15 feet near its northeast end, 11 miles west-northwestward from the northwest end of Jauca Islands. The channel northeast of it is nearly 34 mile wide with a

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depth of 21 feet or more. A nun buoy is located off the southern edge of the 15-foot spot.

From Jauca Islands to Ponce, a distance of 141⁄2 miles, the coast is a low plain backed by higher land several miles inland. There are a number of small settlements with sugar mills, the largest of which is Santa Isabel. There is a good highway and a railroad connecting the various towns along this part of the coast. There is also communication by telegraph and telephone.

Santa Isabel is a post village about 2 miles northward of Point Petrona and 1 mile inland. It is on the highway which leads eastward from Ponce, and has communication by telegraph. There are a number of sugar mills in its vicinity. A road leads to the playa or landing, a small settlement on the beach 11⁄2 miles northwestward of Point Petrona.

A pier for loading lighters is located on the shore about 8 mile southeastward from the mouth of the Descalabrado River. A road and sugar railway leads down from Santa Isabel mill to the landing. There is a warehouse and a number of small buildings.

From Santa Isabel to Frio Islands there are no marked features except the stacks of numerous sugar mills. Anchorage, with comparatively smooth water, may be made in 4 to 5 fathoms anywhere along this shore during ordinary weather, and there are no dangers for vessels of about 15 feet or less draft if the shore be given a berth of 1⁄2 mile. There are a number of outlying shoals; those with the least water are

A spot with a depth of 18 feet lies 111⁄2 miles from shore and 21⁄44 miles northwestward from the northern point of Berberia Island. It is marked by a can buoy. Spots with 20 feet of water lie 3 mile southeastward, and 34 mile south-southwestward, from the 18-foot spot; the second 20-foot spot lies 21% miles west-northwestward from the north point of Berberia Island.

A spot with 17 feet of water lies 111⁄2 miles from the shore northeastward of it, and 15% miles northward from the northern point of Berberia Island. It is marked by a nun buoy. A shoal with depths of 21 to 23 feet extends 1/2 mile eastward and 11 miles southeastward from the 17-foot spot.

Frio Islands, two in number and covered with brush, lie 134 miles eastward of Point Cabullon and 5% mile from shore. The surrounding reef is 3% mile long east and west, and its southern edge is steep-to. Point Cabullon, about 3 miles eastward of Cardona Island lighthouse, is the eastern point of Cabullon Bight. A reef with three islets extends 3% mile west-southwestward from the point. The reef is steep-to, and the sea breaks on the southern side.

Cabullon Bight, between Point Carenero and Point Cabullon, affords a comfortable anchorage with little swell during ordinary weather for vessels of about 17 feet or less draft. The anchorage is about 11⁄2 mile in extent with depths of 18 feet or more. Ahogado Rock, small and bare, lies in the middle of the entrance; a shoal with 15 to 22 feet of water extends nearly 1/4 mile southeastward of it. A nun buoy lies off the southwestern side of a 34-fathom shoal near the southern approach.

To anchor in Cabullon Bight, enter between Ahogado Rock and the islets off Point Cabullon,favoring the eastern side, if any. Anchor