“I may confidently say,” observes Dunlap, “that Realejo is as good a port as any in the known world. I have seen Portsmouth, Rio Janeiro, Port Jackson, Talhujano, Callao and Guayaquil, and to all of these I consider it decidedly superior. It is a salt water creek, into which several small streams of water empty themselves. The entrance is protected by an island about two miles long, which leaves at each end a channel where ships can enter the harbor, but extending opposite the main land, forming the port in such a manner as to protect it entirely from any wind that can possibly blow, and also breaking the swell which enters the outer bay of Conchagua from the ocean. The north entrance is about a quarter of a mile wide, and that at the south of the island rather wider—both being entirely free from rocks or hidden dangers, and having in no part less than five fathoms depth of water. At one of these openings vessels can at all times enter with a leading wind, from whatever quarter it may blow. The inside consists of a noble basin of water, nowhere less than four fathoms deep, with a bottom of mud, where two hundred ships of the line might lie at all times in most perfect security. Merchant vessels generally lie about a mile from the entrance, in the branch of the creek which runs up to Realejo, where there are about five fathoms of water over a mud bottom. Opposite this port there is a fine level beach, possessing deep water close to the edge, which would form an admirable site for a town, and where, at very little expense, a wharf might be constructed, capable of accommodating almost any number of vessels.”—_Central America_, p. 26. ----- The opening of the port of San Juan del Sur, or San Juan de Concordia, for purposes of transit across the Continent via Lake Nicaragua and the Rio San Juan, it has been supposed will seriously affect the importance of Realejo. The port of San Juan del Sur, however, can never meet the requirements of a considerable commerce. As a point of embarkation and disembarkation for steamers, it is unobjectionable; but it is small, and it is almost impossible for sail vessels to approach this part of the Nicaraguan coast. The north-east trade winds, which blow the entire year, here sweep across the whole continent, and for a considerable distance, and almost constantly, off the shore; where, meeting with other currents, they form those peculiar, revolving, contradictory winds known as Papagayos, which give their name to the Gulf within which this port is situated. Realejo, from this circumstance, and that of position in respect to the back country, must therefore remain the chief port of Nicaragua. It is undoubtedly the best for harbor purposes. CHAPTER XIV.