ABSTRACT
[A small venture to explore the isles of San Felix and La Mocha was made, under De Croix’s administration, in the ship San Pablo at the expense of her owner, Don Juan Miguel de Castaneda, a prominent merchant of Lima. He volunteered the use of his vessel free of cost to the Treasury. An officer and twenty men of the Lima regiment of foot were put on board with a stock of arms and ammunition lent by the arsenal, but to be replaced afterwards by Don Juan. No naval officer of fairly senior rank could be found in good enough health, just then, to take command of the expedition; so the San Pablo sailed in charge of Don Antonio Casulo as Master, ranking in the navy as an Alferes de Fragata or sub-lieutenant, on the 6th of June, 1789.
