Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/368

 SAILING DIRECTIONS. forms rapid eddies and whirlpools, that render its ap- A. preach dangerous. In mid-channel is a group of isles s and, Sect. IV'. o the easternmost, n reef projects to the eastward for more N. West Coast. than h-*f n mile, round which a vessel must pass; here the chanual is not more than half a mile wide. Munster Water, on the western side, communicates with Hanover Bey by a narrow strait, with very good anchorage in Jt in four and five fathoms mud; it is, however, an incon- venient p!aee to go to, if a vessel is bound any farther up the river. Rothsay Water is a very considerable arm; and was conjectured to communicate with Prince Frederlc'.s Harbour, and, if so, would insulate the land between Capes Torrens and Wellington. We did not enter Rothsay Water; and the fides and whirlpools were too rapid and dangerous to trust our small boats without running a very great risk. At the entrance of this arm, on the south shore, there appeared to be a shoal-bank. Half-way Bay offers very good anchorage out of the strength of the tides, with abundance of room to get under weigh from. The northernmost point of the bay, SZoXT POXST, has a small islet off it (LAJiMAS ISLZT) where the observations were taken to fix the longitude of Careening Bay. (See vol. iip. 1$.) The two bays on the opposite, or north-east shore, are shoal, and not fit for any vessel drawing more than six or seven feet; and the shores are so lined with mangroves, as in most parts to defy all attempts at landing. After passing them, the sboros approach each other within three-quarters of a mile, but the south-west shore is fronted by a rocky shoal, which narrows it to less than half a mile; here the tide runs very strong, and forms whirlpools. On passing the point, the fryer opens into a large, spacious reach, which was called ST. Ozonoz's BAsis; and two conspicuous islands in it 'were called ST. AmLZw and ST. PATInCa'S ISLASS. At the

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