outside that gulf; and if she has 25 fathoms, and is steering E. S., as above said, she will clear everything. She will pass at least three miles nearly clear of Faraman.

In fine clear weather, when the wind is found hauling to the northward, those who would prefer to hug the shore and follow the large mouths of the Rhone, coming from the westward, when they make Faraman will clear it without keeping to the southward of East, and approaching it will be North and South of it, and will pass it from two to three miles. From here they should steer E.b.N. [E.N.E.N.] But this route will be very close to the mouth of the Rhone, and the lighthouse must be their guide to arrive there if required. However, it should never be brought to the southward of W. & N. [W.b.S. S.], and this is so essential that the vessel would certainly get on shore that did so. To make a proper course along shore it is necessary, as we have said, that the horizon should be quite clear. Then, on having passed Faraman, bringing it North and South, three miles, steering E.b.N., when Faraman bears about W.N.W., the Bouc lights will be These should then be steered for, as they are good marks. They may be closed as soon as convenient, but never bringing them to the right of N.E.b.N., and there will be no occasion for the least anxiety.

seen.

If in making this route, and afterwards desiring to approach Cape Couronne, there may be some fear of the dangers near it. But when approaching it, a vessel should bring Faraman W. N., or the two lights of Bouc N.b. W. Either one of these two bearings should be kept on until the vessel has passed East of the meridian of Aragon. Afterwards it may be shut in at pleasure. In fact, if a line were drawn from Faraman to Marseilles, it would lie E. S., and this line would pass along the two edges of the great mouths of the Rhone and the shoals off Cape Couronne, as we have observed; and it would clear everything.

Seamen dread the sands, and they have good reason for doing so on more accounts than one. But here it must not be forgotten that the strand is everywhere clean: it may be approached everywhere to a mile, and when sailing with a settled N.W. wind, there is nothing to fear.

In all cases therefore, from what has been said, a safe route may be chosen for instance, suppose a ship in the latitude of Planier, the longitude being between 4° 5' E. and 4° 35′ E., which allows a sufficient margin for error of reckoning, and that she is going further to the northward as a precaution against northerly winds here, she would get as soon as possible into 40 fathoms, and then steer due East until she makes Faraman, which she would pass about six miles distant, or about the time of daylight, or, in fact, about the time she would have gained 4° 50′ E. From thence she would make for Cape Couronne.

All that we have said here in reference to depths, &c., is taken from the most correct charts, and may be proved, as we have done, by sounding, and in giving the information I am satisfied it is a series of routes which every one may adopt; and, in fact, I have said so, without losing sight of my subject, and because I am convinced that it is

the misfortune of men who have all the ability to have besides an extreme repugnance to this kind of work.

We may also add that in such a navigation, however troublesome it may be to carry all the sail which the wind allows, whenever there is wind for double reefs a reef should be also taken in the courses, at least in the mainsail, for once having entered the gulf the grand ques tion of reaching Marseilles or not will depend on this sail, which every one knows is the soul of the ship whenever she is obliged for a short time to have the wind abeam. Every one knows it is easier to manage a ship with this sail than without it, even when reefed; and if the ship has to wait to get it reefed, from there being too much wind, besides the delay of doing so, it might be necessary to take in the second reef at the same time, and then the wind will not remain long enough at West, and the ship will not get into Marseilles: instead of the second reef in the courses, if the wind becomes too strong the topsails may have to be close reefed; with either the one or the other, the ship will always have enough sail to navigate with, and if the wind slackens, the jib will make up for the canvas lost by reefing the courses. I know very well that the lower sails can be carried without being reefed when there is too much wind for the jib; but all this must be left to the judgment of the captain, who knows the powers and capacities of his own ship.

These observations shall be concluded with a narrative not perhaps out of place here. Among the many passages which it has been my lot to have made in ships is the following:-On the 8th of January I came along the coast of Catalonia with a tolerably fresh westerly wind. I made it a point to observe the weather on the way. Soon after noon I was in the gulf, the wind being W.N.W., blowing fresh; the barometer had fallen to 29-35 in, for several days it had been at 29.5 in. The large white clouds which came off the land as soon as they came to the gulf were scattered in a thousand fragments, and very soon were not to be seen. I expected it would blow hard, but hoped not to have a downright storm, and the wind being more favourable I determined on crossing. To do this, although I was near the shore, I tacked to get easting, and on standing off the coast, took a reef in the courses; I had already two reefs in the topsails and could take in the close reef without stopping. Everything being done, we got the starboard tacks down again, and at five in the evening Cape Creux bore W. 43° S. [W. 62° S.], seven miles. I stood due North, the wind did not head us in the least, but rather kept freshening. At eight I was obliged to close reef the topsails and was then in 42° 40′ and 3° 40′ E. I hesitated a moment, but the position which I had attained and the direction of the wind decided me. From eight in the evening I was able to face the wind, although it blew very hard for the sail which I carried; but the wind had changed little by little a whole point, and at midnight was N.W. I was then in 42° 59′ and 3° 51' E. From this time to daylight the squalls were not so heavy; but the wind kept on shifting, and towards morning was very nearly North, although by seven in the morning I was in 4° 31′ E., in the latitude of Planier, the

reckoning corrected by the lead. Although I had not had the advantage of seeing the light of Saint Loup, I had yet passed within its range. The weather was clear, but the horizon too misty for seeing the light far, and from where I was the shore was not visible. It was not till a quarter after eight that I saw Faraman bearing about N.b.E. [N. W., five miles. Half an hour after sunrise the wind kept on drawing northerly, but returned to N.W. I lost sight of the beach at less than two miles from me; at nine was obliged to take in the mainsail, and in entering the gulf of Foz was obliged to take in the topsails; but on the 9th at two in the afternoon I arrived at Marseilles in the midst of a veritable gale of wind.

(To be continued.)

ROUTE THROUGH

TORRES STRAIT BY BLIGH ENTRANCE: The
Booby Island Post-Office.

Sir, Since I sent you an account of a passage through Torres Strait in 1860 I have made two other passages by the same route, by Bligh Entrance,-—one during the last week in September, the other in the middle of May. I send you some notes made during each of those passages.

In September I found it tedious work, the winds light and variable, with strong currents. I got the ship on shore once, lost a stream anchor and cable, and broke a bower anchor while trying to purchase it. We were twenty-seven days from Port Phillip to Booby Island, and ten days from thence to sea, clear of Rotti. We left Port Phillip on the 1st September, and had northerly winds until the 10th; then westerly winds till the 12th, when we were in 28° S. During the next five days the wind was steady at N.N.W., blowing a fresh six knot breeze, giving us a dead beat, until the 17th, when we fell in with the Trade wind in 2110 S., 1580 E. I found that the ship did not work within 13 points of the compass, the deviation on opposite points being 13° by azimuths carefully taken.

The S.E. Trade carried us pleasantly up to the Eastern Fields, but failed us there on the 22nd. We had light variable winds from S.W. to N.E. on the 23rd and 24th, with which we fetched up near Bramble Cay! About 11h. a.m. on the 24th, lat. 8° 57′ S., long. 144° 7′ E., we saw a line of discoloured water, with a strong, noisy ripple, stretching along E.N.E. and W.S.W. Found thirty-two fathoms with the lead and sailed into it. I suppose it was the edge of the tide.

It was calm from noon until 4h. p.m., when a gentle breeze came up from S.b. W. Made all sail, intending to go into the channel and bring up in seventeen fathoms. At 5h. 30m p.m. made Bramble Cay from the poop. At 7h. Bramble Cay S. W. S. about six or seven miles, the ship going about 3 knots and heading between W.S.W.

and West, the wind varying about two or three points. About 8h. p.m. it became very unsettled, with much lightning; heavy black clouds rising to the S. W. and appearance very threatening, the wind also freshening fast.

At 8h. 30m. tacked ship and stood out to sea again, under easy but commanding sail, steering E.N.E., the course opposite to that by which we came in. Midnight, had twenty-seven fathoms, mud; the night very dark, with much lightning. I then estimated Bramble Cay to bear S. W. eight miles distant. The wind by this time had again fallen light!

The deep sea lead was hove every half hour through the night, and the end of the log line made fast to the lead line at the thirty fathoms, so as to ascertain the course and distance sailed by the ground log. I made ample allowance for the tide and, to the best of my judgment, for everything else, so as to keep a correct dead reckoning through the night. Yet, notwithstanding this, at 1h. 30m. a.m. of the 25th, we made, during a flash of lightning, the rocks on Bramble Cay to the N.E. of us, when I supposed them to be eight miles to the S.W. of The ship was then in thirty-two fathoms water, rocky bottom.

us.

I was afraid to let go the anchor,-first, because I was not sure that it would hold on the rocks; secondly, because I felt sure that I should have to slip from it if it did; and thirdly, because, from the glimpse of the land I had had through the lightning, I fancied there was room to wear the ship clear of them. The helm was put up and the yards squared to wear ship. She went off before the light air, and then would neither go one way nor the other. She did not appear to be getting nearer to the rocks, so I waited a little time, when she went round and we trimmed on the port tack. While hauling on board the main tack I heard the sound of water rippling on a reef. I ordered the helm hard down and threw all aback. Just as her way was stopped she came to the ground, at 2h. 45m a.m.

Knowing that it was just low water, I strained every nerve to have an anchor laid out smartly, that we might cant the ship's bow to seaward on the flood. The jibs were hauled down, yard and stay tackles sent up, and the longboat and gig hoisted out. I sent the chief mate away in the gig to sound for the best water; laid the head yards a box, and with the rest of the crew put the stream cable (a Manilla rope) and stream anchor into the longboat. The current was running very strong to the N.E.! The gig towed the long boat away to the E.S.E., and the anchor was let go in five fathoms about 5h. 10m. a.m. The stream cable was brought to forward and a strain hove on it. This strain and the head yards (with the sails set) lying a-box canted the ship's bow to seaward. We now set every stitch of canvas we could and commenced to heave ballast overboard, which we did with a will. About 6h. 30m. a.m. she just sailed off the reef the same as she went on.

When the stream cable became taut, after she had passed the ancho, it turned the ship's bow towards the reef again, so that I was obliged to have it cut adrift. The boats were both in and stowed by

7h. 30m. a.m. The crew behaved admirably. Putting the anchor n to the boat (she was not large enough to hang it to the stern) and getting it out again (it was 10 cwt.) was, I think, one of the most ticklish things I have ever done; the night was very dark. The tide was running nearly three knots to the N.E. when we put the boats into the water, and at 6h. 30m. a.m., when we came off the reef, it was running strong to the N.E., although we could see that the water had risen considerably. When we floated the water just covered the sand between the rocks and the vegetated sandbank on Bramble Cay. The ship laid aground with the patch of black rocks on with the centre of the green bank, and the anchor was in five fathoms, a cable's length from her.

Having hoisted in the boats we ran to the northward and hauled into the great N.E. channel. At noon it fell calm; anchored in seventeen fathoms about six or eight miles West of Bramble Cay, in lat. 9° 6' S., the bottom stiff mud. While at anchor here the tide set N.E. E. 1.8 knots, by log, from noon nntil 6h. 30m. p.m.; then the ship swung to East and E.N.E. until 9h. p.m.; at 9h. p.m. she swung to N.E. There was very little tide when her head was from East to N.E. At midnight she swung to West; at 12h. 30m. to S.W. W.; and the tide again ran strong to N.E. until 6h. 30m. a.m., when the ship swung athwart and we hove up the anchor and proceeded. I think that the tides in the vicinity of Bramble Cay are not well known. It may be found that freshes from the rivers in New Guinea neutralize or even counteract the regular tide, as far as surface current is concerned.

There is a great difference in the appearance of Bramble Cay at high and low water. When seen at high water it appears as a small, vegetated sand cay, with a fringe of white sand round it, shoal water running out some distance from it, and a reef stretching out to the S.E., on which stands a patch of black rocks one-third as large as the cay. At low water it appears as a sandbank very much larger, with a small green patch on the N. W. end of it and a large patch of black rocks near the S.E end. My ship was aground in twelve feet water, about 200 feet from the dry sand. I mention this on account of some remarks I made in a previous letter on the same subject, and also because, unfortunately, I have had a better opportunity of looking at the configuration of this place than most other persons have.

26th.-We started at 6h. 30m. a.m. with faint variable airs, and at sunset prepared to anchor between Dalrymple and Marsden Islands. When the starboard anchor was let go a kink in the chain jammed in the hawse-pipe, and we were not able to heave it back with the windlass; we then let go the port anchor, but its cable got jammed under the windlass, between it and the deck. We were thus in a pleasant situation,—in a narrow channel, with a fresh breeze and a strong tide, a dark night, both cables jammed, and neither anchor on the bottom; besides this the sudden check given to the port cable had thrown the anchor across the starboard chain. I had the port cable stoppered before the windlass, and ordered the carpenter to cut a hole in the