passes through the shoalest parts of the northern edge of this coral ledge through its whole length, until it approaches the eastern limits of the shoal, when it rounds off to the south-east and southward, as far as the bearing east 15° 50' north from my position. I consider its most eastern part to bear from my observatory east 17° 20′ north, which will place it in latitude 17° 49′ 25′′ north, longitude 64° 24′ 40′′ west from Greenwich; having there seven fathoms and a half, which in coming from the eastward you at once strike from an ocean depth, and at which spot the east end point of St. Croix is distant nine and three-quarters nautic miles, and the east end of Buck Island eleven and a half nautic miles. In approaching the northern edge of the shoal from the northward, you at once get from an ocean depth upon its shoalest part; passing which, and standing to the south, the water gradually deepens on a clear sandy bottom, during the short time taken in crossing the bank when standing in this direction.

2.-The height of this above the level of the sea is 440 feet. The latitude is true to within one second, the longitude is the result of the labour of years, and the present assumption of 64° 41′ 0′′ in arc, or 4". 18. 44" in time west from Greenwich, I consider to be determined with such certainty, that I do not think the error in its determination can exceed four seconds in time, or one minute in arc, and I trust is less. I am induced to consider it the most accurately determined position in the West Indies, and the situation of some other islands and places on the Spanish main have been corrected from it. On the above data, the longitude of the other stations in the island are accurately determined, their latitudes are certain to one or two seconds.

3. Nearly one mile due north from the entrance of the harbour of Christiansted, is the western extremity of a reef, called the Scotch reef, which stretches from thence with its shoals fully one mile and a half to the E.N.E., rendering the approach to the harbour dangerous to strangers.

4. This is the most northern part of the town of Christiansted. To the north of this, and between No. 3 and 4 lays the harbour, which may be considered one of the safest among the windward islands. Vessels drawing sixteen feet can be brought in with safety.

5. This rises directly to the south of the town, and is 858 feet above the level of the sea.

6. The eminence on which this delightful and extensive residence is erected is 593 feet above the level of the sea; it embraces a magnificent prospect of this island, and from its unobstructed situation, having no higher land in its vicinity to darken its being seen, it becomes with its numerous buildings one of the most conspicuous objects for observation from vessels at sea; a view of which to the southward it commands from S.E.b.E. to a W.S.W. bearing, and towards the north from E.b.N. to a north-west bearing. From the windows of the saloon, the horizon of the sea is distant twenty-eight geographic miles, so that in the common state of the clear atmosphere of this climate, no vessel of any magnitude can enter the harbour of the island of St. Thomas, or pass down the intermediate channel without being noticed. 7-This is comparatively a low point, and one of the most northerly in the island. About one-fourth of a mile to the north of it is a

dangerous sunken rock, called the White Horse, on which the sea generally breaks.

8. This is the highest point of land in the island, and is 1,162 feet above the level of the sea. Near one mile to the south-east is Blue Mountain, which is not so high as Mount Eagle by about sixty feet. They are connected together by a lower ridge which runs from one to the other.

9.This mill is 949 feet above the level of the sea, there being no other in the island at such an elevation. It is also a conspicuous object from the sea, with its cane cultivation exteuding still higher.

10.—Bold to, along its high precipitous northern face and cliffs. 11.-Frederiksted, or West End Bay, is an extensive and beautiful bay, affording excellent and smooth anchorage, except when the wind has westing, when like all anchorages of that open kind it becomes dangerous.

12. To the south of this low and deceiving point, which forms the south-west horn or extremity of West End Bay, a dangerous reef extends near a mile to the southward, and on the back or to the eastward of it, shoal water extends to a considerable distance, more deceiving in fact than the reef itself.

13.-Off this rounding, which is exactly abreast of Butlers Bay wind-mill, a shoal runs off about a quarter or one-third of a mile, and which is, in fact, the only danger approaching Frederiksted from the northward.

14.-This small island, except on its southern side, is surrounded with dangerous reefs and shoals, extending fully one mile to the W.N.W. of the north-west point of the island, fully two miles to the eastward of its eastern extremity, and about one mile to the north of the island, forming in the intervening bearings a circuitous connection of the greatest dangers which all prudent persons will avoid approaching.

From the east end of St. Croix down to my position, (or rather the hills to the south of it,) the tops of the hills are nearly equi-distant from the sea, on the north and south sides of the island; the most eastern of these hills is called the Sugar Loaf, its top near two-thirds of a mile from the east end point is, (from memory,) about 750 feet high, and is in latitude 17° 45′ 18′′ north, longitude 64° 34′ 35′′ west from Greenwich; it is connected by a ridge to Goat Hill, which is not quite so high as the Sugar Loaf. From Goat Hill there is a sudden descent to a strip of low land, not 100 feet above the level of the sea at its highest part, which crosses the island here where it is very narrow, not being at this place 4,000 feet broad. From thence, the hills again irregularly ascend, and reach a height in some places exceeding 800 feet, forming with several spurs a connected chain to a pinnacle, (near two miles and a half to the eastward of my position,) which is 837 feet high. The land from this again descends, and the island is crossed by some low land, not 150 feet above the level of the sea in its highest part; some irregular heights here follow from about 400 to 200 feet, until about two-thirds of a mile to the eastward of my observatory, the land begins to rise, and half a mile S.E.b.S. from my position is a pinnacle of my own, 780 feet in height, on a spur of which, running out to the north

ward, my observatory is erected; to the westward of my pinnacle there is a hill, with a rounded summit 800 feet high. Here again the land descends to about 450 feet, forming a narrow gorge or saddle, but immediately ascending in a north-westerly direction, it unites itself to Signal Hill, which rises directly to the south of Christiansted to a height at its flag-staff as already stated of 858 feet. The land again descends, and the island is crossed about a mile to the westward of Christiansted, at an elevation of about 200 feet at its highest part. It then rises towards Bulows Minde, from whence the ridge extends with its undulations and diminutions in its height to the north-west, declining to a level with the sea at Salt River. From the westward of Salt River to Hams Bluff, the north side hills can be considered as ascending abruptly, and for more than two miles to the eastward of the Bluff precipitously from the sea. The first pinnacle to the westward of Salt River is Claremont north-east pinnacle, reaching a height of 854 feet, followed by one or two others of a similar elevation. A descent in the ridge then occurs, when it again rises to the connecting ridge between Blue mountain and Mount Eagle, the heights of which are already given. A descent then takes place to the westward of Mount Eagle, followed by an ascent towards Bodkins mill, and a pinnacle to the westward thereof about forty feet higher, from whence it again descends one or two hundred feet, forming that extensive, irregular, romantic, ridgy district, extending round Hams Bluff, passing Butlers Bay, and approaching near Frederiksted; stretching from thence into the interior round St. Georges Hill, and towards the E.N.E., and at last rounding and returning into the heights on which Bodkins mill is built, comprehending an extent of near 7,000 acres of land, greater part of which is in sugar cultivation. To the south of this district and of those hills and ridges, already enumerated from Signal Hill to Mount Eagle,— the rest of the island is an extensive inclined plain. Sloping gently from the base of the hills to the sea, extending from Sandy Point to a direction south-east of Signal Hills, a few eminences and inequalities diversify its surface, forming good situations for some of the numerous dwellings, wind-mills, &c., &c., with which this beautiful tract of fertile country is interspersed.

Along the greater part of the south side of the island, a ledge of reefs with a few channels, practicable for small vessels, lines the coast at a distance from the shore in some places of near two miles, and although they generally break, thus showing their danger, still shoal water extends some distance to the south or seaward of them, therefore they must be approached with great caution, especially as no correct survey has ever been made of them that I know of;-this object I once had in contemplation, but it is now beyond my means. These reefs com

mence near the shore, at a small distance to the westward of the east end point, gradually increasing their distance from the shore according to the irregularity of the projecting points of the coast. The most dangerous part of them, and the most distant from the shore, commences in running down to the westward with an outer ledge, when you have Signal Hill flag-staff bearing about north, and continues for eight miles until you bring the flag-staff on St. Georges Hill, which is about a mile and a half to the east of the fort at Frederiksted, to bear in the same

direction, say north. Running down this space, you should keep a league off the shore, which is also deceiving from its being so very low. You have then to give a corresponding berth to the dangerous reef and the shoal water on its back, which runs off from Sandy Point, which you will be clear of, when you bring the north-west rounding of West End Bay to bear N.b.E., when you can haul up under the lee of the reef and the land.

The dangers running down on the north side of the island commence with Buck Island reefs, which are described under No. 14; keep to the north of this small island near a league, and when at this distance it bears south, steer down west, (which carries you far to the north of the Scotch reef, Christiansted harbour reef, or the White Horse off Salt River point,) until you bring Hams Bluff, the bold north-west promontory of the island, to bear S.W.b. W., when haul up to pass it, and afterwards to run along the land keeping about a mile off shore, until you pass the north-west rounding of West End Bay, when you can haul up for the anchorage. I have confined my observations to the dangers a vessel bound to West End is exposed to, by running down on either side of the island, and I have done so in consequence of the late arrangement by which the packet steamers call at West End, with the outward mails twice a month; they of course on this service come from the south-eastward. Hitherto they have run down from the south side, which is certainly nearer their direct course, and under the direction of their skilful and prudent commanders; there can be but little risk in the day time, or even at an early part of the night, if a good observation of the land has been had before evening; but if the land cannot be made before evening, and that they are not permitted to lose time by lying to, I decidedly assert, that it is safer at night to make and pass to the eastward of the East End extremity of this island, rounding the outside of Buck Island at the distance of a league, running down then to the westward, &c. as just described. I cannot divest myself of the apprehension of some accident happening about their passing Sandy Point spit in a dark night, when the land has not been previously made with daylight, and certainly the correspondence of this island alone would not warrant the risk of such valuable vessels being exposed to the attempt. The only method which occurs to me of obviating or avoiding this risk, and likewise losing not a moment of their time, which is an important object, would be for the commanders of these vessels to be instructed to stop at West End, for the delivery of the outward mail, at all times when they found they could reach Sandy Point with daylight, or could otherwise get so near the land with daylight, as to be satisfied that there was no risk in rounding it; but if they found it would be midnight before they could reach it, that then they should be authorized to haul up in proper time to pass to the eastward of this island, and afterwards to run down to West End, on the north side of the island, or at once proceed direct to St. Thomas, as circumstances and weather might warrant without stopping here, leaving the mail for this island there, to be brought over by one of the island packet boats which are crossing daily.

The steamer collecting the island mails for delivery to the packet at St. Thomas, of course calls likewise twice a month at West End,-they

hitherto have arrived there in the daytime, and I presume are so timed accordingly. They run down on this island from St. Kitts. The steamers on their return to windward call also at West End, and proceed on their voyage round Sandy Point, but this they can do in taking a departure from West End, with perfect safety either by day or by night.

When feet are given, English feet are to be understood.
ANDREW LANG.

St. Croix, December 25th, 1840.

STORMS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.

"In science, as in the useful arts, the advantages of a division of labour are apparent in the more complete mastery which an individual obtains over a subject to which he directs constant attention; but the benefit does not end here, for unlike the proficiency which is attained by subdividing the parts of manual employment, the successful prosecutor of any particular scientific subject, is enabled to communicate the results which he requires, and thus enables others to profit by his investigations. The labours of numerous individuals, each directing his attention to a part as well as the whole of a subject, tend to perfect the science which it embraces."

Ir is gratifying to find, that the philosophy of storms is engaging the attention of scientific individuals, as manifested by the lectures which have been given at Portsmouth, by a clergyman, and very recently by a physician, (Dr, Arnold,*) at Clapham. This gentleman says, "when we reflect upon the millions of property hourly committed to the perils of the treacherous element,-when we remember the thousands of gallant vessels which now proudly float upon the billows of the ocean, and when we call to mind the hundreds of enterprising and hardy mariners who are torn from the bosoms of their families, to provide for the exigencies of their wives and children,-any theory or explanation which has for its object their avoidance, or escape from storms and tempests, those terrible visitations of Providence, by which thousands are yearly hurled into eternity, and the interest of our merchants and traders seriously affected, must be important not only to those immediately concerned, but to the philosopher, the philanthropist, and above all to the christian."

In the course of his address, the learned doctor urged the importance of indomitable perseverance, and indefatigable research to those who would unravel the mysteries of nature.

No doubt there are other individuals who are pursuing the study with earnestness, and, at no distant period, we may expect to see the theory brought as near to perfection as it is possible to be, by the sagacity and intelligence of the human mind; in the mean time it would be a gratifying piece of information, to hear that naval officers afloat had been directed, to consider the law of circular storms as an essential branch of their professional studies.

* Dr. Arnold appears to have passed the ordeal of some hurricanes in Jamaica.