DIRECTIONS FOR THE WESTERN COAST OF THE ISLAND OF CHEDOOBA, ON THE COAST OF ARRACAN; and for the Islands, and Shoals, south of it to the neighbourhood of Foul Island; from a Survey of these parts made by H.M. Sloop Childers, in 1841.-by Capt. E. P. Halstead.

THE extreme rocks of the reef lying off the north-west point of the Island of Chedooba, are in latitude 18° 55' 30" N., and in longitude 93° 26' 30" E., bearing from the point N.W. N., distant five miles. From them the reef runs E.b.N. four miles, having along this line two small islands; Beacon Island, lying east three-quarters of a mile from the extreme rocks, which has on it a beacon of stones about 60 feet above high water mark, and which is visible nine miles; and Sandy Island less high than the other, lying three-quarters of a mile from the eastern extremity of the reef, which bears from it N.E.b.E. E. Both islands have been planted with cocoa-nut trees, in order to increase their height.

The soundings in the neighbourhood of the reef are regular, varying from four fathoms, a quarter of a mile off its northern face, to eight and nine fathoms three miles off it; while at that distance off the northwest and west ends sixteen and seventeen fathoms are found. An outlying rock with seven feet water on it is found N.E.b.E. of Beacon Island, distant half a mile. In the north-east monsoon, anchorage is good in all these soundings; but the reef would afford no shelter from the heavy swell of the south-west monsoon, at which season the channel between Chedooba and Ramree Islands, (after carefully rounding the eastern extreme of the reef,) is open for such purposes.

The tides run east and west along the reef, one and a quarter knot in the neaps, and nearly three knots in the springs, when they sometimes rise eight feet. They are irregular in time. High water on the north coast of Chedooba at full and change is at 9h. 30m.

The north-west point of Chedooba is a round hill (a volcano) of 200 feet in height, having casuarina trees only growing on it. It is connected with the north-west reef by a series of detached rocks above and below water, with deep water between them; and through a channel so formed, an entrance was found into a small, and (in the north-east monsoon) good harbour, on the north coast of the island, and which was named "Port Childers."

Its Harbour Rock lies S.S.E. from Beacon Island distant one mile and three-quarters. It is twenty feet high, fifty or sixty yards in length, the largest of all around it. From its western side a reef whose extreme is above water, extends one mile; 300 yards from which are seven fathoms water; S.S. W. of it one quarter of a mile is a small rock above water; south of which another quarter of a mile is one under water, and having another bearing from it again, E. & N. distant 700 yards. These two sunken rocks form the northern limit of the channel into the Port, which runs east and west, has six fathoms in its centre, four fathoms close to the two northern rocks, and five fathoms close to the reef forming the southern limit of the channel, which for the remarkable resemblance it bears to the ribs of a wreck is named "Rib Reef." ENLARGED SERIERS.-NO. 9.-VOL FOR 1843. 4 E

The channel is half a mile wide, with the land and sea breezes blowing alternately through it either way. There is no passage for other than boats of large size, eastward of it into the Chedooba channel; but in coming out a clear channel exists to the southward and close to the Rib Reef, which cannot, however, be recommended. In entering the Port, when the north-west point of Chedooba bears S.S.E., steer E.N.E. until it bears S.b.W., when with Sandy Island bearing north, the best anchorage will be found in four fathoms water on a bottom of clay and mud.

Henry's Rock is a detached mass thirty-five feet in height, visible six or seven miles, bearing from the north-west point W.S.W. distant two miles. It is the largest mass off this part of Chedooba, and it marks the position of a considerable sized reef which surrounds it, a channel in six fathoms, inside of which exists; but which from the strength and irregularity of the tides is very dangerous.

Throughout the line of coast to which these remarks refer, the safe limit of approach in all ordinary cases of navigation, is twenty fathoms by day, and from sixty to seventy fathoms by night, the former clearing all dangers by about two miles. To the westward and to the northward of Beacon Island however, soundings extend to a much greater distance off shore than southward of it, where at a distance of less than ten miles no bottom is obtained with 120 fathoms of line; and the coast of Foul Island has little less than thirty fathoms close to it all round with the exception of its north-east point.

The western coast of Chedooba, has small detached masses of rock straggling along it throughout, at a distance of less than two miles off the shore; but these do not prevent the practicability of anchoring along it in various parts during the north-east monsoon, when it is frequented by native craft for rice.

This article may then be procured in quantity, cheap, and good, as well as cattle, poultry, and fruit; water is procurable with trouble, wood with ease. But there is little inducement to anchor on its coast even at this season, while in all ordinary navigation of these seas, the whole line of coast to which these notes refer, will be well kept clear of by ships not bound to any of its ports in the south-west monsoon, while to facilitate the entrance into those ports during that season, whether on commercial business or for refuge and refit, was the principal view with which the survey of these outlying dangers was undertaken.

The west hill of Chedooba which rises 1300 feet, and has one large tree on its summit, may be seen by any ship approaching the northwest part of Chedooba from a very great distance; and its south peak 1700 feet in height, will warn at a distance far beyond the limit of soundings of approach to the southern parts of the island. As these are approached, will be seen Pyramid Rock, a remarkable pinnacle rising nearly 200 feet out of the water, and distant one mile from the shore. It marks the situation of dangerous reefs lying southward and westward of it, and of the western shore of Flat Island, so that even in fine weather when working along this coast, to the northward of Hill Island, the Pyramid should never be brought to bear to the northward of N.b.E., as there is no passage but for boats between Chedooba and Flat

Island, and the channel between them is for the most part both shoal and rocky.

The tides take the general course of the trend of the coast, running at the same rates as those found off the north-west reef, averaging the same rise in the springs viz., six feet, but more irregular as to their period of rise; the north-east monsoon though not interfering on the coast with the regularity of the land and sea breezes, appearing to create a set to the southward. The indraught between Chedooba and Flat Island is very great.

Flat Island, as its name denotes, is very low, near four miles in length, separated by a channel from two to four miles wide from Chedooba, and having near its centre a volcanic hill about 200 feet in height.

Hill Island is a small high island about the same height as the volcano of Flat Island, from which it is separated by a channel of threequarters of a mile; and which it much assists in recognizing, lying from it due south.

South Rock-An isolated rock, twenty feet in height, lies south of Hill Island, distant half a mile; and this rock, together with an extensive reef four miles from it, bearing from the centre of Hill Island, S.S.E. E., forms the sea entrance to the channel, which, southward of Chedooba leads to and from the Bay of Bengal, to the port of Amherst harbour, and the secure anchorages inside the islands of Ramree and Chedooba.

Heywood Channel.-This channel, taking its name from Captain Peter Heywood, who seems to have been the first to use it, runs between the shores of Hill and Flat Islands on the west, and the reefs and rocks extending from the West Shoal (above referred to,) to False Island on its south-eastern limit. Its centre course is N.E.b.N., in from thirteen to five fathoms, sandy bottom as False Island is approached, and at a distance of about two miles from the shore and the reefs; anchorage in it is good in all moderate weather.

False Island is a small low sandy islet, bearing from the volcano of Flat Island E.b.S., southerly, and distant five miles and a half. It is ordered to be planted with cocoa-nut trees.

West Shoal is a dangerous reef, half a mile in diameter, with very irregular soundings around it. Half a mile from it twenty fathoms water may be found, and close to it thirteen fathoms. The sea is constantly breaking on it, and at low water the points of the rocks are seen between the rollers. Unless when entering by the channels, in order to get eastward of Chedooba, Hill Island should never be brought to bear to the northward of N.b. E., in order to avoid this danger.

Tree Island, about one mile in length, 250 feet in height, and visible ten or twelve miles, bears from Hill Island S.E. S., 11 miles. A reef of straggling rocks extends three-quarters of a mile off its southern point, and detached rocks are found lying half a mile distant from its eastern shore; and one patch with four fathoms water on it, lies at the same distance off its north-west point; with these exceptions Tree Island may with safety be approached; and it forms with the west shoal, the sea entrance to a second channel from the Bay of Bengal, into the inner anchorages to the eastward, West Shoal bearing from the north-west point of Tree Island N.W. W., six miles. The north-west

limit of this channel, is the range of reef from West Shoal to False Island; its south-east limit is formed by a large rocky reef, bearing from the north-east point of Tree Island, N.b.E. E., 34 miles, between which and the Sail Rock of the north-west limit is a width of four miles and a half. The fairway is N.N.E. in soundings of from fifteen to nine fathoms water.

Its superior depth and width, and the means afforded by a clear approach to Tree Island of avoiding the danger of the West Shoal, seem to give to this channel a very great preference over the Heywood Channel. It was named Childers Channel. The tides set strong through both channels. Tree Island by triangulation and observations was found to be in lat. 18° 26' N., long. 93° 56′ E.

Nerbudda Rock bears from the centre of Tree Island S.E. E., distant from the extremity of its southern reef four miles. It is a very small pinnacle of rock, awash at low water, with a small break of sea on it. Six fathoms of water are found close around it, and ten fathoms within a mile, and to avoid it from the westward Tree Island must not be brought to bear to the westward of north. There is a clear channel between it and the southern reef of Tree Island, but it is preferable to round the latter.

Four Fathoms Shoal is an extensive patch of rocky bottom, with very irregular soundings, from thirteen to four fathoms. It bears from the Nerbudda S.S.E. seven miles, and the channel between is clear, but not to be recommended. A heavy swell constantly rolls over the shoal, breaking no doubt in bad weather, but with very close soundings; nothing under four fathoms could be found.

Foul Island, near two miles in its greatest length, and some hundreds of feet in height, being visible ten or twelve leagues, bears from Tree Island S.S.E. distant twenty-five miles, and by observations on its summit lies in lat 18° 3' 25" N., and long. 94° 8′ E. On its northern side is a bank of sand and mud, affording anchorage at the distance of half a mile from the shore, in eight and ten fathoms water: Off its south point is a rocky reef of some few hundred yards in length, and with the exception of these the island is quite steep to all round, in from thirty to eighteen fathoms, rocky bottom.

Brougham Shoal lies from Foul Island N.b.E. E., 34 miles. It is a patch of rock half a mile long, with the sea always breaking on it. There are five fathoms water alongside it, and from twenty-four to twenty-seven fathoms, within a mile. It is, therefore, dangerous to approach Foul Island affording a good mark to avoid it by.

Vestal Shoal bears from the nearest part of Foul Island E.b.S. six miles. It is small, with breakers constantly on it, and twenty fathoms of water close around it. In sailing northward or southward along these parts of the Arracan Coast, it is recommended to choose the passage between the Vestal Shoal and Foul Island, at a distance of about two miles from the latter.

William Shoal, bears from the nearest part of Foul Island, E.b.S. & S. twelve miles and a half. It is a rocky reef extending one mile east and west, having two fathoms of water on its extremes, and from five to seven fathoms between them. The sea rolls heavily over the reef, breaking on the shoaler parts.

The Satellite Shoal, after a week of close search could not be found but its existence is not, therefore, to be doubted, though, of course, its correct position in the chart is not given. Indeed, the peculiar way in which pinnacles of rock obtrude themselves from deep water on this coast, makes it highly desirable that the portion within the line of dangers examined by the Childers, should be subjected to a close search, 'ere it be navigated with confidence by the increasing trade on this coast, when it is probable that other dangers than the Satellite would be discovered.

List of stations whence triangulations by theodolite were taken, while effecting a survey of the above island and shoals:

After clearing the summit of Foul Island, the use of the theodolite was found impracticable, from the periodical thick dry haze which had then set in on the coast.

A base was measured by frequent observation on Beacon Island and Henry Rock, and its correctness tested by a base measured by chain on the flat beach of the north shore of Chedooba.

In order to facilitate the incorporation of the survey with the charts of the eastern coasts of the Bay of Bengal, by Captains Ross and Lloyd, Marine Surveyors General to the Honourable Company, the meridian of the flag-staff of Kyook Phyoo harbour, as fixed by those officers, was taken as a standard in the survey; and the chronometers carefully rated and compared at that port before and after the survey, as well as at our own stations during its execution.

The original fair chart as finished by Lieut. Milbank of the Childers, was lodged in the hands of the Government of Bengal, by whose order copies of it were supplied to me. Capt. Lloyd, late officiating Marine Surveyor General, having incorporated it into the charts then preparing by him, I have had no means of comparing the copies with the original, but on close inspection have no cause to doubt their correctness. The rough notes, books, &c., are in the possession of Lieut. Milbank.

NOTES ON DEPUCH ISLAND.-By Captain Wickham, R.N. DEPUCH ISLAND, on the N. W. coast of New Holland, is in lat. 20° 373 S., and long. 117° 44' E., and presents a singular contrast with the low, flat shores of the mainland, from which it is only a little more