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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH MARCH, 1878.
Indus Banks.-Approaching Kurrachee from the southward, land is not generally seen before making Manora point. When coming from the westward, the first landfall may be the Lakki hills, a sharp ridge of even outline, 740 feet high, terminating at Cape Monze; that steep point should not be approached within 2 miles, but the Indus Banks are the principal danger. The coast line southward of Kurrachee consists of low sandy ridges, with tufts of grass, barely above the highest sea level, and not visible more than 5 or 6 miles. In passing the banks by daylight, too near the shore, herds of cattle, wading over the submerged land, are sometimes the first objects sighted.
Fresh Water Mouth.-The Jua is the debouchure by which the fresh water of the Indus is now discharged, but in 1848 the greatest body of it came from the Kediwari. Intermediately (1867) the Hajámro was the fresh water mouth and the only navigable one; but Lieutenant Stiffe has ascertained it to be now nearly closed. The great body of fresh water, having breached the bend of that river below Keti, now passes through the Gabei and Buri creeks, and enters the sea at the Jua or Seeshur mouth, or about 10 miles northward of its position ten years ago. For the above reasons the Hajámro mouth has been totally abandoned by the country shipping, and the pilots have removed to the new mouth.
Dangers. A great extension of the banks off the fresh water mouth is in constant progress, so that a near approach to them must be always made with great caution. The banks, especially near the mouths, are generally of soft mud with ridges, here and there, of hard sand, which appears to be a kind of quicksand.
By day the surf on the edge of the banks is generally sufficient warning, except when the sea is smooth near high water. In clear weather the low shore, its isolated huts, or one of the beacons, will be seen in time to avoid accident, provided a vigilant look-out be kept. The discolouration of the water is very marked, particularly off the fresh water mouth; it extends far outside the edge of the shoals, and should be a sufficient warning by day. Even at night the discolouration has been observed and profited by.
Soundings. During the night the banks should not be approached nearer than 20 or 15 miles, because the soundings will not be an infallible guide. For instance, at miles outside the projecting point of the Hajámro bank there is a depth of lo fathoms, where formerly 13 were found, and to the southward of Kukaiwari less than 20 fathoms are found in the head of the "Swatch" at a distance of 5 miles off the banks, whilst the latter depth is also found at 15 miles to the westward.
Proceeding down the coast from Kurrachee, a vessel is quite safe by attention to the lead. After deepening off Manora on a south course to 12 fathoms, she may run down the coast in that depth steering S. by E. to S.by E. E., and when the water deepens in the "Swatch" she will be southward of all dangers. In the south-west monsoon it would be desirable to give a wider berth, especially in a sailing vessel, and not to shoal under 15 fathoms.
For a vessel proceeding up the Sind coast, and making the banks from the southward or south-eastward, the lead is not a safe guide, unless a wide berth is given to pass outside the great Kori bank, which involves an unnecessary detour. A vessel should take a good departure from the Kattywar coast near Dwarka, by a bearing or latitude, and the depth of water, and shape a course to give the Indus Banks a berth of about 15 miles if passing them at night. If, after crossing the "Swatch, not less than 20 fathoms be obtained, haul up for Kurrachee, being careful not to shoal into less than 15 fathoms, until the light is sighted.
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By day in the fine season a vessel may sight the Hajámro beacon; but it should be remembered that it is ill adapted for visibility, and also too nearly resembles a ship's mast when seen from a distance; neither is it visible from the Kukaiwan banks. Attention to the lead is therefore necessary in passing the banks; off them do not shoal under 12 fathoms, but wher past them, a vessel might proceed to Kurrachee in a depth of 10 fathoms.
Currents. The indraught of tide into the rivers is only felt when close in; the tidal current sets along shore following the direction of the edge of the bank. The ebb streani from the fresh water mouth sets seaward for a distance of 4 or 5 miles, accompanied by a very turbid state of the water, which also, during the high season of the river, is more or less fresh on the surface at the above distance off shore. The flood setting into the river is weaker. At the latter end of March, whilst the survey was being made, the set of the tide was weak, the flood setting to S.E. or S.S.E. and the ebb scarcely perceptible, except off the mouth.
After March and until September, a set to the south-east is experienced, extending as far out as the bank of sounding Its strength varies from a half to 14 knots per hour, and when the wind hangs much to the southward, may be replaced. for a time, by a current in the opposite direction.
Caution.-Several vessels have grounded on these Indus Banks, through not making due allowance for the south-easterly set before mentioned, and neglecting the use of the lead.
Sea-borne Traffice of River Indus.-Kurrachee is the only Sind port which is lighted, or where dues are levied. The port of the river Indus is the town of Keti (mis-spelt Kellee on most charts), which stands on the left bank of the Hajámo, 10 miles from the present (Jun) mouth, and has a population of about 2,000. All sea-going vessels enter and clear from this place, cargoes being brought down by flat-bottomed river boats and then transhipped. Trade is chiefly grain. The seaset for navigation is from the end of August to the end of May, the port being closed during the monsoon months. The tots present sea-going trade is about 2,400 vessels per season, aggregating 78,000 tons. The largest boats are little over 100 ton:' burthen, with a draught not exceeding 9 or 10 feet.
A pilot is kept at the mouth of the river, whose boat leads vessels out and in, flyingja red flag if the flood is running, and a blue flag during the stream of ebb.
Tides. It is high water, full and change, about 10 hours 45 minutes; springs rise 9 or 10 feet; neaps about 4 feet. The first part of the ebb runs to west-south-west, and as the reefs become dry, the stream changes its course to north-west, running parallel to the coast.
The tidal streams, especially the ebb, are strong in the river up to Keti, running in places about 5 knots an hour: they also are strong for several miles outside the bar. On the ebb the surface of the sea is fresh to a distance of 4 or 5 miles o when the river is high. With that tide there is a heavy break on the bar when the sea breeze is fresh, and the native crat appear generally to leave the river in the morning at such times.
KURRACHEE (KARACHI) HARBOUR.
Manora Point, forming the west side of Kurrachee Harbour, is about 100 feet in height, and can be approached to: depth of 5 fathoms or within half a mile on any bearing from north to east. As at certain times of tide pilots cannot boar! vessels, attention should be given to all directions signalled from the station on Manors point.
Light On Manora point is situated a new lighthouse which exhibits, at an elevation of 150 feet, a revolving dioptri white light, the greatest brilliancy of which is attained every two minutes and is visible in clear weather from a distance d 20 miles.
Anchorage in the Roads.-From June to the middle of September, vessels should not on any account anchor, but stan off and on, keeping the lighthouse bearing from N.N.E. to N.E., one to two miles distant, until boarded by a pilot or directed by signal.
From the middle of September until the end of March, ships may anchor with the lighthouse bearing N. by E. to N.N.E distant one mile, in 7 fathoms water, and during the months of April and May the lighthouse should bear N.N.E., to N.E
distant 1 miles in 8 fathoms.
The Harbour.-A breakwater has been built extending from Manora Point in a S.byE. direction to a distance of 1,56) feet into 5 fathoms water; this affords complete shelter to the entrance channel during the south-west monsoon.
Light.-A red light is exhibited from the end of the breakwater during the fine season only, i. e., from the 30th Septembe to 1st June.
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