GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL,
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sbore keeping the lead going, and when the water shoals, anchoring till daylight, as by keeping over to the Guimarás shore (particularly in the N. E. monsoon), they will find no anchorage, and will lose ground..
It is necessary to follow the above instructions carefully, because the Otong Bank extends more to the west and south-west than is shown on the present published chart, and is yearly increasing, and also because the tide runs very strongly on both sides of it. With the flood tide (against the N.E. monsoon), vessels can easily work up in short tacks under the Guimarás shore.
The Otong Bank is 8 miles in length N.E. and S.W., by 21 miles N.W. by W., and S.E. by E. at its broadest part. It is of fine sand, with depths varying from to 3 fathoms. The edges in some places are steep, and in others shoal gradually. To avoid this danger, vessels should, after closing Guimarás, keep that shore on board, and be careful in beating up not to close the Panay side to less than four fathoms, and not to stand further from the Guimarás shore than half-a-mile, until Point Cabalig bears S. by W. W. 21 miles, when they should stand across and open the port of Iloilo clear of Point Bondulan, which kept open will clear the Guimarás Bank lying between Points Cabalig and Bondulan. Care should be taken in standing across towards the Otong Bank, to tack as soon as the water shoals to 6 fathoms, as the Bank is steep-to. After passing Point Bondulan, the fort should not be brought to the eastward of N.E. by E.
Guimarás Bank, with 11 feet on its shoalest part, extends in a N.E. by E., and S.W. by S. direction a little over a mile, and about three cables east and west, with deep water all round. The S.W. head bears from Point Bondulan N.N.E. E. 1 miles. Iloilo fort kept open off Point Bondulan will clear this danger.
These banks have been recently surveyed, in May, 1864, by the officers of the Spanish "Hydrographical Commission," but the charts have not yet been published. It is intended to place two lights in such a position as will greatly facilitate the entrance from the south.
Anchorage.--The island of Guimarás forms in front of Iloilo a sheltered passage, running nearly N. and S. about 2 miles broad, with deep water and good holding ground except immediately to the eastward of the fort, where the sand is loose. In mid-channel the depths exceeds 20 fathoms. The best anchorage, least exposed to the sweep of the tides, is to bring the Bantay (guard house) off the south point of the river to bear N.W. N., with the fort bearing S.W. W. Here a ship is out of the strongest current, with the advantage that cargo-boats can easily reach her and return.
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TO ENTER THE River and InnER PORT OF ILOILO.-Although the land is low at the entrance, the mouth of the river is distinctly seen, being marked by beacons on the port and starboard sides. On entering, keep the port beacon close on board, after passing which and the watch house, steer for the second point on the starboard hand, giving it a berth of forty feet. The east bauk, with 16 feet, should be closed to this distance until after the first sharp bend of the creek is passed, and then the port side to the wharf or anchorage. Vessels usually bring up at jetties, about half-a-mile to one mile from the entrance, and have the advantage, if of moderate size, of discharging and loading at the stores without employing boats. The creek, or rather tidal river, varies in breadth from a quarter to half-a-mile, and reaches beyond the town of Melo, meeting the sea again near Iloilo; and another branch continues as far as Otong.
DEPTH OF WATER.-The depth at the entrance to the river is nearly 5 fathoms at low water, but at a short distance within it decreases to 15 feet, and than deepens. The rise of tide being 63 feet, vessels drawing 16 to 18 feet can casily enter and leave; and when, as is proposed, a dredging-machine is employed to clear away the muḍ which has been allowed to accumulate, vessels of almost any draught will be able to complete their cargo inside. Ships of 1,000 tons register have loaded part cargoes alongside the jetties. The custom is to load to 141 to 15 feet in the river and complete loading outside.
TIDES.-It is high water at Iloilo, full and change, at noon; springs rise 63 feet. The stream runs at spring quite 3 to 4 knots through Iloilo. The flood sets to the