Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 274

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Chusan Archipelago.

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The middle ground is situated at the western extreme of the bar- bor. On all but the western edge the water shoals suddenly. The passage between it and Chusan is cable wide, with 12 to 14 fa- thoms. Between Guard-bouse island and it, the channel is 1 cable broad.

South passage. The South, or Straight, passage lies between Deer and Elephant islands. Two sunken rocks lie near the centre of the channel, which narrow it to 12 cable. It should never be at、 tempted without a commanding breeze. The tides in the vicinity of the sunken rocks flow from three channels, forming eddies which render a ship, in light winds, totally unmanageable. Intending to enter this passage, the course from Round-about island is northwest by north 44 miles.

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· Elephant island is remarkable for a curious crag near the sum- mit, and cannot be mistaken. The tides or wind not suiting to go into the harbor, anchorage will be found abreast of it in 16 to 18 fathoms water; the bottom is gravel and not good holding ground. Beyond Round island, which is a small islet lying to the northeast of Elephant island, the water deepens from 28 to 34 fathoms, until you arrive at the Southern rock, which has 13 fathom on it at low water. The marks for it are the Cap rock, or with the saddle of Kintang, N. 75° W., and the joss-house on the hill near the suburbs showing between Trumball and Sarah Galley islands; it lies S. 63° E., 2 cables from the Black rock, and N. 75° E., 12 cable from the ledge extending off the island to the southward of Tea island.

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The North Rock lies due north of it 12 cable. The marks for which are a bushy tree on the eastern slope of Sarah Galley island, in line with the square beacon on the east hill, and the Black rock's north extreme on with the south part of the Cap; it bears from the former N. 63o E., 24 cables; it has 9 feet at low water. This patch is about 30 feet by 20, the water deepens suddenly on all sides of it.

To avoid these dangers, the best direction is to keep the western shore on board, taking care not to avoid the ledge of rocks which extend three quarters of a cable from the island south of the Cap and Black rock, the latter is steep to; at this part of the channel the bot- tom is rocky and the depth very irregular. Having passed Sarah Galley island, steer for Macclesfield, which may be rounded close, to avoid the Middle Ground, the marks for which have been already given, in the direction of Tower hill passage.

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Inner harbor. The inner harbor of Tinghae is formed by the coast of Chusan on the north, Trumball and Macclesfield islands on

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