THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 15TH APRIL, 1882.
411
Outer western buoy, a black can buoy, lies in 15 feet, N.W. by W. W., 7 cables from the tripod, and indicates the western side of the Fairway channel.
A red spire buoy with staff, lies close to Redlie point in 20 feet, 6 cables N. W. N. from the tripod, and marks the eastern side of the channel.
A small red nun buoy, about 1 cables to the southward of the red spire buoy, marks the western extreme of shoal water off Reddie head.
Four buoys denote the boundary of the inner anchorage; on the western limit are two black buoys, and on the eastern limit, two red buoys; each buoy lies in about 12 feet at low-water.
Anchorages. The outer anchorage, for vessels exceeding 18 feet draught and the most convenient for vessels making a short stay, is off the north point of Dowdeswell island in 4 fathoms at low-water, mud bottom, with the tripod bearing S.S.E. E., and Temple tree about W. by S. 4 S. This position is outside the tide-rip which is caused by the wind along the coast meeting the freshets from the numerous creeks in the bay, during the rainy season.
From the inner anchorage, 18 feet, green mud, the tripod bears E.S.E. and Hookey Tollah flagstaff S. by E. 1 E., distant 1 miles. At 14 miles from this position in the direction of the lighthouse is a depth of 2 fathoms.
Tides. It is high-water, full and change, at the inner anchorage off Hookey Tollah at 9 h. 15 m.; ordinary springs rise 7 feet, neaps 4 feet. The range of tide, however, is much affected by the fresh water out of the numerous creeks, and also by the prevailing winds; the highest tides occur during the north-east monsoon, the lowest tides in the month of May. The tidal streams within the harbour set fairly through the several channels, and at springs average a velocity of two knots an hour.
After heavy rains, when the freshets come down Bacood and Jumboo rivers, the ebb stream, which runs out round Reddie head and past the red spire buoy sometimes attains a rate of 4 or 5 knots an hour.
At half a mile outside and eastward of Reddie point, the flood stream sets to the north; at the Fairway buoy to the north-west whilst midway between the buoy and Reddie point, it sets to W. S. W. Great attention, therefore, is necessary in entering the port on a flood tide.
In the offing the flood sets to north-east, the ebb to south-west, at a rate of about one knot per hour; but the velocity is much influenced by the prevailing wind, so that the flood stream (augmented by the current) in the south-west monsoon attains sometimes a rate of 4 knots.
Supplies, Trade.-Inferior water can be procured at Hookey Tollah, free of expense, by using the vessels' boats, and good water at Marsaghai, situated about 30 miles up Bacood creek. Firewood is pentiful and cheap.
Provisions are scarce and expensive; sheep and vegetables can be obtained from Cuttack, and from villages within a radius of 20 miles; but it is better to obtain all provisions and live-stock from Calcutta by means of the weekly British India steamers.
False point is the principal port of Cuttack and the Orissa district; the imports are chiefly Birmingham and Man- chester goods; exports, rice, and various seeds.
Ballast must be discharged outside the limits of the port.
DIRECTIONS.-Vessels from the southward, bound to False point outer anchorage in the south-west monsoon, on approaching the lighthouse, should not shoal into less than 10 fathoms. When the lighthouse bears N.W. distant 4 miles, in soundings of 10 fathoms, olive mud bottom, alter course to N.N.E. for about 7 miles, or until the tripod on Dowdeswell island bears N.W. W. Thence a N.W. by N. course for about 3 miles will place a vessel in about 7 fathoms, mud, one mile off shore, with Dowdeswell tripod bearing southward of West. Haul in gradually until Temple tree, the Jumboo location buildings and flagstaff, on the west shore of the bay, are well open to the northward of Dowdeswell island and anchor as convenient.
If proceeding to the inner anchorage, pass westward of the red spire buoy, off Reddie point (taking care to guard against an eddy, extending from the pitch of the point to the 3-fathom line), and steer up the harbour with the west extreme of Plowden island trees, and False point lighthouse in linc, bearing S. by W. W., to the required anchorage.
It should be observed that with a strong flood-stream (which will reveal itself by drifting a vessel rapidly to the northward), it will be found best to steer in on a southerly course, bringing the vessel's head through the S.E. quadrant, to east and north-eastward, so as to breast the tide before anchoring. Instances have occurred of steam vessels steering in towards Reddie point, and attempting to turn to starboard, or through south-west and north-west, on the flood-tide; thus they were rapidly swept across (see tides, page 3) the channel to the westward, and grounded in the shoal water extending from Temple point.
From abreast Hookey Tollah, boat channels, winding through mud-banks and partially buoyed, lead to the Bacood and Jumboo creeks. There is also a channel, available for boats, through mud flats and mangrove, leading to False point lighthouse, the banks on either side being marked by bamboos.
The channel to Jumboo is the deepest, and at high-water is navigable for vessels of 10 feet draught. The Bacood channel, although shallower than the Jumboo, is at present the highway to Cuttack. recommended that the services of a local pilot should be obtained, as they alter from time to time, consequent on the large In navigating these channels, it is quantities of detritus and silt brought down in solution from the upper portion of the Mahanuddy, necessitating frequent changes in the position of the bouys and bamboos which denote the fairway.
COAST OF SIAM.~TAKUAPAH (or KOPAH) INLET.
Commander Taylor also supplies the following corrections to Hydrographic Notice No. 12 of 1880, as resulting from a revised notice issued by the Government of India, 1880.
PAK KRUEN (Bangri of Horsburgh). Page 11, for paragraph 4, substitute the following paragraph:-
Entering the river from seaward, the course in is E.S.E. between the sandbanks, or with the low casuarina tree point in line with the first south notch of River Hill. This channel is difficult (as the entrance between the sandbanks cannot well be seen), and it should not be attempted without local knowledge of the place. In the south-west monsoon there is generally a heavy swell on the bar, and the northern entrance is then much to be preferred.
Page 12, for paragraph 1, substitute the following:-
Pak Koh,* about 4 miles S.S.E. from Koh Gah, is the most southern of the three entrances to Takuapah river; it is narrow and shallow with exception of the western entrance, where there is a passage in between sandbanks with from 2 to 3 fathoms at low-water for a mile or two. The land around is all low, and richly wooded; but there are numerous small creeks, and at high-water a large part of the country is flooded, making it little else than a mangrove swamp, During the fine season this entrance may be made use of with great advantage; but in the south-west monsoon the northern entrance is the only safe one.
Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, London, 31st January, 1882.
* Pak Cruen is the Bangri of Horsburgh, and not Pak Koh.
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