94 SPRATT. BECHER. [June 23, 1856. 



3. Routes between the Danube and the Black Sea at Kustendji. By 

 Captain Spratt, r.n., c.b., of H.M.S. ^ Spitfire.' 



Communicated by Captain J. Washington, r.n., f.r.g.s. 



This communication was written at the outbreak of the war, but has 

 been received only a few days since by the Society. Captain Spratt 

 considers the lakes along the Kara Su valley to be a mere backwater 

 of the Danube, and that they could be fitted for the navigation of barges 

 without much diflficulty. The remaining twenty-three miles, to the 

 Black Sea, might be traversed by carrying the barges on wheels along a 

 tram-way to the sea at Kustendji, where a breakwater would have to be 

 constructed to shelter them. The absence of any port at that place 

 would render an ordinary ship-canal between the Black Sea and the 

 Danube of little value. Captain Spratt gives itineraries of the routes as 

 they exist at present, and remarks on the value of Kustendji in a mili- 

 tary point of view. 



4. The Landfall of Columbus, or the Land which was first reached 

 by him. By Captain A. B. Bechek, r.n., f.r.g.s. 



Two islands have hitherto shared this honour — Cat Island, the claims 

 of which were urged by Washington Irving and subsequently supported 

 by Baron Humboldt; and Grand Turk Island, adopted by Senor 

 Navarrete, who has also published all that remains of Columbus' original 

 journal. It is by availing himself of this publication that Captain 

 Becher has come to the conclusion, suggested by Seiior Muiioz, that a 

 third island, Watling Island, was really the land in question. Co- 

 lumbus' own words are : " It is a tolerably large island, with fine trees 

 and a large lake in the middle of it ; it has no mountains, and is 

 covered with verdure, which is pleasing to the eye." Watling Island 

 is eaten out by a salt-water lake, its highest part is not more than 140 

 feet above the sea, and it is now called the Garden of the Bahamas. 

 Captain Becher shows that Columbus did not water his ships there, 

 though he must clearly have been in great want of water, and there- 

 fore that this lake must have been salt water and unfit to drink. From 

 this point he traces him step by step to the port of Nipe, in Cuba, 

 which appears to be identified beyond question. 



5. The Secretary next read a letter from Captain J. Lort Stokes, r.n., 

 P.R.G.S., communicating the opinion of Captain Richards, r.n., on the 

 expediency of despatching a vessel at once, in search of the relics of the 

 * Erebus ' and ' Terror/ Captain Richards, whose experience in Arctic 

 travelling is so well known, says : — 



