Geographical Collections. 163 



Charts of the Northern Coast of Brazil. — There is no part of the South 

 American coast more dangerous to vessels than the northern part of Brazil, 

 and none perhaps more incorrectly laid down on the charts. No survey 

 has ever been made of this coast, and the only charts of it, by Arrowsmith, 

 are found to place the line of coast from twenty to thirty miles to the north- 

 ward of its true position. Coral reefs and quicksands form a sort of impe- 

 netrable barrier to it, and these dangers are increased by a current running 

 at the rate of three and four miles an hour. Oif the mouth of the Amazons, 

 the current is much influenced by the stream of that great river, and the 

 winds which prevail there, according to the season of the year. These 

 things considered, as well as the little trade hitherto afforded by this part of 

 Brazil, it is easy to imagine the sort of materials from which the charts 

 must have been compiled. Captain Foster in H. M. ship Chanticleer^ 

 employed on a scientific expedition, had been some time at Maranham, before 

 the Mersey was there. * It is to be hoped that this officer will afford us 

 materials for constructing correct charts of this dangerous part of the world. 



It is stated, that the harbour of St Louis, Maranham, is fast filling up — 

 affording another remarkable instance of those changes which nature is con- 

 stantly working in our globe. The effect of the rainy season is distinctly 

 visible in the harbour, in bringing down from the interior large quantities of 

 sand and mud ; so much so, that in one place, where large ships formerly 

 lay at anchor, even at low water, there is not now sufficient to float a boat. 

 In the deepest part of the harbour, at present, there is not more than a 

 depth of fourteen feet at low water, and in consequence of this, it is expected 

 that the port for shipment of goods will be removed. That of Artaki, 

 close by, is large, safe, and commodious, but totally deficient in the article 

 of fresh water, which is not to be found within a distance of ten miles from 

 it ; so that it is more likely the shipments will take place from the town of 

 Alcantara, on the opposite side of the bay of San Marcos. 



The survey of Baron Roussin extends only as far as the Island of San 

 Joao, to the westward of Maranham ; and his charts, although the best of 

 this part of the world, are in many parts susceptible of improvement. His 

 plan of Port Louis appears to be very incomplete, and he even omits the 

 middle ground, a large shoal in the bay of San Marcos, known to all the 

 pilots of the place. Great credit is, however, due to the French Admiral, 

 for his persevering exertions in discovering the position of the Manoel Luiz 

 rock, one that had been long fatal to the trade of Maranham, whose situation 

 was involved in mystery, and which had long eluded the search of the most 

 experienced navigators. — Athenceum, No. 17L 



Reef amongst the Caroline Islands. — A dangerous reef has been discovered 

 in the Pacific Ocean, among the Caroline Islands, the N. E. extremity of 

 which is in lat. 7° 36' north, and long. 155° 18' east. It was found to lie in 

 a N. E. and S. W. direction, and is so extensive, that the whole of it could 

 not be seen from the N. E. extremity. It is about fourteen miles, in a 

 W. S. W. direction, from the island Bordelaise, discovered in 1826 Ibid. 



Dr Edioard Ruppell. — This enterprizing and enthusiastic traveller left 

 Frankfort in the early part of November last, to reside again in North 

 Africa. He undertakes this journey, as he did his former one, entirely at 

 his own cost ; and, having gone out with the intention of spending the 

 remainder of his private fortune (about ^3000) in this undertaking, he has 

 made an arrangement with the town, which he has so much enriched by his 

 ardour, that if he returns, they will allow him an annuity of ^100. The 

 museum of Frankfort, entirely formed by the collections during Dr Riippell's 



* The Mersey, Capt. Courtenay, lately ran aground, on the Braganza Reefs, at "the 

 entrance of the Para branch of the River Amazon, entirely owing to the inaccuracy of 

 the charts ; and since then the T/ietis, Capt. Burgess, has been wrecked off Cape Frio, 

 near the entrance of Rio Janeiro, from the same cause. 



