NAUTICAL REMARKS. 415 



of the channe], upon which the sea breaks heavily in four fa- 

 thoms, and outside which there is no bottom at eighty fathoms, 

 within forty yards of the breakers. 



The plan which I have given of these islands must not be 

 considered complete, as such a survey required more exami- 

 nation than I could bestow ; and there are, no doubt, many 

 knolls of coral in the lagoon which we did not discover. A 

 careful look-out from aloft is therefore absolutely necessary. 



It is high water here at Ih. 50m. full and change ; but a 

 current generally sets to the westward in the day-time, and runs 

 strong in the western channel, 



OTAHEITE. 



In clear weather the mountains of Otaheite may be seen 

 ninety miles from the deck. The ports most frequented are 

 situated on the north side of the island, and may be approached 

 without difficulty when the trade wind is blowing. It, however, 

 sometimes happens in the winter months that the trade is in- 

 terrupted by breezes from the N.W. and W., and at others 

 that calms and unsettled weather prevail. At such times avoid 

 getting into the bay between Otaheite and Tyraboo, especially 

 on the south-west side of the island, as the swell rolls in 

 heavily upon the shore, and there is no anchorage outside the 

 reefs. 



Arrived within a few miles of the north-eastern part of 

 Otaheite, several points covered with cocoa-nut trees will be 

 seen stretching from the foot of the hills. One of these is 

 Point Venus, and may be known by One-tree Hill, which, 

 with the exception of the western extremity of the island, is 

 the last bluff head-land upon this part of the coast. 



Matavai Bay, on the south-western side of Point Venus, 

 may be considered a safe anchorage from April to December; 

 but during the remainder of the year the trade is liable to 

 interruptions from westerly winds, which blow directly into 

 Matavai, and occasion a high sea. The protection to the 

 anchorage is afforded by Point Venus and the Dolphin shoal, 

 a coral bank, with only two jind a quarter fathoms upon its 



