186 SHOAL SOUNDINGS. 



to it, we found only 4 fathoms. The tide 

 rose at this anchorage 12 feet. The flood stream 

 began by setting to the S.S.W., and ended at S.E. 

 by E. The ebb set W. by N., and the utmost 

 strength of stream never exceeded one mile per 

 hour. 



It was high water at 10 o'clock p.m., and the 

 stream changed at the same time. The tide was 

 therefore two hours later here than in the entrance 

 to King's Sound, from which it would appear that 

 the tidal wave approaches this coast from the W.S.W. 



April 6. — We made slight progress towards Port 

 George the Fourth, during the forenoon ; the water 

 deepening to 20 and 30 fathoms, soon after we had 

 weighed. We espied a ridge extending to the S.E. 

 from Beagle Bank, which supplies another fact in 

 support of the opinion I have before advanced, and 

 which gives a north-westerly trend to these ledges. 

 The wind failin":, and the ebb tide driftino- us again 

 to the westward, in sight of Beagle Bank, the 

 anchor was dropped 4 J miles E. by N. of it, and in 

 a depth of 12 fathoms, to which we had suddenly 

 shoaled from 29, this position marked the limit of 

 shoal soundings in an E. by N. direction from 

 Beagle Bank. Between sunset and midnight we 

 were able to make 17 miles, in an E. by N. direc- 

 tion, when a contrary tide, and an accompanying 

 calm, compelled us to anchor in 31 fathoms : the 

 soundings during the run had varied from 35 to 39 

 fathoms : the bottom, latterly a soft mud, of a dirty 



