68 HOW TO ENTER BONNE HARBOR. 



many rocky knobs or crests rising above the water, arranged in a 

 most singular manner to form broken and winding channels which 

 are navigable with the greatest of caution, and then only by those 

 who have gradually become accustomed to their intricacies. There 

 are two ways of reaching Bonne Esperance by vessel : one is to 

 take the channel inside the islands, the other to reach the harbor 

 from the outside ; the latter is easy while the former is quite 

 difficult. Very small islands lie about the harbors on this part of 

 the coast in such profusion as well as confusion, that the channels 

 formed present a most intricate network of passable and nonpassa- 

 ble openings. Right here, about Bonne Esperance, occur many 

 such places. Clustered as the islands and shoals are one can 

 hardly pass them in safety unless well acquainted with them. 

 Many of these passages, apparently safe to the sight, contain 

 sunken ledges or single rocks that render them unsafe for large ves- 

 sels ; while many places, whose narrowness and dark looking waters 

 would repel one, are the very passages chosen from their depth, 

 with fair wind, through which to glide. Strange as it may appear, a 

 wide and fair opening of water between these islets is an almost in- 

 variable sign of shallow water. Vessels can enter Bonne harbor 

 by keeping close to the mainland following carefully the evident 

 channel, keeping to the right between two small islands and fol- 

 lowing the narrow passage between them, and bearing directly to 

 the left again running straight for the stage houses then in sight ; 

 but the safer way is to enter from outside, as it is called, that is, — if 

 sailing in sight of the islands, but at a distance out to sea, — continue 

 until the white beacon of Whale island comes in sight, steer for this 

 and when it is directly northwest (all these points are magnetic 

 points, which here differ by 36° 45' west of apparent points ; that 

 is, apparent north on the chart is 36° 45' east of true north), 

 sailing in a north or north by west direction, until the fish houses 

 are seen between the two small islands at either hand, when the pilot 

 can steer directly for them. The harbor of Bonne Esperance is 

 a neat sort of natural bay situated between the shores of the 

 opposing islands. Either shore retreats in a semicircle, so that the 



