60 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



we sounded for three cables lengths, and found 7f fathoms, 

 nor is it probable that there is much less until near the shore, 

 between which and the ship many whales were seen sporting, 

 and the}^ doubtless would not go into very shoal water. 



The position of Loango bay is most erroneously laid down 

 in the latest charts, the latitude of Indian Point being 4° 37' 

 (we were in 4" 39' at noon of the 2Pth, by good observation, 

 M'hen the pitch of the point bore E.^S. true bearing). 

 'J'he description of the land however in Laurie and AVhittle's 

 chart is sufficiently exact, and particularly so with re- 

 spect to Indian Point, which strongly resembles the Bill 

 of Portland, but of a greater length. The north side 

 of the bay is formed by reddish land of moderate eleva- 

 tion, with ravines or fissures resembling chalky cliffs dis- 

 coloured by the weather. These high lands descend gra- 

 dually to the low land at the bottom of the bay : Indian 

 Point also falls gradually towards the south into low land 

 entirely covered with wood. Here the water was first ob- 

 served to have a deep red tinge as if mixed with blood, but 

 on being examined in a glass was found perfectly colourless ; 

 the bottom however seems to account for this appearance, 

 being a soft mud composed of a reddish clay without 

 the smallest mixture of sand, and so smooth that it might be 

 laid on as paint. The only fish taken since we have been 



