162 SINGAPORE. [1844. 



through the barrier of sand, and thus furnishes to the 

 passing traveller that inestimable gift for which we way- 

 faring wanderers are so grateful. It is needless to talk 

 of the beauty of tint or form to the seaman, unless it be 

 enlivened by the cascade or pure fresh stream. The facility 

 for watering is also great, unless, indeed, at such times 

 when the surf renders all open beaches dangerous. But 

 the beach at Tanjong Api is in a great measure pro- 

 tected : first, by an outer bank distant about half a 

 mile, and running parallel to the curvature of the 

 point ; and secondly, by large beds of rock which stud 

 out westerly. Between these rocks there is safe admis- 

 sion, but an anchor should be dropped outside and the 

 boat hauled in stern foremost, as, even in calm, frequent 

 little curls endanger wetting, if not swamping, from the 

 constant roll which prevails about this point ; the best 

 landing is about sixty fathoms to the southward of the 

 northernmost large black rock at the Point. Quitting 

 Api, we called at a reef situated to the southward of the 

 Islands of St. Pierre, which is not correctly laid down in 

 the charts. This reef, which is given as a rock " a-wash ", 

 or covered at high water, is aboiit seventy feet long by 

 thirty wide, is perpetually eight feet above the level, and 

 has very deep water all round ; it is about one mile and 

 a half to the southward of the two St. Pierre Islands, and 

 is situated in Lat. 1 51' 44" N., Long. 108 38'33"E. 



On our arrival at Singapore, I found orders from Sir 

 Thos. Cochrane to forward communications to Captain 

 Keppel with all possible dispatch, directing the immediate 

 return of the Dido to England. We met here the 

 following vessels of war: 'Wolverine', Capt. Morris; 



