198 EXAMINATION OF DANGERS. [1846. 



patch into two, admitting of a passage carrying three and 

 a half fathoms at the shoalest point. 



This group is supposed to be a continuation, by deep 

 water soundings, with the Saya de Malha (or Coat of Mail) 

 bank, also very dangerous, and which, by the frequent 

 reports of recent navigators, appears to merit a closer 

 examination, and to be more correctly inserted upon the 

 charts. The name of this latter danger is satisfactorily 

 traced to be of Spanish derivation, but of Cargados 

 Garajos we have no clue. The term Rocks of St. Brandon 

 has been applied by the French, and this has probably 

 given rise to the reports of the Brandon Rocks having 

 been lately seen, as in reply to questions as to the existence 

 of the St. Brandon rocks at Mauritius, the reply would 

 certainly be in the affirmative, understanding the question 

 to apply to the Cargados Garajos. 



But to proceed with our examination. The prevailing 

 strong breezes, or rather gales, which prevailed, rendered 

 any attempts at working to windward, in order to search 

 for any banks which might extend easterly, towards the 

 reported, or suspected, rocks of St. Brandon, if not im- 

 possible, at least impolitic. The very question of the 

 accurate meridian distance between the Keelings, this 

 group and Mauritius, would materially depend upon the 

 rates of our Chronometers, and those could not be relied 

 on if the ship attempted working through heavy seas 

 under close-reefed top-sails. Even under the lee of the 

 islands, in comparatively smooth water, this was un- 

 pleasant. 



At noon on the 6th we rounded the extreme of the coral 

 belt extending off the southern islet, called Coco Island, 



