1846.] L'AVOCARE. 199 



which derives its name from having been formerly covered 

 with these trees, but of which only two in a perishing 

 state remain, almost in derision of the appellation. On 

 the eastern edge of the breakers still remains the hull of 

 a vessel entire, with her bow-sprit standing, and anchors 

 on the reef, showing that though the waves of this region 

 are too powerful to admit of extricating a vessel which 

 may strike on that side, still they do not rise sufficiently 

 high to injure her when once set in upon the reef. We 

 subsequently learned that the vessel had been wrecked at 

 this spot more than fifteen years since. 



Immediately after we hauled up under the lee of the 

 islets and sand-banks, our attention was directed to secure 

 terra firma, or some sheltered spot for our observations. 

 We soon noticed a schooner anchored, well to the east- 

 ward, and, by reference to our charts, within the portion 

 of sand, dry at low water, at least four miles ! As we 

 met with no difficulty beyond coral knolls, easily avoided 

 by a sharp look out from aloft, we continued plying to 

 windward, until 4 o'clock, when the ' Samarang ' was 

 anchored four miles within the limit of this ci (levant sand- 

 bank, in three-and-a-half fathoms, close to the schooner, 

 which proved to be a fishing vessel from Mauritius. There 

 is no sand-bank, therefore, and its insertion in the charts 

 is highly dangerous. Such an error * in the delineation of 

 these dangers, sufficiently intricate in themselves, is inju- 

 dicious, as a vessel, finding herself within the reefs, might, 

 after slight damage upon some of the knolls by night, 

 escape, and to prevent further injury, or loss, endeavour 



* Possibly intended for sand occasionally covered by water. 



