PORT PATTERSON. 29 



coast, and the quantity of soundings the openings 

 required detained us until the 6th of October, 

 when we passed out on the western side of the large 

 reef in the centre of the entrance, which is the 

 proper one, and received the name of West 

 Channel. The western entrance point of Bynoe's 

 Harbour, bearing S. 15° E., leads through it. This 

 guide is only, however, of service to a certain dis- 

 tance within the entrance, as it leads over a small 

 patch that dries at low water, distant two and a half 

 miles from the above-mentioned point on the same 

 bearing. To avoid this danger, it is therefore 

 necessary to haul over towards Quail Island, when 

 the highest hummock on it bears S. W. |- W. The 

 tides follow the direction of the channel, varying in 

 velocity from one to two knots. The ebb in the 

 offing set W. N. W. 



The reader will be able to have an idea of the 

 large sheet of water these united harbours form, 

 hy knowing that Port Patterson is twelve miles 

 long and seven wide at the entrance ; though at the 

 upper part, forming the mouth of Bynoe Har- 

 bour, it is not half that width. The latter winds 

 round to the S. E. for a distance of 15 miles, with an 

 average width of two, and a depth of nine fathoms. 

 Thus terminated our exploration in this neighbour- 

 hood ; the result having been to give this part of the 

 coast quite an insulated character. The sheets of 

 water creating this new feature, although mono- 

 tonous with their mangrove-lined shores, still con- 



