OF THE MOUTH OF THE TAMAR. 475 



fortunate natives ; whilst the Beagle crossed the 

 strait to Wilson's Promontory, anchoring behind an 



Whea abreast of the Shear Beacon, steer for the next beyond on 

 the west side of the channel, to avoid a long patch of kelp, with 

 three and five fathoms in it, extending two cables and a half to 

 the S.S.W. of the Barrel Rock. 



The high part of the Western Reef, bearing S. by E. leads 

 into the fair way of the Western Channel, when will be seen the 

 white beacons over Lagoon Bay. The latter is the second sandy 

 beach inside the lighthouse on the eastern shore. The Western 

 Reefs are those fronting Point Friend ; the part above-mentioned, 

 the only spot uncovered at high water, is a black patch of 

 rocks near their northern extreme. 



The only danger near the entrance of the Taraar is the Hebe 

 Reef, named after a ship lost on it in 1808; it occupies a space 

 of a quarter of a mile, chiefly in an east direction. A small por- 

 tion of its centre is nearly dry at low water; this part bears S. 

 89° W., three miles and three-tenths from the lighthouse on 

 Low Head ; inside it there is a channel of 7 fathoms. The guide 

 for passing northward of it, is a white spot on the N. W. extreme 

 of Low Head in one with the lighthouse ; the latter will then 

 bear E. 16° S. 



The shoals, on either side, within the entrance of the river, 

 are marked with beacons. Those on the western shore, have a 

 letter V on the top, thus 'i ; and those on the eastern a cross, 

 thus f . Shoals marked with chequered buoys, may be passed on 

 either side ; a red or black buoy, signifies that the danger ex- 

 tends from the eastern shore ; and a white one, that it extends 

 from the western. 



The result of 115 tidal observations, taken three miles within 

 the entrance, gives 12h. 06m. for the time of high water on the 

 full and change day. The rise of tide was irregular, the least 

 being 4, and the greatest 10 feet. The highest noticed in 

 the Beagle was during the neaps, caused by a strong N. W. gale 



