42 OPENING OF HATTERAS INLET. 



Ocracoke. I was one of the first Commissioners of Navigation ap- 

 pointed for Hatteras Inlet, I think in 1852 ; there has been but very 

 little passing through Ocracoke Inlet since 1855 ; there is no vessel 

 passes through there now except perchance, that a vessel goes in 

 case of distress of weather, or head winds, and draws light draught 

 of water, 4 or 5 feet." 



To sum up : we find on the old charts of the coast of 

 North Carolina from those of 1585, to that of James Wim- 

 ble 1738, an inlet indicated between Ocracoke Inlet and 

 Cape Hatteras and about eight miles northeast of the for- 

 mer, known as Hatteras Inlet, which from the evidence 

 given must have closed near the middle of the last century ; 

 for the chart of Daniel Dunbibbin was published by his 

 widow, in 1764, and this was made from actual surveys, 

 and it has no inlet between Ocracoke Inlet and Cape Hat- 

 teras ; and we must conclude that all charts of that coast 

 quoted in the paper above, made later than Dunbibbin's, are 

 faulty in the matter of this inlet, and are simply copies of 

 some previous chart. We also conclude that the claim of 

 the U. S. Coast Survey authorities that the present inlet 

 at Hatteras has "existed from remote times, " and that of 

 Mr. Abert, that this present inlet is identical with that 

 of 1585 is erroneous ; for the evidence given cannot be 

 controverted that the present Hatteras Inlet was opened 

 by the great gale of Sept., 1846, which was so severe on 

 our southern coast. 



This paper and its conclusions are respectfully referred 

 to the U. S. authorities and the publishers of Gazetteers 

 and Encyclopaedias for their adoption. 



