NANTUCKET SHOALS. 691 



These shoals are the only dangers on Virgin Rocks in ordinary bad 

 weather, but several others are reported to break in autumnal gales, and 

 the uneven ground, with the tidal streams about the shoals, produce a con- 

 fused sea even in strong breezes. The currents hereabout are described 

 on pages 436—437.* 



The Flemish Cap, the Outer or False Bank, lies about 120 miles eastward 

 of the N.E. part of the Grand Bank, with irregular depths of 689 fathoms 

 and under between, over bottom of hard sand. Within the 100-fathoma 

 line it appears to be about 50 miles in extent, North and South, by 15 to 

 20 miles in width, the least depth hitherto found on it being 58 fathoms, 

 sand and stones, on its eastern side, in lat. 46° 54' N., long. 44° 40' W. 

 The 500-fathoms line reaches nearly 60 miles eastward of this, and then 

 the depth rapidly increases to 2,000 fathoms and over ; it deepens much 

 more quickly to the southward of the bank. 



Ships bound to St. John's are recommended to keep on the parallel of 

 46", or 1^" to the southward of the parallel of that port, until they ap- 

 proach the outer edge of the Great Bank ; and, when they obtain sound- 

 ings, to steer directly to the north-westward for Cape Spear ; but refer, 

 also, to pages 539 et seq. 



• In 1845, Jesse Byder, master of the fishing schooner Bethel, announced that he had 

 discovered a rocky patch of 3 fathoms, in lat. 46° 29' N., long. 49° 41' W., or about 50 

 mUes eastward of Virgin Rocks, which latter rocks he afterwards saw. During the 

 survey of 1879, a whole day was spent in searching for it, but no trace of it was found, 

 either by variation in the soundings, or changes in the quality of the bottom. The 

 depths in the locality were from 35 to 37 fathoms, over sand and shells. 



Beriel Bank, reported to lie in lat. 44" 43' N., long. 49° 52' W., was also carefuUy 

 searched for, but no sign of it was found. The depths near the position were from 27 

 to 29 fathoms, over sand and shells. 



The masters of various fishing vessels, who have had many years experience on the 

 Great Bank of Newfoundland, stated that, to their knowledge, no trace of shoal ground 

 exists near the reported positions of Jesse Ryder Rock and Bertel Bank. 



