( 593 I 



SECTION lY. 



-:o:- 



1.— AN ACCOUNT OF THE SCATTERED ROCKS, SHOALS, AND 

 VIGIAS, IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. 



In the earlier editions of this work, the present section was in many 

 respects a very unsatisfactory portion of it. To deal with the conflicting 

 and imperfect accounts which often arose of the discovery of new shoals 

 and dangers was most perplexing. But, since the greater precision intro- 

 duced into navigation by the use of steam, these doubts have been dis- 

 pelled, in most or in very many instances, by the direct test of the deep- 

 sea sounding machine ; and the testimony thus afforded, as to the non- 

 existence (at least, in the assigned position) of many of the formidable 

 reefs announced in perfect good faith, has led many to doubt the authen- 

 ticity of the whole range of reported rocks. 



The Chart of the North Atlantic Ocean, formerly disfigured by numerous 

 reported rocks, shoals, and vigias,* now retains but few of them. Owing 

 to the numerous lines of soundings made by war-ships and surveying 

 vessels of the maritime powers, together with the equally or perhaps more 

 valuable researches of telegraph cable-laying ships, and the fact that the 

 ocean is now so furrowed by the tracks of innumerable steamers, there is 

 but a small chance of any doubtful danger remaining as such. The earliest 

 expedition, undertaken to disprove these numerous reported dangers in the 

 North Atlantic, was tuat sent out by the Onited States Government in 

 1851-2, in the brig Dolphin, Lieut. Lee, commander, and it is gratifying 

 to us to record that a former edition of this work, the "Atlantic Memoir" 

 of 1845, was made the basis of these experiments. 



Nevertheless, however much may have been done, the subject cannot be 

 dismissed until a satisfactory and systematic examination of the whole 

 bed of the ocean has been made. Until this has been done, we cannot 

 pronounce absolutely that it is free from isolated dangers. The enumeration 

 of them, therefore, will be continued in this work for the present, not with 

 the idea of inducing too much caution, but as a reference to show that they 

 have not been overlooked. 



In a subsequent section, the subject of deep-sea soundings will be dis- 

 cussed. Its great importance, in relation to the present topic of doubtful 

 rocks and shoals, is manifest, as it is almost the only test which is con- 

 clusive. 



• ViGiA, a Spanish word, literally signifying Watch, or Look-out, was generally in 

 thft charts attached to spots supposed to be dangerous. 



N. A, 0. '^^ 



