594 SCATTEBED ROCKS, SHOALS, AND VIGIAS. 



An isolated rock is a very difficult matter to detect ; and even the most 

 laborious surveys have failed sometimes to find such. Many examples 

 might be cited of this. Thus, Lewis Rock, the dangerous mid-channel 

 rock in the entrance of Milford Haven, occupies what was supposed to be 

 deep water, till accident made it known. Pin Rock, a similar very dan- 

 gerous pinnacle, was discovered in the entrance of Dartmouth Harbour ; 

 Lee Rock, another, lies off the South end of Lundy Island, in the anchor- 

 age. A man-of-war was very nearly wrecked on an unknown rock in the 

 centre of Braye Roads, Alderney, where our Government had expended 

 enormous sums in making shelter. The ship in which the Prince of Wales 

 visited Canada struck outside a buoy in the St. Lawrence. Another rock 

 was overlooked in the survey of Tenerife, at its East end. Several most 

 dangerous rocks were found after the survey, in the entrance of Port Phillip, 

 South Australia. The same in the entrance to San Francisco. 



A still more recent and convincing proof of the difficulty of finding sub- 

 merged pinnacles is that of the discovery of Avocet Bock, in the fairway of 

 the Red Sea, in 1887. In that year, two steamers struck on this unknown 

 danger, both foundering in consequence. The officers of H.M.S. Flying 

 Fish spent several days fruitlessly searching for it ; later on, H.M.S. 

 Sylvia scoured the locality for six weeks, finding no danger ; and it was 

 ultimately discovered by H.M.S. Stork, not more than 300 yards from where 

 the Sylvia had anchored. It had only 15 ft. over it at low tide, with 28 to 

 30 fathoms around. 



All these, and many other examples, show the extreme difficulty of pro- 

 nouncing absolutely, on the non-existence of an isolated shoal, if a pinnacle 

 of rock may not be found with the very close search of skilled surveyors, 

 and pass quite unnoticed in a channel-way. Besides, some of these vigias 

 may have ceased to exist, after having appeared for some time ; as, for 

 instance, the islands and reefs which have risen from the sea among the 

 Azores, and afterwards disappeared, as narrated in previous pages. 



We now proceed to give some examples of the old reports, which proved 

 to be unfounded, for the benefit of those who may happen to come across 

 similar appearances. The accounts given were frequently very vague and 

 ambiguous, and in some cases evidently referred to floating objects, such 

 as trees, which have occasionally been seen floating about with barnacles 

 attached to their branches. ■ 



As a monition against too hastily forming conclusions from mere appear- 

 ances, we here add, that an old friend of ours, in crossing the Atlantic, 

 was once alarmed by the sight of breakers at no great distance. Instead 

 of coming home with an imperfect report, he very properly sent out a boat 

 to examine them, and found that they were caused by a floating body, 

 thickly covered with barnacles, &c., to which a hatchet was applied, and 

 soon disclosed a cask of wine, which proved to be excellent Burgundy. It 

 had, no doubt, been floating about for many years, and during the time had 

 probably been the prolific parent of a number of vigias, &c. Capt. Hamlin, 

 in the brig Recovery, likewise picked up a hogshead of claret, which had 

 been a long time in the water, and worm-eaten nearly through. 



It is, moreover, possible that navigators, at a certain distance, may have 

 mistaken whales. M. de Chabert, in his voyage to America, in 1741, for 



