BUKGEO BANK BANQUEREAU BANK. 79 



cast of the lead gave a sounding of 16 fathoms. The position was 

 from dead reckoning, and the vessel was enveloped in dense fog with 

 high and irregular sea. 



Burgee bank, northwestward of St. Pierre bank and separated 

 from it by a channel 20 miles wide, is about 14 miles across northwest 

 and southeast and 10 miles in greatest breadth, within depths of 50 

 fathoms. The least depth of 27 fathoms on the bank is situated in 

 latitude 47° 10' N., longitude 57° 49' W. 



Reported shoal. — A shoal with 17 fathoms water over it was 

 reported in 1885 to exist in latitude 46° 53' N., longitude 58° 19' 

 W., but it was searched for unsuccessfully in a surveying vessel in 

 1891. 



Deep channel. — A channel, about 60 miles in breadth, with 

 general depths of over 200 fathoms, mud bottom, lies between St, 

 Pierre bank, of the Great bank of Newfoundland, and Banquereau 

 and Misaine banks, of the Nova Scotia banks; and this channel con- 

 tinues northward through Cabot strait into the gulf of St. Lawrence. 



Nova Scotia banks. — These banks are all fully described in H. O. 

 Publication No. 99, Bay of Fundy and southeast coast of Nova Scotia. 

 They are described here simply because vessels bound from the south- 

 ward to Newfoundland must cross them or pass between some of 

 them. Of these banks, the principal in extent and most important in 

 position are the Banquereau and Sable Island banks, the former 

 being the easternmost of what may be correctly designated the Nova 

 Scotia banks. 



Banquereau bank, with 15 to 50 fathoms, is an extensive plateau 

 of sand, gravel, and shell, and is distinguished from contiguous banks 

 by numerous flat sea eggs without prickles, which are found on the 

 bottom. It extends from about latitude 44° 30' N., longitude 57° 

 15' W., in a westerly direction 120 miles to the meridian of 60° W. 

 This bank is separated from St. Pierre bank by a deep gully nearly 

 60 miles wide, having from 200 to 300 fathoms muddy bottom; and 

 from the east edge of Sable Island bank by another gully of deep 

 water 9 miles across at its narrowest part, and 75 to 340 fathoms deep. 



On referring to the chart it will be seen that its shoalest part, with 

 15 fathoms, in latitude 44° 35' N. and longitude 57° 54' W., is the 

 apex of a ridge (having less than 30 fathoms) upward of 40 miles 

 in length northeast and southwest, and that relatively with the dan- 

 gers off Sable island it is not only a safe offing for vessels intending 

 to pass to the northward of the last-named danger, but by keeping, 

 if iDossible, in the same parallel, the long and continuous line of com- 

 paratively shoal water would enable a vessel, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, to feel her way with some degree of confidence until she has 

 passed to the westward of the meridian of Sable island. 



