306 • CAPE KAY TO CAPE BAULD. 



Communication. — The Xewfoundland railway passes about 120 

 yards from the shore of Birchj^ cove. 



There are a railway station and a post and telegraph office at 

 Birchy cove. The mail trains which run three times a week l3etween 

 St. Johns and port Basque stop here. 



Supplies. — Meat, good except early in spring: vegetables, scarce in 

 spring; bread, good: and water, fairly good, can be obtained in 

 Birchy cove. The bakery is at Meer point. 



Sounding's of about S to 10 fathoms have been reported at about 

 400 yards from the shore between the church at Birchy cove and de 

 Grouchy point, a distance of rather more than a mile. 



Corner brook, situated eastward 1^ miles from Birchy cove, is 

 shoal to the line of de Grouchy point, the western entrance i^oint, and 

 the wharf, that projects about 400 yards from the sawmill at the 

 mouth of the brook. There is a depth of 15 feet alongside the outer 

 end of the wharf, whence the water deepens rapidly to 5 fathoms. A 

 considerable settlement stands near the sawmill. 



Humber river bar, a shallow flat, with two rocks, awash at low 

 water, situated close together near its northwestern edge, extends J 

 mile from the head of Humber arm and falls suddenly to deep water. 

 Caution is therefore required in approaching it. 



Three streams flow into the head of Humber arm; Humi)er river,, 

 the southern and the second largest river in Xewfoundland, flows, 

 from Deer pond, and is navigable for boats when the stream is not 

 too strong. Large rafts of timber are floated down this stream from 

 the country about Grand pond. 



Wild cove is about ^ mile northward of Humber river entrance, a 

 projection separating them. The hills between the river and cove 

 are flat-topped, and in terraces, attaining at a distance of 1 mile east- 

 ward of the end of the projection, a height of 1,150 feet, the rock on 

 the western face showing a deep blue color in ordinary weather. The 

 northern point of Wild cove is earth clilfs about 50 feet high, front- 

 ing a tableland, of good soil, which extends to the base of the hills. 



Between Wild cove and the mouth of Hughes brook, at about 1,200 

 yards northwestward, the land rises to a wedge-shaped wooded hill. 

 942 feet high, falling steeply eastward, with a Avooded moimd 150 

 feet high southward of it. 



Anchorage. — Good anchorage has been obtained in 1» fathoms of 

 water, stiff mud bottom, with the mouth of Hughes brook bearing 

 38°, and the northern shore of Wild cove 105°. At 200 yards east- 

 ward of this position the depth is 5 fathoms, while at the same dis- 

 tance westward it is 12 fathoms. The streams setting out of Humber 

 river and Hughes brook kept a vessel here broadside on to a fresh 

 westerly breeze. 



