1832. SHOALS ABROLHOS. 63 



fresh air, a pleasing view, and freedom from annoyances, the 

 less his organs will be offended, and his temper tried. 



We sailed from Bahia on the 18th. The bank which pro- 

 jects from the light-house point had been minutely examined 

 by us, during the Beagle's stay in port ; on one day, indeed, 

 she went out and anchored at the outer end of the shoal, in 

 order to determine its extent, and assist the boats in sounding ; 

 therefore I did not hesitate to stand across it ; but there is not 

 water enough over the shallower parts for any ship dra\nng 

 more than fourteen feet, especially if there is a swell. The 

 shoalest spot is near the outer end ; ships of any size may pass 

 between the inner extremity and the pcant of land adjacent 

 to it. 



There are rocks and dangerous shallows southward of the 

 port, which it is extremely necessary to guard against in 

 approaching it from sea, because the current generally sets 

 towards the south, and ships have got ashore on those shoals 

 in consequence. The land northward of Bahia should be 

 made, and some white sandy patches, looking like linen hung 

 out to dry, should be seen before a ship steers more southerly. 

 After losing sight of the land, our course was shaped to the 

 south-east, towards the eastern limit of the great bank of 

 soundings which extends so far to seaward of the Abrolhos 

 islets. Having reached the parallel of the islands, and being to 

 the eastward of the easternmost soundings laid down in any 

 chart, without finding any ground with three hundred fathoms 

 of line, I began to steer westward — sounding continually, and 

 keeping a sharp look-out at the mast-head. At two in the 

 afternoon of the 26th, we had no bottom, with three hundred 

 fathoms of line; and at the next cast, about an hour afterwards, 

 found only thirty fathoms, without there being the slightest 

 change in the colour of the water, or in its temperature, or any 

 other indication of so sudden a change in the depth. We hauled 

 to the wind directly, worked to the eastward in order to ascer- 

 tain the precise limit of the bank, and lost soundings as sud- 

 denly as we had previously struck them. A grapnel was then 

 put overboard, with two hundred fathoms of line, and we 



