I 



APPENDIX. 313 



and of a grey or white appearance ; whereas the latter are generall)^ 

 covered with vegetation, are dark-coloured, and have smoother out- 

 lines. The slate liills shew some sharp peaks, except which, the only- 

 bare places are those exposed to wind or sea. 



Soundings extend about thirty miles from the coast. Between ten 

 and twenty miles from the land, the depth of water varies from sixty 

 to two hundred fathoms ; the bottom almost every where being white 

 or speckled sand. From ten to five miles distant, the average depth is 

 fifty fathoms ; it varies in general from thirty to one hundred, but 

 in some places there is no ground with two hundred fathoms of line. 

 Less than five miles from the shore the soundings are very irregular 

 indeed, generally less than forty fathoms, though in some places 

 deepening suddenly to one hundred or more ; while in others a rock 

 rises nearly to, or above the surface of the water. 



After carrying fifty, forty, thirty, or twenty fathoms, towards an 

 inlet, which you are desirous of entering, you will perhaps find the 

 water deepen to sixty or one hundred fathoms as soon as you enter 

 the opening : and in the large sounds, behind the seaward islands, 

 the water is often considerably deeper than on the outside. 



There Is a bank of soundings along the whole coast, extending 

 from twenty to thirty miles from it, which appears to have been 

 formed by the continued action of the sea upon the shore, wearing It 

 away, and forming a bank with its remains. 



Between the islands, where there is no swell or surf worth notice, 

 the water is deep, and the bottom very irregular. 



A small ship may run among the islands In many places, and find 

 good anchorage ; but she will enter a labyrinth, from which her 

 retreat may be difficult, and in thick weather very dangerous. 



Fogs are extremely rare on this coast ; but thick, rainy weather, 

 and strong winds prevail. The sun shews himself but little; the sky, 

 even in fine weather, being generally overcast and cloudy. A clear 

 day is a rare occuiTence. 



Gales of wind succeed each other at short intervals, and last several 

 days. At times the weather is comparatively fine and settled for 

 perhaps a fortnight, but those periods of quiet are few. 



Westerly winds prevail during the greater part of the year. The 

 easterly wind blows occasionally in the winter months, and at times 

 very hard, but it seldom blows in summer. 



Winds from the eastern quarter invariably rise light, with fine 



dd 



