SAILING DIRECTIONS AND NAUTICAL REMARKS. 377 



SHAH BAY. 



Lieutenant Whiting says : " Is a beautiful land-locked sheet of water, hut the reef in front 

 of its entrance prevents its being accessible to vessels of larger size than the junks which 

 frequent it. When once within the entrance, however, the water deepens to twelve and eight 

 fathoms, the bottom soft mud, and very even. 



" When we first put into Shah bay it was evening, and the weather presented a threatening 

 appearance. The next morning it was blowing a gale from the northward and westward,, which 

 continued for several days, rendering it impossible for a boat to go outside of Ofookah. In the 

 meantime, we completed the survey of the harbor within, and it was not until the last day of 

 our sojourn there that I was able to examine the entrance, when we discovered, to my great 

 chagrin, that a reef across the mouth effectually prevented all ingress for ships or vessels of 

 large draught. 



" On the shore of Shah bay (where marked on the chart) was found iron ore, mineral coal, 

 and sulphur. The coal which I saw here was of very poor quality, and mixed with earth and 

 gravel ; good coal, however, might perhaps be found by digging." 



The following extracts are from the report of Lieutenant G-eorge B. Balch to Commander 

 John Kelly, of the United States ship Plymouth : 



" In obedience to your order of August 9, I have to report that I proceeded on the 15th, with 

 the launch and first cutter, to execute the duty assigned me. 



" On the evening of the 15th we encamped on the Island of Kudaka, the southeastern island 

 of the chain extending along the east coast of Great Lew Chew. 



" The following day we discovered the existence of a bay not previously known ; but from 

 the exploration we found that it was of no practical utility, being filled with coral reefs. In 

 fact, a reef commencing five miles from the south point of Great Lew Chew extends, in an 

 unbroken chain, outside all of the small islands as far as the northeast point of Ichey island, 

 with the exception of a narrow channel between the islet off the N.E. end of Kudaka and the 

 Island of Tsking. This reef is of coral formation, the approach to which is bold. 



" We continued our survey until the 22d, when we reached the Island of Ichey, which forms 

 the southeastern point of Barrow bay. This bay we then proceeded to survey, and the results 

 prove that it is also useless for all purposes of navigation, being exposed to the east winds and 

 swell from the ocean. Our survey of this bay led to the discovery, however, of a port of refuge 

 on the west side of Ichey, or Hanadi, under either of which a secure anchorage may be found. 

 I have marked with anchors on the chart the most desirable positions. This is the only harbor 

 of refuge on the east coast of Lew Chew. 



" Having finished the survey of the east coast and adjacent islands and reefs, we passed round 

 the northeast extremity of Great Lew Chew on the 26th, on our return to the ship, where we 

 arrived on the 29th, after an absence of two weeks, during which we circumnavigated the 

 island." 



SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR THE HARBOR OF KEELUNG, ISLAND OF FORMOSA. 



BY LIEUT. GEORGE H. PREBLE, OP THE U. S. SHIP MACEDONIAN. 



Keelung harbor, or Keelung-taw, head (or promontory) is situated near the northeastern 

 poiut of the island of Formosa. The entrance may be readily known by the high island of 

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