Oh. II.] PEATAS ISLAND AND EEEF. 23 



eastward, and having a breadth from north to south of 12 

 miles, enclosiag a lagoon of about 10 miles in diameter, 

 dotted over with numberless coral patches and shoals. It 

 Hes in the du*ect line of route between Manilla and Hong 

 Kong, and is therefore a spot where many a good ship has 

 been wrecked, especially upon its south-eastern side, which 

 is too often concealed by the thick fogs which prevail during 

 the north-east monsoon. The Pratas reef and island were 

 surveyed by H.M.S. " Saracen," J. Richards master com- 

 manding, in 1858, and at that time it was beheved that 

 vessels of 15 feet draught could enter the lagoon by the 

 south channel, between the south side of the island and the 

 south-west horn of the reef ; but in our recent visit Capt, 

 Bullock found, that although only drawing 12^ feet, he 

 . could not safely make the attempt, and consequently the 

 ship was anchored on the edge of the reef, three miles south 

 of the island, which thus sheltered it from the strong north- 

 east wind blowing at the time. 



Pratas Island is about a mile and a half long, and half-a- 

 mUe wide, and is only visible at a distance of eight or nine 

 miles in clear weather ; not rising in its highest part more 

 than 25 or 30 feet above the level of the sea, though the 

 bushes which cover some parts give it an additional eleva- 

 tion of 10 feet or so. 



On Monday morning, April 30th, with Capt. Bullock and 

 Mr. Sutton, chief engineer of the " Serpent," I visited the 

 island, two hours' puU, from the ship, and spent the day in 

 exploring its character and natural history featm-es. It is 

 formed entirely of coarse coral-sand or debris, generally 

 shelving gradually, but in some parts having a steep bank 

 about three feet high. The interior is rough and hilly, from 

 accumulations of similar white sand blown up from the shore, 



