326 NEAR WRECK BAY. 



them and the shore, the bottom is fine greenish 

 calcareous mud. 



Outside the linear or boundary reefs, throughout 

 this space, no bottom was ever reached, although 120 

 fathoms of line have been let go within a quarter of 

 a mile, and 285 within less than a mile of them. They 

 are very steep also on their inside edge, where a boat 

 has been aground on them forward, has had a depth of 

 two fathoms abaft, and a boat's length astern there 

 has been from 10 to 20 fathoms. 



About three miles outside the Barrier are two 

 small detached reefs, one in lat. 12° 36', the other 

 in 12° 25'. They are each about a mile long and 

 half a mile broad, and no bottom was reached anv- 

 where around them with 120 fathoms. 



Between the latitudes of 12° 20' and 11° 20' there 

 is a singular departure from the usual form and 

 character of the linear reefs. Instead of run- 

 ning in a straight or gently curving line, they 

 are sharply deflected into convolutions, form- 

 ing deep bays and projecting points, with large 

 detached reefs outside. From 12° 21' the Barrier 

 runs off north-east for about ten miles, and forms 

 a projecting point, on which are some large black 

 blocks, uncovered even at high water. Beyond 

 this point is a large open space clear of reefs, but 

 by tracing the inner edge of this projecting point a 

 line of soundings was found running south-west for 

 about five miles, and then gradually curving round 

 to the north. Near the edge of this bank are seve- 



