

6 



THE HARBOUR. 



jealous, being an elderly man and an advocate 

 for the old system of exclusion. The entrance 

 to the port is formed by an opening in the 

 recife or reef of rocks which runs along the 

 whole of this part of the coast. This opening 

 is of considerable width, and its depth will admit 

 of large vessels ; but I could not obtain exact 

 information upon the subject. From the main 

 land on one side, and from the island on the 

 other, two long sand-banks just out on each side 

 of the channel, which separates Itamaraca from 

 the continent. These banks are dry at low 

 water, and at neap-tides are not completely co- 

 vered. They shoot out so far that they nearly 

 reach to the reef. The bar is easily discovered 

 from the sea, as it is immediately opposite to the 

 channel or river into which it leads, and as there 

 are breakers to the northward and southward, 

 but none are to be seen at the place which is to 

 be entered. Having entered the bar, some 

 small breakers will be seen a-head, or rather to- 

 wards the south side of the channel, unless the 

 tide is out, and then the water is quite still. 

 These breakers are farther in than the outermost 

 point of the south sand-bank. They are formed 

 by some rocks which lie at a considerable depth 

 below the water's edge. I tried to reach them 

 with a pole of two fathoms in length, at low 

 water during spring-tides, but did not succeed ; 

 and my canoe-man said that he doubted whether 



