352 



HYDROGRAPHY. 



proacliing it. The water is deep close to it, but it cannot be seen : 

 some doubts were raised in my mind as to the accuracy of the charts 

 of this bay ; many of our bearings would not fall on the Cavallo, 

 though repeatedly tried, yet the other points, islands, and rocks, 

 seemed well established. The Bay of Manilla is a beautiful sheet of 

 water, in form nearly a circle, of 25 miles diameter ; the depth of 

 water generally averages 16 to 18 fathoms in its centre, whence it 

 gradually decreases towards the shore to 5 fathoms. The anchorage 

 off the city of Manilla is an open roadstead, and during the periods 

 of the typhoons, it is very unsafe for vessels to remain at anchor there. 

 The city of Manilla is situated on the southeastern side of the bay. 

 The land around the bay to the northward is high, rising into many 

 peaks, while to the south and east, it is low, extending many miles 

 inland ; to the foot of the mountains, around the Laguna de Bay, the 

 outlet of this lake is called the Pasig River ; on its banks the city is 

 built. Through this river, many of the supplies and much of the 

 produce of the country is brought. Vessels obtain their water from 

 it, which is good if taken above the wash of the city. The port of 

 Cavite, 9 miles to the south-southwest of Manilla, is protected, and 

 forms a safe port for small vessels ; it is the naval dockyard. 



Navigators may know before they open the Bay of Manilla, whether 

 the northeast wind prevails strong : during it a misty cloud forms an 

 arch to the southwest ; if this is not observed, there will be a sea- 

 breeze in the after part of the day. The north passage, between 

 Corregidor and Miraviles Point, is the one ordinarily used during the 

 northeast winds ; there is no anchorage .in this passage, the depth 

 being too great, but after getting within the Bay good anchorage may 

 be obtained. If the sea-breeze dies away at sunset, it will be better to 

 drop an anchor. In the north channel, the ebb tide sometimes is 

 strong, and often flows out 18 hours ; at such times it may be advisable 

 to use the south passage. The anchorage off Manilla is a mile distant 

 from the mole. The best berth is with the north bastion bearing 

 north 35° east ; southwest bastion, north 70° east ; the cathedral, 

 north 35° east. Although the velocity of the tide setting out is great 

 during the northeast wind, yet as the wind moderates it returns with 

 great force. The usual rise and fall is between 3 and 4 feet ; high 

 water, full and change, at 6'15 A. m. 



During the bad season, the Bay of Manilla is occasionally visited by 



