Nov.] SANDWICH HARBOUR— WALWICH BAY. 297 



water in its channel of entrance. Although we found only eleven 

 feet at high-water in this channel, I have no doubt that there was 

 a time, some years back, when its depth was full three fathoms, 

 and that it has been filled up by drifts of sand, the movements of 

 which along this coast forcibly reminded me of the snow-drifts of 

 my native country ; every fresh southerly wind forming new sand- 

 hills, exactly as new snow-banks are formed at home, by a fine, clear 

 cold north-wester. 



This lagoon runs into the southward, about two leagues, with seven, 

 five, three, and two fathoms, nearly all over it. It is formed on the 

 east by a high white bluff sand-hill ; and on the west by a low 

 sandy peninsula nearly level with the sea ; with shoal water on the 

 seaboard side for more than a mile to seaward. The entrance of the 

 lagoon is very narrow, being not more than a quarter of a mile wide, 

 and formed by two low sandy points, situated in latitude 23° 35' S., 

 long. 14° 28' E. Variation per azimuth in 1828, 23° 15' westerly. 



Perhaps there is not a finer place on the whole coast than this for 

 taking fish with seines. Many different kinds of fish resort to this 

 lagoon ; one of which bears a strong resemblance to our " streaked 

 bass f and is as fat and delicate-flavoured fish as our salmon. There 

 are many other sorts, equally good, but of a smaller size. Many 

 cargoes of fish might be taken from this lagoon in a short time ; and 

 they would sell for a good price at St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, 

 Isle of France, or the Isle of Bourbon. Green turtle also visit the 

 sandy beaches for the usual purposes. 



November 22d. — We left Ponta dos Ilhoes, or Sandwich Harbour, 

 on Thursday, the 20th, and steered to the northward, examining the 

 coast in seareh of fur-seal ; and on Saturday, the 22d, we arrived at 

 Walwieh Bay, the west point of which is very low, and lies in lati- 

 tude 22° 53' S., long. 14° 24' E. The entrance to the bay is one 

 league broad, running to the south two leagues ; one league and a 

 half of which is navigable, and the depth of water in going in is 

 from twelve fathoms to three, mud and clay bottom near the head of 

 the bay. 



The east side of this bay is formed by moderately elevated sand- 

 hills, near the seashore, and the west side is formed by a very low 

 sandy peninsula, not more than fifteen feet above the level of the sea 

 at any place. The isthmus is very narrow, it being not more than 

 twenty rods from the head of the bay to the seashore. The penin- 

 sula, however, is from one to three miles in width. In entering this 

 bay, it is necessary to give the west point a good berth, of nearly half 

 a mile, on account of a sand-bank that runs off from it, in a north- 

 north-east direction about a quarter of a mile, on which there is only 

 six feet of water at low tide. After doubling this point, in advancing 

 up the bay, it is proper to give the western shore a berth of one-fourth 

 of a mile ; taking care not to approach to it any nearer, as the water 

 becomes shallow very suddenly, from five fathoms to two, and even to 

 four feet, at low water. This is a mud bank, which stretches all along 

 the western and southern shore of this bay ; but the eastern shore is 

 bold one cable's length from the beach, nearly to the head of the bay. 



