470 WESTERN ENTRANCE — ADVANTAGES. 



Long Reach is both long and narrow, and ill supplied with 

 anchorages for a ship ; such as they are, Swallow Harbour, 

 Playa Parda, Marian Cove, and Half Port Bay, seem to be 

 the best. In thick weather, although the channel is very 

 narrow, yet one side is scarcely visible from the other, and 

 the only advantage it has over other parts of the strait is the 

 smoothness of the water. In Sea Reach there is a heavy 

 rolling swell, with a short and deep sea, which renders it very 

 difficult to beat to windward. 



Tamar Harbour, Valentine Harbour, Tuesday Cove, and 

 the Harbour of Mercy, are the best anchorages ; and the latter 

 is particularly convenient to occupy, while awaiting an oppor- 

 tunity of sailing out of the strait. 



In the entrance, the sea runs very heavy and irregularly 

 during and after a gale ; so that a ship should not leave her 

 anchorage in the Harbour of Mercy, without a fair or a 

 leading wind to get her quickly through it. 



For small vessels, particularly if they be fore-and-aft rigged, 

 many, if not all of the local difficulties vanish ; and inlets 

 which a ship dare not or cannot approach, may be entered with 

 safety, and anchorage easily obtained by them. A large 

 ship will perhaps be better off in entering and leaving the 

 Strait where there is open space and frequently a heavy sea ; 

 but for the navigation of the Strait, a small vessel has con- 

 siderably the advantage. She has also the opportunity of 

 passing through the Cockburn Channel should the wind be 

 north-westerly, which will very much reduce the length of 

 the passage into the Pacific. 



One very great advantage to be derived from the passage 

 through the Strait is, the opportunity of obtaining as much 

 wood and water as can be required, without the least difficulty ; 

 and another benefit is, that by hauling the seine during 

 the summer months, from January to May, at the mouth of 

 the river or along the beaches in Port Famine, at the first 

 quarter flood, a plentiful supply of fish may be obtained. 

 Excellent fish are also caught at the anchorage with the hook 

 and line, at all seasons, early in the morning or late in the 



