58 VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR, 



force of the tide* It is not^ howeverj impot 

 fible to open that palTage, and to clear 

 away the fand-bank which prevents fliips 

 from entering this excellent harbour. 



To effc^l this^ tha hulls of fome old veffels 

 laden with ballaft ought to be fank at certain 

 diftances, and in a dire^i on which local ob- 

 fervations made with great care could alone 

 point out, Thefe incumbrances would ferve 

 at fo many foundations to a new fand-bank, 

 which would be formed from the quantities 

 daily wafhed in by the fea. After this pre- 

 fimiiiary operation wasfinifhed, it would be 

 neceflary to wait fome time, until the fand- 

 T)ank was pretty well confolidated to with- 

 ftand the force of the river, which, when 

 increafcd in ftrength atid quantity, might 

 produce the effed of a large fiuice. The 

 batik employed to withftand the current be- 

 ing conftrudled in fuch a manner as to 

 bi^e* of itfelf, the violence of the flream 



would 



