124 
The maximum velocity observed during light northerly breezes 
was 0.5 of a mile per hour. 
The ebb out of Messongo and Guilford Creeks sets to 
the southward and westward, following the channel until it 
reaches the Bird and Hern Island Bocks, where it curves to 
the southward. Its maximum velocity was 0.4 of a mile per 
hour. The current over the Brig and Parker’s Bocks sets to 
the northward and to the southward ; the maximum strength 
of the flood, when uninfluenced by the wind, was 0.24 of a 
mile per hour, but a moderate breeze appears to be sufficient 
to cause a marked increase of strength and change of di- 
rection. 
Off the mouth of the Chesconessex, where the wind, though 
light, had the width of Chesapeake Bay and both Tangier 
and Pocomoke Sounds to sweep over, the flood tide on the 
third quarter had a set to the northward and eastward of 
0.4 of a mile per hour. Horth of Parker’s Bocks the hood, 
on the first quarter, during a moderate southwesterly breeze, 
was found to set to the northeast at a rate of 0.6 of a mile per 
hour. 
The oystermen greatly overrate the strength of the currents 
in the Sounds, putting the maximum velocity at about four 
knots on the ebb and somewhat less on the flood ; but I could 
find no reason that would explain so great an increase over 
the velocities as established by ourselves, and consequently 
doubt the value of the estimate. 
DEPOSITS. 
The fact that on nearly all the beds and especially those in 
the vicinity of the creeks and rivers and in the upper part of 
the Sound, there is a light covering of mud more or less thick 
over the oysters, would lead to an inference that there must 
be a deposit of that character going on. 
On most of the beds the substratum of the bottom was 
hard and the thickness of the surface covering gradually de- 
creased as the entrance to the Sound was approached. 
In the upper part of the Sound shells were found with the 
