between Fairleigh and the North Foreland. 22 9 
the tide of ebb from Portsmouth Harbour, at the sand called 
the Spit (perhaps also formed originally by their meeting 
there), and causing an eddy tide, which would deposit such 
sand, mud, &c. &c. as the current of the tide brings along 
with it : nor do I think it at all improbable that the Long 
Sand, at which I have stated the meeting of the tides through 
the Downs and from the North Sea to take place, has been 
likewise formed by the deposit of such things as the opposing 
tides brought with them, to the place where they met. 
Being employed on the expedition against Walcheren, the 
laborious and difficult duty of passing the transports through 
the Slough passage into the West Scheldt devolved upon me, 
and afforded me an opportunity of observing another pecu- 
liarity of the tides in that place. 
The Slough passage lies between Walcheren and South 
Beveland, communicating with the West Scheldt and the 
Veer Gat. From its junction with the last channel, the tide 
flows through several different channels between the islands, 
to the northward of South Beveland. On each side of the 
channels in the Veer Gat and Slough passage are extensive 
flats or mud banks, which begin to be covered about half 
tide of flood, and again begin to be dry about half tide of ebb. 
The flood flows regularly uputhe West Scheldt, carrying with 
it a vast body of water, which takes its course by Ram- 
mekins through the Slough passage, and meets the flood 
tide which flows up the Veer Gat at the north end of South 
Beveland ; whence they flow together through the different 
channels formed by the adjacent islands. At high water 
the ebb sets again regularly down the West Scheldt and Veer 
Gat, but the ebb tide in the Slough continues to run to the 
northward, the same course as the flood tide, and passes down 
