XVI 
APPENDIX. 
Pilot. 
Marks. 
reasons vessels bound to Egypt frequently make Ras Sem, and con- 
tinue along shore. 
Vessels desirous of entering the harbour, may always procure a 
pilot, by making the usual signal, except it blow hard, in which 
case he prefers standing upon the point near the castle, and waves 
his barracan to the right or left, as he wishes the helm to be put. 
But as this pilotage may not suit every person, ships would perhaps 
prefer standing off, until the weather moderated ; particularly, as at 
such times the channel is difficult to hit, on account of the breakers 
extending across it. But should it be attempted, the weather chan- 
nel will of course be preferred. 
The mark for the southern one, is the castle in one with the 
marabut on the hill to the north-east of the town, and for the 
northern one, the four date-trees on Juliana point in one, with an old 
ruined fort upon the rising ground inland of them. But both these 
passages are very narrow, and it would be more advisable to conn 
the ship between the reefs, than trust to the marks, as the slightest 
deviation from them would put the vessel on shore. 
When through the breakers, avoid the shore off the castle, as a 
shoal extends some distance off it ; the edge of it is steep, and may 
generally be seen, and continued along to the west anchorage, which 
is about three hundred yards west-north-west of the point of a nar- 
row pit of sand, that contracts the port to its present limit. 
The depth of water in the harbour varies constantly, according to 
the winds which prevail in the offing. We observed that the greatest 
increase was with north-westerly gales, and vice versa ; they gene- 
rally occasioned a rise of two or three feet, and if continued, even more 
than that. North-easterly winds had but little effect upon it. 
