Sailing directions. 
317 
of a mile off. The anchorage between the entrance and 
Middle Head is in five and six fathoms, mud, and in the Sect. Ilf, 
centre of the western basin the depth is five fathoms mud. N. Coast. 
The shores are higher than usual, and are varied by sandy 
beaches and cliffs, some of white and others of a red colour. 
The western side of the port was not visited, and our tracks 
and examinations were made principally on the opposite 
shore. At the bottom of Knocker’s Bay is a shoal mangrove 
opening, of no importance. See vol. i. p. 87. 
Point Smith is in latitude 11° 6' 45", and longitude 
132° 12' 30". 
Vashon Head has a considerable shoal projecting from 
it, and extending into the bay to the westward which was 
called Trepang Bay. This bay has an opening at the 
bottom, that appeared to be shoal. A small sandy island 
lies at the distance of a mile and three-quarters from the 
shore ; the reef projects into the sea for nearly a mile far- 
ther, and apparently extends to the S.W. to the north head 
of PoPHAM Bay, which has a small opening at the bottom, 
but of shoal approach ; good anchorage may be had in Pop- 
ham Bay in five and six fathoms, a little within the heads, 
and as they bear North and S.S.W., it is well sheltered in 
the easterly monsoon. Hence to Cape Don is three miles 
and a half. The latter cape is in latitude 11° 19' 30", 
and longitude 131° 45' 30''. 
VAN DIEMEN’S GULF is seventy miles deep, and more 
than forty broad. It has two outlets to sea; the one to 
the northward, Dundas’s Strait, is sixteen miles wide and 
very deep; the other, Clarence Strait, is seventeen miles 
wide, and communicates with the sea round the south sides 
of Melville and Bathurst Islands : it is probably not so safe 
