SAILING DIRECTIONS. 
3G9 
reef, off the east point of the bay, and the shore with ten A. 
fathoms. Se^V. 
The following account of Shark’s Bay is taken from M. De Coast. 
Freycinet’s account (p. -189, et seq.) 
In the fair way of the entrance to Shark’s Bay, be- 
tween Dorre and Dirk Hartog’s Islands, is Dampier’s 
Reef ; it is two miles in extent from east to west, and about 
one mile wide. It has but two and a half and three fathoms 
water over it, and shbuld be approached with care, on ac- 
count of the swell. Proceeding southerly from Cape Levil- 
lain, which is the east head of Dirk Hartog’s Road, at the dis- 
tance of five or six miles is a cove (bai'achois), formed by 
reefs, where boats might obtain shelter. Hence to Quoin 
Point, (Coin-de-Mire) the coast has no sinuosities. Tetro- 
DON Bay is seven miles wide and very shallow ; it has two 
or three sandy islets in it, and can only be entered by small 
boats. Near Refuge Point is a safe and convenient creek. 
To the southward of this there are several shoal bays. To 
the eastward of Cape Ransonnet, which is peaked and of 
a moderate elevation, there are several little creeks well 
adapted for boats ; and, to the westward, a sandy plain 
extends to the south extremity of the island. That part of 
Shark’s Bay, between Dirk Hartog’s Island and Peron’s 
Peninsula, is formed by Le Passage Epineux, Useless Har- 
bour {Havre Inutile), and Henry Freycinet’s Harbour: to 
the southward of the line of bearing between Quoin Point 
and Cape Lesueur, the sea is shoal and studded with banks, 
but to the north it is quite open. 
The Passage Epineux, which separates Dirk Hartog’s Island 
from the main, is about two miles wide ; but the reefs and 
rocks, which protrude from either shore, reduce the passage 
to half that width. The depth upon the rocky bar which 
stretches across the entrance is six fathoms, but imme- 
VoL. II. 2 B 
