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winch renders it nec essary to keep close to th e rock. An ch o r in eig h t and a h a lf fathoms
ab o u t midway between th e o u te r re e f aud th e shore, opposite some co ttag e s; and moor
head aud ste rn b y fa ste n in g cables to th e tree s on shore, and c a rry in g out th e smail bower
close to th e o u te r reef.
T o proceed to sea it is necessary to warp into th e outer .anchorage afte r th e sea breeze
has done in th e evening, or v e ry ea rly in th e morning, before it sets in, and push tliroiigli the
channel before the c u rre n t makes strong. In ail these entrances th e cu rren t sets out in the
daytime, sometimes a t th e ra te o f two o r th ree knots, an d ra th e r sweeps over the re e f to
leeward. T h e re is an o th e r entrance to Toanoa from P apiete, b u t th a t ju s t described is the
most convenient.
T h e harbour o f P apawa is not frequented, and as it cannot be ente red without a pilot, 1
shall give no directions for it.
PAPIETE.
Tw o miles to th e westward of To an o a th e re is a harbour, called by th e natives
P ap ie te , capable o f conta ining a t least th irty vessels. T h e entrance Is even narrower than
th a t a t Toanoa, being only th re e h undred and seventy fe et in th e clear, an d has a b ar with
o nly four an d a q u a rte r fatlioms upon it. T h e cu rren t h ere runs out faster th an throiio-h the
channel to th e northwa rd, an d in blowing weather th e sea breaks qu ite across. T h is is
also a more intricate an d dangerous channel th an the o th e r; aud th e only way for a stran g e r
to ensure safety is to moor a boat in th e middle o f th e channel. T h e re are no good marks
for this s p o t; b u t as a g en e ra l rema rk keep ab o n t fo rty yards from th e we ste rn e x trem ity o f
two rocks, which lie e ig h ty yards off th e d ry p a rt o f th e ea ste rn reef. T h e se two rocks have
o nly one an d a h a lf fathoms upon them, an d g en e ra lly break. T h e re is anothe r rock about
shxty yards north o f th e e a ste rn reef, b u t this lies out o fth e channel. On th e we ste rn side of
th e channel th e re is a slioal with only one and a h a lf fathoms w a te r upon it, which e.xtends
midway b etwe en th e d ry reefs. From this description it is evident th at a pilot is necessary
for this port, an d th a t th e boats should be in readiness to tow or ru n o u t hedges as required,
w h e th e r th e pilo t advises it or not.
^After th e entrance is passed, s te e r S. b y E ., tru e, uiltil th e first rock on the inside,
b e a rin g S .E . by S. o ne-eighth of a mile from th e ea ste rn d ry reef, is passed; then haul
towards th e missionary church and b e a t up to the anchorage betwe en th a t shore, whicli may
be approached within a h a lf cable’s len g th , an d th e reefs which ex te n d from tlie Moto, or
low island, towards th e S. W . T h e se reefs will be seen, and may be approached as close
as convenient. A nother rock lies S. by W ., tru e, 9000 feet from the entrance ; b u t with the
trad e wind this will be weathered.
I f it be necessary, th e Moto may be passed to th e ea s tw a rd ; b u t the channel is very
narrow, and can only be safely naviga ted by a person acq u ain ted with it.
P a p ie te is a v e ry convenient harbour in many respects, b u t it is subject to calms and
much h o t W'eather, in consequence o f its being ra tlier to leeward, and th e trade wind being
obstructed b y woods o f cocoa-nut trees.
T h e tides in all these harbours are very irregular. I t is gen e rally high wa te r a t h a lf an
hour afte r noon every day, and low wa te r a t six in the morning.
AH’A TSKA BAY.
KAMSCHATKA.
I t is desirable to make th e coast well to the soutliward of Cape Gavarea, an d to round
i t as closely as possible, as th e wind will in all probability veer to the northwa rd on passing
it. I f the weather be clear, two m ountains w'ill be seen to the w est and north-west of the cape,
and th ree far off to the northward and eastward. T h e ea ste rn one o f the two former, called
Villeucliinski, is 7.375 fe et high, and peaked like a sugar-loaf, and is in latitude 52° 39' 43" N.,
and long. 49' 46" W . o f P etrapaulski. T h e liighe st and most northern of the th ree latte r is the
mountain o f Awatska, in latitu d e 53° 20 '0 1 " N. and long. 3 '4 7 " E . o f th e before-mentioned
town. Its h eight is 11.500 fe e t, and in clear weather it may be seen a v e ry considerable
distance. T h e centre hill of th e th ree is the volcano, b u t it emits very little smoke. These
peaks are th e best g u id e to Awa tska Bay, u n til n ea r enough to distinguish the entrance,
which W'ill then appear to lie betwe en high perpendicular cliffs. Up o n th e eastern one o f these,
th e lighthouse bluff, there is a h u t and a signal-staff, and when an y vessel is expected a light
is sometimes shown. I f the harbour be open, a large rock, called the Baboushka, will
be seen on th e we ste rn side o f the channel, and th ree others, named the Brothers, on the
ea ste rn side, off th e lighthouse. T h e channel lies in a N. by W . direction tru e, and when
the wind is fair it may be sailed through by k eep in g mid-channel ; b u t it freq u en tly happens
th a t vessels have to bea t in, and as the narrowness of the channel renders it necessary to
stand as close to the dangers as possible, in order to lessen th e number o f tacks, it is requisite
to a tten d strictly to the leading m ark s:
T h e outer dangers are a re e f of rocks ly in g S. E ., about two miles from th e lighthouse,
and a re e f lying off a bank whicli connects the tw'o capes opposite, i. e. Stanitski P o in t with
the cape to th e southward. T o avoid the light-house reef, do not sh u t in the lan d to th e no rth ward
of the lighthouse bluff, unless certain of being a t lea st two miles an d a half off shore,
and when witliin three qu arte rs of a mile only, tack when the lighthouse bluff bears N. or
N. ^ E. T h e Brothers Rocks in one with the lighthouse is close upon th e edge o f th e reef.
T h e first western dange r has a rock above w'ater upon it, aud may be avoided by not opening
tlie Babonslika with the cape beyond, with a flag-staff upon it, or by k eep in g Stanitski P o in t
well open with the said signal bluff’. In standing towards this rock, take care th e ebb tide in
particula r does not set you upon it. A good working mark for all this western shore is the
Babonslika, open with Direction bluff, th e la st cape or hill on the le ft upon the low land a t the
head o f Awatska Bay. T h e bay south of S tanitski P o in t is filled with rocks and foul ground.
T h e lighthouse re e f is connected with the Brothers, and th e cape m u st not be approached in
an y p a rt within half a mile, nor th e Brothers within a full cable’s len g th . T h e re are no good
marks for th e exact limit of this re e f off the Brothers, and consequently ships m u st estimate
th a t short distance. T h e y must also here, and once for all, in bea ting through tliis channel,
allow for shooting in stays, and for the tides, which, ebb and flood, sweep over toward these
rocks ru n n in g S. E . and N. E . T h e y should also keep good way on the vessel, as the
eddy currents may otherwise p revent h e r coming about.
T o the northward o f the Brothers, two-thirds of th e way betwe en them an d a rag g ed
cape a t the south ex trem e o f a large sandy bay (Ismenai Bay), tliere are some rocks nearly
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