The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

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CHAP. I.] ROB BOY BANK.— ^PTJLO PISAN&. 93
Formosa Bank, lying off Formosa river, is 6 miles long in a northwest
and south-east direction, 3 cables broad, and having depths of from
2 to 4 fathoms, hard black sand.* The east end of the shallow part of the
bank lies with mount Formosa bearing N.E. J E., and 3^ miles off Tanjong
Seginting ; a ridge with depths of 5 to 10 fathoms extends 7 miles north-
west of the west extreme of the bank.
LIGHT VESSEL.—At about 3 cables off the centre of the south
side of Formosa bank, is a light vessel, moored in 1 1 fathoms, which exhibts
at an elevation of 38 feet above the sea, a flashing light every half-minute,
which should be visible in clear weather from a distance of 10 miles.
During thick or foggy weather a gong is sounded.
The vessel is painted yellow, and lies with mount Formosa bearing
N.E. by E. \ E. distance 8 miles.
The COAST from mount Formosa to Tanjong Bulus a distance of
47 miles, is low and thickly wooded, and abreast Pulo Pisang forms a
bight 3 miles deep ; it is fronted by a shallow mud bank which extends
one or 2 miles from the shore except between Pulo Pisaug and Pulo Oocob,
where it extends nearly 6 miles from the shore. f Several creeks empty
themselves into the sea in this tract of coast. Inside of a line joining
Tanjong Seginting and Pulo Pisang, the bottom is uneven, with banks of
and 4 fathoms, and 6 to 8 fathoms close-to ; vessels therefore should
keep outside the line.
Tides.—It is high water, full and change, from 8h. 30m. off mount
Formosa, to 9h. 30m. off Tanjong Bulus ; springs rise 10 or 11 feet, neaps
7 or 8 feet ; the streams run two or three hours after high and low water,
the flood making to the south-eastward.
PULO PISANG, is 200 feet high, one mile long, and covered with
trees. The island is 7 miles off shore, 19 miles north-westward of Tanjong
Bulus, and may be seen from a distance of 20 miles.
A spit about half a mile wide, steep to and having a depth of 3 feet only
near its extreme, extends 5 miles in a S.E. by S. direction from Pulo
Pisang. A bank having depths of 3 to 4 fathoms extends 5 miles north-
west of Pulo Pisang.
LIGHT.—From a lighthouse 40 feet high, built of red brick, and
with a white lantern, erected on the summit of Pulo Pisang, is exhibited
at an elevation of 325 feet above the sea, a flashing white light every five
seconds, and should be visible in clear weather from a distance of 30 miles.
* Borings have been made on Formosa bank trith the object of finding a site for a
lighthouse, but under a layer of 4 feet of sand, soft mud was found for a further depth
of 20 feet.
f See Admiralty chart, Malacca strait, No. 796.