The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

CHAP. 11.] SALAT SENK^.—ISLANDS. 103
If the tripod beacon upon Sultan shoal or the buoy on Ajax shoal cannot
be seen, a vessel should not proceed until quite certain of her position, and
assured that some accident must have happened to them. As the mail
steam vessels, both to and from Europe, now pass through Salat Senk6,
great attention is paid to the beacons which mark it.
At night, Raffles light well in sight and bearing S.E. by E. or more
easterly, leads southward of Sultan and Ajax shoals.
Sa.lat Sambulau is a navigable channel half a mile in breadth
between the reefs fringing the south shore of Singapore island, and Pulo
Pice and Ayer Limau.
A white stone beacon, with basket, marks the reef 4 cables off shore,
and- nearly one mile eastward of Tanjong Gul, north side of Salat
Sambulan ; and a red stone beacon, with basket, marks the south-west end
of the reef extending from Pulo Pice, on south side of Salat Sambulan.
ISLANDS.—Freshwater island.—A group of islands, about-
5 miles in extent, lies to the southward of Salat Senke, and to the west-
ward of St. -John and Blakan Mati islands, from which it is separated
by a navigable channel nearly 3 miles broad. The islands are all small,
and separated by deep channels, which however, are so encumbered with
reefs as to render them unavailable for anything but boats.
Freshwater island, or Pulo Bukum, and Pulo Bosing, are the northern
islands of the group ; they have been previously mentioned in connexion
with Salat Senke, of which the reefs extending from them form the southern
limit ; Pulo Saluk, the south-west limit of that channel, is the north-west
island of this group.
Pulo Sudong is a small island, nearly 1} miles E.S.E. from Pulo
Saluk, having two small islets off its north-west end. The island stands on
the eastern part of an extensive coral reef, the western edge of which is a
mile distant from it.
Alligator Island, or Pulo Henkam, about one mile in extent,
185 feet high, and of a sloping form, the highest part being at its south
end, lies about half a mile to the southward of Pulo Sudong, and nearly
joins the north-west end of Barn island, the space between the reefs en-
compassing each island affording no safe passage for vessels. At a quarter
of a mile from the south end of Alligator island there are depths of 14 and
16 fathoms, but off its west side not more than 6 to 9 fathoms will be
obtained at from a half to two-thirds of a mile.
Barn Island, or Pulo Sennang, lying half a mile south-east of
Alligator island, is about a mile in extent, 133 feet high, of a square level
aspect, covered with trees, and visible at a distance of 15 miles. Barn
island is fringed with a reef, which extends a quarter of a mile from its