The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

214 ISLANDS OPP THE WEST COAST OF SUMATBA. [chap. ni.
Several small islands lie close to the coast on the eastern side, others inter-
spersed with shoals, lie off the S.W. and south sides, the southernmost
of the latter, named West island, is 10 miles off shore. There is an
intricate channel between the islets off the south-west and south shores,
with depths of from 16 to 20 fathoms, but it is inadvisable to attempt it.
The west side of Siberut is unexplored.
Seaflower Channel, formed between the islands off the south side
of Siberut and Sipora, is named after H.M. brig Seaflower, Captain W.
Owen, who passed through the channel in 1806, and who describes it to
be clear of danger ; no soundings were obtained at 30 fathoms in passing
through.
As there is no anchorage ground in this channel, Siberut strait which
has been partly surveyed, is to be preferred.
SIFORA (Sikabu), one of the Mentawi islands, forms the
south side of Seaflower channel, and between cape Tilleru, the north-east
point, and cape Marlborough the south point, is about 27 miles long,
from 4 to 10 miles broad, and distant from Sumatra 63 miles. The
island is wooded and a little less elevated than Siberut.
Hurlock bay,
consisting of an outer and an inner bay, lies on the
north side of "Sipora, and directly south of the small islands which front the
shore.
The outer bay has moderate depth for anchorage, with a soft bottom, but
is open to N.E. winds. The inner bay is about one mile in diameter, with
an entrance about half a mile in width, with depths of 4 to 7 fathoms. In
entering the inner bay, the northern side of the channel should be kept, as
a reef extends some distance from the south side of the entrance. There is
shelter from all winds in the northern part of the bay, in depths of 8 or 10
fathoms, with 5 and 6 fathoms nearer the shore, which is a red sandy
beach.*
Se Uban bay.—The east coast of Sipora is generally steep, but
rocks project a considerable way from the shore in some places, particu-
larly to the southward of a round peaked hill named Turks Cap; from
abreast of the Cap, soundings may be obtained along the coast towards
cape Marlborough, which is bluff, moderately elevated, and fronted by
rocks extepding 1^ miles ofE shore. In this space there are two con-
siderable bays ; Se Uban bay, situated about 8 miles northward of Turks
Cap, and Se Labba bay, at 2 milep northward of the cap.
Se Uban bay is about 2 miles in length, and three-quarters of a mile wide
in the entrance, and may be recognised by a considerable clump of trees
standing on the northern point ; the course into it is S.W., and a vessel
* See Sketch plans of Hurlock, Se Uban, and Se Labba bays, No. 866 ; scale
»t = 1 ' 5 inches.