The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

232 STJNDA STKAIT.—SOUTH SHORE. [chap. iv.
which, close in shore, and near a conspicuous White rock, is a coral reef,
upon which the sea is always breaking.
Carpenter Rocks are a group about one mile in extent, projecting
from the south point of Princes island. Most of the rocks are above water,
and the sea is usually breaking over them. Th Dre is no bottom at
50 fathoms a short distance from these rocks.
CaSUaris bay, on tbe south-west side of the ifiland, is 4 miles deep,
and has at its entrance soundings varying from 30 to 50 fathoms, decreasing
inside to a convenient depth for anchoring ; but be'ng open to all winds
between west and south, it is not frequented, and cannot be recommended.
W^ater,—According to Horsburgh, a vessel in want of water may anchor
on the eastern side of this island in 35 fathoms, soft ground, about half
a mile from the shore, with the peaked hill bearing about N.W. by N.,
and fresh water may be obtained here from a stream in the eastern part of
a small sandy bay, where the casks must be filled at about 1 00 yards up,
the higher the better, otherwise the water will be brackish.
It is, however, only in the north-west monsoon that water can be
procured here, for in the south-east monsoon all the springs are dry
from want of rain, and there is, moreover, no safe anchorage in this
monsoon along the east side of the island, as it is a dead lee shore.
PRINCES CHANNEL, between Carpenter rocks off the south end
of Princes island, and Friars rocks off First point of Java, is 3 miles broad at
its narrowest part, and possesses the great advantage of affording anchorage
to vessels when becalmed, which Great channel does not. Light baffling
winds and calms are very common about the entrances to Sunda strait,
occurring even in the strength of the south-east monsoon, and vessels when
not able to anchor are liable to be set back by adverse currents.
The depths in this channel are much greater on the Princes island, than
on the Java shore. Close to Carpenter rocks there is no bottom at 50
fathoms ; with Peaked hill, on the south-east part of the island, bearing
from N". by W. to W. by N., there are 10 to 30 fathoms, coarse sand, shells,
and coral, little more than one cable distant off shore; with the same hill
bearing from N.N".W. to S.W. there are 36 to 44 fathoms at about one mile
from the shore. Towards Mew bay, on the Java shore, the depths decrease
to 20 fathoms and less.
DIRECTIONS. — In the south-east monsoon, when proceeding
either way through Princes channel keep closer to the Java coast than to
Princes island.
In the north-west monsoon it often happens that vessels bound out
of the strait, get quickly to the westward by proceeding through Princes
channel, while those using Great channel are detained by heavy squalls and
adverse currents. Indeed, instances have occurred in which vessels have
worked through this passage in a remarkably short time during a westerly