The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

338 GASPAR STRAIT.. [cHAr. vii.
cave upon this island where the Malays collect edible birds' nests, which are
probably found also on the other islands.
A detached coral reef lies half a mile E. by N. of the island.
GASPAR ISLAND bears North, distant 24 miles from the north
point of Pulo Leat. Its centre rises to a peak 812 feet high, which may
be seen in clear weather at a distance of 30 miles, and is the principal
mark for avoiding the shoals in sailing to or from the northern part of the
strait. It is surrounded by a reef, which projects from the south and east
points of the island about a third of a mile ; the west and north points are
bold-to within one cable. Position, east peak, lat. 2° 24|' S., lon^.
107° 5' E.
Water.—Fresh water is to be found upon this island.
Glassa Rock, 24 feet high, with some trees, lies about one mile
westward of Gaspar island. It is surrounded by a reef extending about
one-third of a mile south-eastward from it, but not quite so far in other
directions.
Gaspar island, Glassa rock, and Tree island form the northern limit of
Gaepar strait. Canning rock, Warren Hastings reef, and other dangers aye
described in pages 361-363.
Tides and Currents.—It is high water, full and change, in
Macclesfield channel at about 2h. 30m., and the ordinary rise is about
4 feet. The tides are irregular, and there is but one rise and fall during
the 24 hours. At the southern entrance the flood runs north-^vestward
and the ebb south-eastward, or across the strait.*
The currents greatly depend upon the strength of the monsoon. When
the monsoon is strong, the current will generally be found setting in the
same direction at the rate of 2 or 3 knots an hour, but affected somewhat
by the tides.
Depths in the Southern Approach,—The depths at about
30 miles southward of the dangers at the entrance of Macclesfield channel,
vary from II to 14 fathoms, with an occasional cast perhaps of 10 or 9
fathoms. Near Hippogriffe rocks they decrease to 9, 8, or 7 fathoms, and
in one spot, about 3| miles northward of Bias Mateu rock, to 7 fathoms.
These shoal soundings are on an extensive bank of a very irregular form,
which projects from the southern part of Banka strait, across the entrance
of Macclesfield channel, and then trends many miles in a south and some-
what easterly direction. Most of the southern shoals at the entrance of
* It is probable that the direction of the tides in Gaspar Strait, and also the times
of high water and the rise, are similafifo ^th«se in Carimata strait, and flow into the
strait both from northward and southward (see page 369), but information is wanting
on this point. The time of high water, given above, was obtained by the tf.S. surveying
vessels in 1854, and apply to the months of January— April.