The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

392 CAUIMATA STRAIT. [chap. vim.
ward, the soundings decrease suddenly from 6 fathoms to one fathom with
a hard bottom at 2 miles from the shore, and upon the bar of both arms o£
the Pawan river there is a depth of 3 feet only, at low water.
A shoal which dries in places extends 2 miles W. by N". from Pajung
island situated at the mouth of Karbau river; the channel south of this
shoal and island is the better. It is dangerous for small craft to cross-
this bar during the westerly monsoon, but it is practicable at high water
in the south-east monsoon.
A bank of hard sand extends 2 miles oif shore abreast Bereh village^
about 7 miles sonth-eastward of Ketapang entrance.
Northward of Pawan river to Tyempedak island the coast is low and
swampy, and is fronted by a mud bank shallowing gradually to the
shore. Tyempedak, Sampadian, and Kasa Beras, are rocky islets thickly
wooded upon their summits, situated upon the mud bank frczLting the
coast ; Tyempedak, the western islet is 3J miles trom the shore. The
passage between them is obstructed by rocks.
Jnanta island is a rocky and wooded island, having a conical peak
visible about 25 miles, useful in the navigation of the locality. Rocks
above water lie between it and Katung islet, and also at If miles E. | S.
of Juanta.
EatUUg islet lies one mUe south-west from Juanta and has a reef
lying half a mile north-west of it, upon which breakers are usually seen.
SUKUDANA the principal village on this part of the coast, is
situated upon the north shore of a small river artificially barred with stones,
at about 1-f miles northward of the Batu islands, which are wooded, and
lie about 100 yards off shore. The Dutch Government have a small fort
and garrison, but no supplies can be obtained for shipping.
Sukudana lies on the east side of the large and shallow bay formed
eastward of Alaja island, and into which the Simpang and Kumbang rivers
empty themselves. The whole of this bay is shallow, with channels of
slightly deeper water leading to those rivers ; the 3-fathoms line fringing
Maja island at the distance of 3 piiles, stretches across the bay to about
the same distance southward of Sukudana, but passing within half a mile
of the point just southward of Batu islands, thence resuming its distance
of 3 miles off shore.
The two high hills ranging from 1,700 to 1,900 feet, lying north and
south of Sukudana, are conspicuous objects, and may be seen from a
distance of 32 to 36 miles in clear weather.
Anchorage.—Vessels may anchor off Sukudana in 3 fathoms, soft
mud, at about 3^ miles W. by S. of the flagstaff, but the ground swell renders
-the anchorage an indifferent one. There is the same depth of water much