The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

©SAP. Tm.j BIEEOTJONS.'' 397'
strong adverse current. In these channels the sea is smoother and the current
not so strong, it being wholly or in part overcome by the flow and ebb of
the tide and the indraught into the rivers on the west coast of Borneo '>
vessels also have the advantage of the change of wind at night and in;
the morning caused by the land breeze, and which often brings it several
points more to the eastward in both monsoons.
These channels have a convenient depth for anchoring, and the bottom is
soft mud. Notwithstanding, working through these channels is slow and
tedious ; as an instance, H.N.M. surveying vessel Hydrograaf, when
employed there, had a vessel in sight eight days that was working through.
As before remarked^ the flood stream comes both from northward and
southward on this coast, meeting ofE Sukudana, the ebb going in the con-
trary directions.
Prom, the SOUtllward..—Being northward of the dangers off
Mangkap island and of mount Minto (pages 395-6), the Borneo coast may
be approached to 9 or 8 fathoms water, and to 7 or 6 fathoms when nearing
the Papan islands. The Black rocks and Vogelnest islands should not be
approached nearer than one mile. A vessel may pass on either side of the
Papan islands, observing that the water quickly shoals to 5 fathoms, at 3 miles
north-eastward of them. The western side is clear. Between Krawang
island and the Papan islands the depths are 12 to 13 fathoms, decreasing
pretty regularly towards the Borneo coast ; and between Papan, and Gnrong
or Passage islands, there are 11 to 12 fathoms. North-eastward of the
Grurong islands the soundings shoal rather suddenly from 8 to 5 fathoms,
but gradually under that depth. Greig channel is bold towards either
shore with depths from 12 to 16 fathoms in the fairway.
Between Penebangan and Masien Tiga islands, the Borneo coast may
be approached to 6 fathoms, but northward of M.isien Tiga do not bring
it southward of S.E. or stand into less than 8 fathoms until off Padang
Tikar river, northward of which the coast may be approached to within
4 miles.
A vessel may stand off to or westward of the Leman islands, observing
that those islands (in sight from aloft) kept southward of S.E. by S., leads
eastward of Twilight reef, and of the reefs westward of it.
From the northward.—In the south-east monsoon, steam vessels
from Pontianak or from that direction, make use of Greig channel, thence
passing eastward of Papan islands, and down the Borneo coast distant
about 10 miles. From abreast Pulo Kumpal or Mangkap, a good departure
may be taken to avoid the shoals southward of it, and a vessel will be well
to windward. These remarks coujJed with those for going northward,
apply also to sailing vessels when southward of Greig channel, a sailing