The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

4i38 VAUELLA and DUBIAN STBAITS. [chap. xi.
rock and those islands it appears to be clear, although, the chart has but
few soundings. Between Varella and cape Bnku the south extreme of
Sinkep, the channel is 10 miles wide, with depths of 12 to 20 fathoms.
SINEE P, the easternmost of the three islands forming the north sid&
of Varella strait, is about 20 miles in extent, and of irregular shape.
Baru bay, about 3 miles deep, lies between its two southern points. On
the eastern side of the island is a range of hills, with Sinkep peak 1,440
feet high near the centre of the range. There is a hill over Baku point,
and 4 miles to the northward on the west coast of the island, is Sharp^
peak of moderate elevation. From cape Buku the coast trends in a north-
westerly direction for 14 miles to Saboyoro strait, which separates Sinkep
from the island next westward of it. Rocks above and below water front
the whole south-west coast of Sinkep, to the distance of one mile.
Saboyoro strait is about two miles broad, but its entrance is
contracted to half that breadth by reefs projecting from the points
of Sinkep and the island
kpown.
westward of it. This strait is imperfectly
Rawa is the outer of two islands westward of Sinkep, their southwest
coast lines following the same north-west direction as that of Sinkep
the whole distance, from cape Buku to the north-west extreme of Rawa
being about 23 miles. The islands are separated by a channel so narrow
that they appear as one. Shoal water extends 2 miles into Saboyoro strait
from the south point of the eastern island, but gradually lessens in distance-
from the Ihore to the north-westward, until at the north-west end of Rawa
it projects but half a mile.
Silenseng, or Green Island, 119 feet high, lies 3 miles northwestward
of Rawa island, and is separated from it by a safe channel with
depths of 10 to 20 fathoms. The island is surrounded by a shoal which
on its north side extends three-quarters of a mile.
Bunta, or Wright Island,
is small, and lies l^ miles northward
of Silenseng. Rocks extend about a quarter of a mile from it.
Seera, or Reef Island, is small, 160 feet high, and lies W. i N.
distant 6^ miles from cape Buku. Several islets stand on the reef which
surrrounds the island, and extending 2 miles north-westward, and one
mile south-eastward of it.
Anak Seera are rocky islets lying about 3 miles northward of Seei'a,
on the eastern edge of a reef which extends 2 miles north-westward of
them. Between this reef and that extending from Seera island there is a
safe channel about one mile wide, with depths of 7 to 12 fathoms.
James rock, a pinnacle, lies in the channel between Seera island
and Sinkep, with Cape Buku bearing S.E. f E., and Seera island west
extreme W.S.W. A patch of 4'^ fathoms lies about 2 miles northward of
;