The China Sea directory - Sabrizain.org

MO VARELL'A AND DTJRIAK STRAITS. "[CBap. xi.
Nior river is fronted by' the mud bank to a distance of about 7
miles. Theteare two channels into thte riverj the western Is the deeper
and has a least depth of 9 ffeet on the 'bar ; within the • river the depth is
from 4 to 5 fathoms.
Beacons.—Two beacon huoys are moored' at the Nior east entrance, in
3^ fathoms at the outer edge of 'the flat; the mopthern buoy is painted
white, and the: southern black ; a Herbert beacon buoy painted black, in
3j fathoms water, marks the entrance to the western channel. 'Bofch
channels within the beacoir buoys are nlarted by floating beacons; those
on the starboard hand on entering , have each a ball, and on the port hand
a cross.
There are several- towns and villages on the banks of this river, the
principal of which is Simpang about 20 miles, and-Jambi about 50 miles
from the entrance.
This part of Sumatra is under the Dutch, who have a station and fort at
Muara Kompeh, a town 5 miles above Simpang.
Coa>l.—-A- seam of excellent coal; was (in 1860) discovered near the
Sultan's house at Jambi.
Basso Island.—Basso or Bakau point is the south-east extreme of
Basso island, which, is 20 miles in length, and the. eastern of the several
islands lying iij the apprpach to Indragirie river. It bears N.W., distant
about 52 miles from Tanjong Bon,' the coast line between receding into a
large bight, 33 or 34 miles deep, into which debouch several rivers.
The eastern coast of Basso island should not be approached nearer than
about 2 miles, as a shoal, steep-to, projects nearly one mile oiF.
AMPHITRITE BAY is about 16 miles deep, formed between
the north-east extreme of Basso island andTanjongBara, or Date, 15 miles
to the^ northward. It is nearly filled by a shoal, which extends several
miles from either shore, between which is the deep water portion of the
bay, about 3 or 4 miles broad, with depths of about 6 to 8 fathoms.
Indragirie river.—The large river Indragirie discharges itself
through several channels into Anaphitpite bay,.a.nd alsoiato the bay between
Tanjong Bon and Basso island.
' Caution.—The
outer, edges of the shoal eixtending from: the points of
•entrance to Amphitrite bp.y, are steep-to, having 10 or 11 fathoms within
half a mile in some places, shoaling rapidly to 2 fathoms, requiring great
caption when approaching this pa;;t of the coast at night.
Tlie Coast.—AU this part of the coast of Sumatra is flat low land,
thipkly wooded with trees about, 12Q feet high.
From the low headland of Dato point, p^e coast,,tc^nds, northward
towards Dujtian strait, and is fronted by a shoal bank from 2 to 6 miles off
shore, which maybe: approached by the lead, as, from 10 fathoms upon its
edge the soundings gradually decrease to 3 fathoms.