his confusion did not appear having been found nursing The child was immediately

gone he was perfectly at his ease, so that to be caused by his own undress, but from an infant. I begged him to let me see it. brought back: he said it was to be christened on the first Sunday in the next month; that he had not settled yet what name he should give him, and asked me for one. My reply was that his own was a very good name, and that he should call him George, to which he did not object.

The things which were brought off at this place and the prices paid for them were clubs of various sorts, shells of various sorts, for which a bottle was given for twenty-four, spears were sold for a shirt or a fathom of calico, fowls a bottle each, eggs eighteen for a bottle, a shirt or jacket purchased a good pig, four cocoa-nuts for a head of tobacco, shaddocks eight or ten for a bottle, twelve limes or lemons for a head of tobacco. The Papau apples here are nearly as good as a melon, I think them better than the common sort of melon. This fruit is most abundant and is much used, and as a substitute for apple in a pie infinitely superior to pumpkin. I never before saw it so much used as it is in these islands. In the West Indies I have frequently seen it allowed to drop from the trees, and have sometimes heard it declared to be poison. No one here, however, is acquainted with the properties of the leaves in rendering newly killed meat tender when hung up under their shade. Pineapples were three or four for a bottle, plantains and bananas a bottle for twenty or thirty, chillies a basket full for two heads of tobacco; melons and pumpkins six or seven for an old flannel, or a shirt; a basket full of maize for a bottle, a piece of native cloth for a shirt, or three yards of calico. The number of canoes usually attending the ship was about twenty, each having about four men in it. The house fly was here extremely troublesome and more numerous than I had ever seen before.

I had been anxious to visit a cave which is in one of the adjacent islands, where I was told there is a subterraneous spring of fresh water, but I could not find a guide disengaged to go with me: water here as at Tonga is very scarce. In the houses of the Missionaries at Tonga it is only obtained by spreading sheets to receive the rain water, the supply for the natives being all drawn from the cocoa-nut trees. The weather here is generally fine, the hurricane months are December and January. The country has hardly yet recovered the effects of a very violent one which laid the island waste in December 1840.

The natives here as at Tonga are strong and well made, without disease or deformity. On entering this harbour we observed several places that were taken for small neat villages. They were well cleared level spots of ground which appeared to be white with numerous small sheds, and houses built upon them. We found they were burying-places. They are enclosed by large slabs of stone set on edge, the area filled with sand which the women bring in baskets from the sea side as at Tonga. The corpse is buried in the sand, but persons of importance are deposited in vaults or large coffins formed of these stones. A shed is frequently erected over the grave which gives the place the appearance of a village; the roof being supported upon four posts, every grave is marked, although.

by the simplest means; some are enclosed in a fence of reeds neatly interwoven; others have no more than the frond of a cocoa-nut tree laid over the grave to mark the spot. Under the trees which surround this spot were hung the canoes and paddles of the deceased. The trees are all fruit bearing, as the bread-fruit principally, the banana, and papau or mammy apple. This was the custom before the introduction of Christianity, and is now discontinued. The canoes I saw were some of them very old.

It was my intention to have sailed on the 18th, which was Sunday, but I was particularly requested by Mr. Turner to postpone our departure until Monday. He said, and with great truth, that they were doing all in their power to instil christianity into the minds of the natives, and the commands laid down by our religion was the only ground they stood on. He said, a man-of-war comes in, to which they all look for example, or confirmation at least of the truth of what they had been taught. What will they think of us to see her doing that very thing which we have been teaching them it is wicked to do. The same arguments were used at Tonga-taboo, and no pilot would be found to take a ship out on Sunday, and some officers of right mind have given it on record in a book which is kept on board the senior officers' ship in Australia, that ships are not to sail on Sunday, unless absolutely obliged to do so. The same objection is as strongly made in New Zealand.

On Sunday the 18th, it being calm for the first time since we had been in the harbour, it was observed in taking the draught of water that the fore foot was damaged when on the reef off Tonga-taboo. Being Sunday no native could be found who would go down to examine the extent of mischief, but on the following day a man went down who made a report, upon which I considered it my duty to have the mischief repaired before any further risks were run more than were necessary, and I determined to go to Port Arthur, Van Diemen Land, to heave down. The diver expressed himself much alarmed at the sharks which frequent this harbour, of large size, very voracious, but which never appear. The North Star sailed from Vavaou on the 20th. At 9 A.M. we were clear of the heads, the peak of the Island of Lette, N. 68° W., the north-east extreme of Great Island S. 52° W., south extreme S. North Head N. 25° E., Southern Rock Island S. 24° E. At noon the north extreme of the island bore S. 24° W., and the south extreme S.; at 1h P.M. Vavaou was out of sight. We stook away N.N.E., for the Navigators to complete our water, a fresh breeze and the constant south-east swell attending us, which I believe is a proof of the absence of coral reefs. The Island of Upolu was seen upon the 22nd; at noon lat. 14° 31' S., long. 171° 33′ W., it was distant about thirty-three miles. At 9h. on the following morning the Island of Tutuilla was seen E.N.E.; the ship's place at noon, lat. 14° 7' S., long. 171° 28' W.; the west extreme of land N. 73° W,; east extreme of Upolu N. 11° W.; and at 2h. P.M. passed between the west extreme of the Island of Tutuilla, and the east end of Upolu.

(To be Continued.)

NAUTICAL NOTICES.

BANGOON.-Directions for entering the Rangoon River, by C. M. Crisp.

Ships bound to Rangoon, in either monsoon, should make the land, ten or twelve miles to the southward of the Elephant Point. The coast being very low, will not be seen until 44 to 4 fathoms at low water. Thirteen miles south of the Elephant Point, there are two or three straggling Palmyra trees, which are a certain mark to know the land, as there are no trees of this kind farther to the southward. Immediately after these are seen, two remarkably tall Palmyra trees will be seen. (Since the above was written in June last, the tops of these trees were not on, it is possible they may have been blown off, or may have fallen off from the effects of blight.) The trunks of these trees resemble the masts of a junk. There are several tall Palmyra trees on the Elephant Point, and a small Pagoda, but the latter is not conspicuous on account of some bushy trees about it. The remarkable branch that resembled the trunk of an Elephant has broken or has been blown down. The Eastern Grove of Pilot Bush is the northernmost, high bushy trees on the east side of the river; it is easy to make out, and is the only good mark to proceed into the river between the Spit Sand and the One and Half Fathom Bank,

Having brought the Elephant to bear N.b. W., bring the Pilot Bush to bear N. E., and keep it on this bearing until the Elephant is brought to bear W.N.W.. when haul to the N.W. into the river.

As you bring the Elephant to bear to the westward of N.b.W., you will deepen into 7 fathoms or more on the flood tide, and when the Elephant bears N.W.b. W. W., being then in the narrowest part of the channel, you will shoalen into 5 fathoms and again deepen into 6 or 7 fathoms inside the river. At low water you will not have less than 3 fathoms in the channel with the above bearing of the Pilot Bush.

With the Pilot Bush N. 3 E., Elephant N.W.b.W. W., you are on the edge of the spit; with the Pilot Bush N.E., Elephant N.W.b.W. § W., you are on the edge of the One and Half Fathom Bank; with Pilot Bush N. to N. W., vou are on this bank with the same bearings of the Elephant.

Having entered the river, keep on the west side to avoid an extensive mud flat that runs out half the river's width from the east side. Being abreast of Basseen Creek on the west side, you must edge over to the eastern side to avoid the De Silva Sand, situated about one third from the western side, and directly abreast of a stockade on the same side of the river, while you avoid this danger, (which has 14 fathoms at low water,) you must be careful not to get set into Chokey Bight where the tide sets very strong and the water very deep 16 to 17 fathoms. Having passed the Chokey, the river becomes more narrow, but it is free of danger. Being abreast of the stockade on the point above the Chokey, and on the same bank of the river keep on the east side of the river to avoid the Larn Sand that runs parallel with the western bank from the commencement of the Dallah high trees to Dallah point. When Rangoon Reach is well open, haul to the westward to pass between the north end of the Larn Sand and the Hasting Sand. This sand is situated at the junction of the Pegue and Rangoon Reach, and extends some distance up the Rangoon Reach. The You e-thet high trees kept a quarter of a ship's length open south of the King's Wharf is a good leading mark for

this channel. Hauling past this danger, you can steer to anchor at discretion abreast the flag-staff.

Remarks. During the spring in the south-west monsoon it at times blows very strong, when great care should be taken not to get eastward (in cloudy weather) of the middle ground between which and the Zingout Mountains or Martaban shore, the sands extend a long way to seaward, over which the bore rushes with the flood, which makes it very dangerous when near them. As a general remark applicable to the whole coast from Amherst to l'oint Porian when the position of a ship is not known, and you get into hard soundings you should haul to the southward to get into soft soundings. While in soft soundings with good anchor and cable judiciously used, a ship will seldom drive on the flood tide unless it blows a gale of wind which is seldom known on this coast.-Union Press.

ARDNAMURCHAN LIGHTHOUSE.

The Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses hereby give notice, that a lighthouse has been built upon the Point of Ardnamurchan in the County of Argyll, the light of which will be exhibited on the night of Saturday the 1st December 1849, and every night thereafter, from sun-set till sun-rise.

The following is a Specification of the lighthouse and the appearance of the light, by Mr. Alan Stevenson, Engineer to the Commissioners:—

The ligh house is in lat. 56° 43′ 45′′ N., and long. 6° 13′ 30′′ W. By compass, the lighthouse bears from Calliach Head, N.E. E., distant seven miles; from the Cairns of Coll, E.S.E., distant eight miles; from Kana Head, S. E., distant thirty miles; from Scour or Eigg S.W.b.S. W., distant eleven miles; and from Bo Askadil Rock, W.S. W., distant seven miles.

The Ardnamurchan Light will be known to Mariners as a fixed light of the natural appearance. It will be visible in a north-westerly direction from N. E.b.E.E., round to S.W.b.S. The lantern is elevated 180 feet above the level of the sea; and the light will be seen at the distance of about six leagues, and at lesser distances according to the state of the atmosphere.

The commissioners hereby further give notice, that by virtue of a warrant from the Queen in council, dated 11th August 1848, the following tolls will be levied in respect of this light, viz:—

For every vessel belonging to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (the same not belonging to her Majesty, her heirs and successors, or being navigated wholly in ballast), and for every foreign vessel, which, by any Act of Parliament, Order in Council, Convention, or Treaty, shall be privileged to enter the ports of the said United Kingdom, upon paying the same duties of tonnage as are paid by British vessels, the same not being vessels navigated wholly in ballast,) which shall pass the said lighthouse upon Ardnamurchan, or derive benefit thereby, the toll of one farthing per ton of the burden of every such vessel, for each time of passing the said lighthouse, or deriving benefit thereby, on a coasting voyage, and double the said toll for passing or deriving benefit on an oversea voyage; and double the said respective tolls for every foreign vessel not so privileged.

By order of the Board,

(Signed) ALEX. CUNINGHAM, Secretary.

Office of Lighthouse Board, Edinburgh, Oct. 31st, 1849.

DESCRIPTION AND SOUNDINGS OF THE HARBOUR OF TOR.-By Major C.R. Macdonald May, 1849.

The harbour of Tor, called by the ancients Dovikov,* is situated on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, 120 miles due south from Suez; it is completely sheltered from all winds by a coral reef that extends from the point of land forming its northern side, to which it is united, excluding all entrance even for boats in that direction; and this reef so entirely stretches across the front of the bay as to make the entrance South and by West, and at the same time rendering it very narrow, but it is quite clear of rocks, having a depth of 10 fathoms, gradually shoaling to 7 in the centre, and to 25 feet at the extremity of the harbour. Great care is requisite in entering the harbour, especially in tempestuous weather, as the sea breaking on the easternmost reef is apt to wash the entrance, but when the entrance is once found the channel is quite clear, and the anchorage very good, being composed entirely of a kind of clay or marl mixed with shells.

In the immediate vicinity of Tor abundance of water is to be found within 600 yards of the beach, but all these wells have a slight brackish taste. They are, however, the wells that are resorted to by all the vessels that visit the harbour for the purpose of watering, either because they are entirely ignorant of the really good but more distant wells, or else because the water being so much better than that of Suez, that its brackish quality is not at first detected. The Arabs also, in order to save themselves trouble, always direct strangers to the nearest wells. The really good and fresh water is to be found in a direction north-east from Tor, distant about two miles and a half, and situated in a very extensive grove of palm trees, where several of these wells are to be found; and the water of which is as pure and sweet as can any where be found. I not only used it the week I was there, but took a large supply in my casks, which lasted me for many days.

There are also several very fine hot mineral springs situated due north from the harbour, about three miles distant, at the foot of a range of limestone hills, which extend for many miles parallel to the coast. These mineral springs are held in great repute amongst the whole of the tribe of Beduoin Arabs of that peninsula, who assert that they possess many medical qualities, and heal many diseases when used to bathe in.

I examined these springs very minutely and also bathed in them. I found the largest one to be about five feet deep, of a circular form, with a diameter of about fifteen feet. In one place a hot spring gushed up, and a cold one in another part, forming a bath of a most agreeable temperature.

The most singular circumstance connected with it was, the fact, that its sides were entirely surrounded with huge stones of most ancient kind of masonry, which from its appearance must have been of a very remote antiquity, formed in all probability by the ancient Egyptians or Phoenicians 3,500 years ago. There were several other springs similar in quality, but not surrounded by ancient masonry.

The harbour of Tor has been formerly defended at its entrance by a very large and strongly built fortress, which from its appearance, I should judge to have been constructed by the Venetians about 1420; it is situated close to the waters' edge. At its four angles there are curiously constructed circular towers, the lower compartments of which have been used as casements. It must have mounted originally about fifty pieces of cannon, and its walls and foundations are still so masonic as easily to be repaired; and if so, no vessel • This term signifies Phoenician.

NO. 1.-VOL. XIX.

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