Laurie's Sailing Directory for the Ethiopic or Southern Atlantic Ocean ... composed and arranged ... by J. Purdy. Fourth edition, revised and corrected by A. G. Findlay

Front matter

LAURIE'S SAILING DIRECTORY FOR THE ETHIOPIC OR SOUTHERN ATLANTIC OCEAN; INCLUDING THE COASTS OF BRASIL, ETC, TO THE RIO DE LA PLATA, THE COAST THENCE TO CAPE HORN, AND THE AFRICAN COAST TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, ETC.; INCLUDING THE ISLANDS BETWEEN THE TWO COASTS. COMPOSED AND ARRANGED FROM A GREAT VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE MANY ORIGINAL AND VALUABLE COMMUNICATIONS, AS ENUMERATED IN THE WORK. By JOHN PURDY. FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED By ALEX. G. FINDLAY, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. LONDON: PRINTED FOR RICHARD HOLMES LAURIE, CHART SELLER TO THE ADMIRALTY, THE HON. CORPORATION OF TRINITY HOUSE , F.TC. No. 53, FLEET STREET. 1855. TO CAPTAIN, NOW REAR-ADMIRAL WILLIAM HENRY SMYTH, OF THE ROYAL NAVY, KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF ST. FERDINAND AND MERIT, F.R.S., F.A.S., F.R.A.S., FELLOW OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE STATISTICS AND NATURAL HISTORY OF TUSCANY, AND OF THE ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES OF NAPLES AND PALERMO, — AS A MEMORIAL OF EARLY FRIENDSHIP; A TESTIMONIAL OF AFFEC- TIONATE regard; AND A GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT of many PRIVATE AND IMPORTANT FAVOURS WHICH HAVE .

BEEN APPLIED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF HYDROGRAPHY, THIS VOLUME IS MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BY JOHN PURDY. [Œhrtewo at Stationers' f^all.] Saldanha Bay, p. 52(1. Od the page referred to is an account of the discovery of a copious spring in this Bay. We have just received a letter from Captain Joseph Moor, which informs us that this is calculated to mislead, as some malicious person has since .filled up the excavation which exposed the spriDg. Consequently he could obtain only a very small quantity of very bad brackish water at the place indicated. After some dif ficulty, he got a small supply at the head of the Bay. This waa in February, 1853. /<??H a M W Loudon: J. & W. Rider, Printers, 14, Bartholomew Close MOST WILLINGLY WOULD WE HERE DISPLAY, IN DETAIL, THE NAMES OF ALL THOSE GENEROUS FRIENDS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMPLETION OF THIS WORK ; BUT THEY WILL BE FOUND, IN THEIR PROPER PLACES, HERE- AFTER, ASSEMBLED WITH THOSE OF THE MOST EMINENT NAVIGATORS WHO HAVE TOUCHED UPON THE SAME TOPICS : JUSTICE, HOWEVER REQUIRES AN ESPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE " NAUTICAL MAGA- ZINE," THE " UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL," AND THE " JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY ; " FOR TO THESE PERIODICALS WE HAVE BEEN INDEBTED FOR A LARGE COLLECTION OF INESTIMABE INFORMATION, AS WILL BE SEEN IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES.

J. P. IN PREPARING THE PRESENT EDITION WE HAVE AVAILED OURSELVES OF NUMEROUS AUTHORITIES QUOTED THROUGHOUT THE WORK IN THE RESPECTIVE PAGES, AND TO WHOM WE RESPECTFULLY OFFER OUR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. AMONG THOSE TO WHOM WE ARE MORE ESPECIALLY INDEBTED, THE NAMES OF CAPTAINS L. TARDY DE MONTRAVEL, LE COMTE E. BOUET-WILLAUMEZ, AND CH. PH. DE KERHALLET, OF THE FRENCH MARINE ; OF CAPTAIN J. J. DE LIMA, OF THE PORTUGUESE NAVY ; AND DR. W. F. DANIELL, OF THE BRITISH ARMY MED ICAL STAFF, MAY BE PARTICULARIZED. IT IS TRUSTED THAT THE WORK WILL BE FOUND TO EXHIBIT AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE HYDROGRAPHY OF THE OCEAN IT DESCRIBES. A. G. F. *„* Communications, for the future improvement of this work, are respectfully solicited. Mr. LAURIE BEGS TO DIRECT PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING NEW WORKS. PACIFIC OCEAN.

Section I. General Table Of The Positions, Or Of The Latitudes And

LONGITUDES OF THE PRINCIPAL POINTS, ETC, DESCRIBED IN THE WORK; WITH THE PAGES ON WHICH THE RESPECTIVE DESCRIPTIONS MAY BE FOUND. Pace 1. The Islands and Shoals of the Ethiopic or Southern Atlantic Ocean ; including Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the Sandwich Lauds, and South Shetland xiv. 2. The Northern Coast of Brasil, from Cape St. Roque, Westward, to the Rio Para xvii. 3. The Eastern Coast of Brasil, &c, from Cape St. Roque to Buenos Ayres xviii. 4. 4. The Coast of La Plata, Patagonia, &c, from Cape St. Antonio to and beyond Cape Horn xxiii. 5. The Coast of Africa, from the Rijer Gallinas to Cape Lopez, including the Islands of Fernando Po, Princes, St. Thomas, and Anno Bon xxv. 6. The Coast of Africa, from Cape Lopez orLopo Gon^alves to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence to Algoa Bay xxvi. NOTES on the Preceding Table, showing the Authorities, with some Additional Remarks ; including the Variations of the Compass ... xxx.

Section II. General Observations On The Winds, Seasons, Tides, And Currents

; AND ON THE ANIMALS AND PHENOMENA OF THE OCEAN. I. Of the Winds and Seasons 1 Trade Winds and Seasons, page 1; on the Eastern Coast of Brasil, 1 ; at the Entrance of the Plata, 2 ; Land and Sea Breezes, 3; Seasons of Brasil, 4 ; al Para, 4; at Maranham, 6; at Seara, 5; at Fernando Noronha, 0; at the Bio Plata, o contents. Maranham to Para'.— Province of Para, 203; Bay of Cuma, 205; Isles of San Joao, 205 ; Ca'ite Bay, 207 ; Salinas Bay, &c, 208 ; Mouth of the River Para, 20!> ; Colares, 212; Paia or Belem, 213 ; Sailing Directions for Para, 215 ; Entering the River by the Passage de Dentro,2l7; Remarks and Directions, by the Hon. Captain Wellesley, 220; Coast between Maranham and Para, by Lieutenant Stopford, 221 ; Directions for Para, by Mr. Richard Thomas, 222 ; by M. Arnous- Dessaulsays, 223 ; on the Rivers Paia and Amazous, 224.

SECTION VI. THE EASTERN COASTS OF BRASIL, LA PLATA, PATAGONIA, ETC, FROM

CAPE ST. ROQUE TO CAPE HORN, INCLUSIVE. I. The Coast from Cape St. Roque to Pernambuco, 226 ; the Weather, &c, on the Eastern Coast of Brasil, 226 ; the Making of the Coast, 227 ; Description of the Recife, 228; Natal, or Rio Grande do Norte, 228; Rio Parahyba, 229 ; Itamaraca, 232 ; Pao Amarello, 233. Pernambuco and Olinda, Description of, 234 ; Cape St. Augustin, 235 ; Interior of Pernambuco, &c, 235 ; Particular Instructions for Pernambuco, he, 239 -244. II. Pernambuco to Bahia, or Bay of All Saints, 244 ; Porto Calvo, &c, 245 ; Maceio, or Magayo, 245 ; Remarks, by the Hon. Captain de Roos, 246 ; Rio San Francisco, 248 ; the Cotandiba, 249 ; Vasabarris and Rio Real, 219 ; Itapicuru, 251 ; On the Winds, by the Baron Roussin, 251 ; Bahia, Description, 251 ; Sailing Directions for Bahia, 256.

III. Bahia to Porto Seguro and the Abrolhos, 259 ; Mono de St. Paulo, 259 ; Rio Camamu, and St. George dos Ilheos, 260 ; Belmonte, 260 ; Porto Seguro, &c, 261 ; Caravelhas, 262 ; the Itacolomi, 262 ; Prado, 263 ; the Abrolhos, or Islets of Sta. Barbara, 263 ; Captain FitzRoy's Remarks on the same, 265. IV. The Coast, from the Abrolhos to Cape Frio, inclusive, 266 ; the River St. Matheo, &c, 266 ; Rio Seco and Rio Doce, 267 ; Espirito Santo, or Port Victoria, 267 ; River Guarapari, 268 ; Benevente, 268 ; Cape St. Thome, 269 ; Morley Bank, 269 ; St. Ann's Bay, 270; Pilot, or Jervis Bank, 271; S. Joao de Macahe, 271; the Ancoras, and Papagayos, 272 ; Cape Frio, 272. V. Cape Frio to Rio Janeiro, inclusive, 273 ; Position and Appearance, 273 ; Thetis Cove, 274 ; Cape Negro, 274; Currents in the Vicinity of Cape Frio, 275; Rio Janeiro, 275 ; Description of the Land between Cape Frio and Rio Janeiro, 276 ; On entering and leaving the Harbour, 277; Appearance of Rio, 277; Land aud Sea Breezes, Tides, Landing Places, &c.,278; Description and Directions by Captain Hewett, 279 ; Directions by another Officer, 280 ; Directions for approaching from the Southward, by tbe Baron Roussin, 280; General Remarks on Rio, by Captain Monteath, 281 ; The Port Regulations, 282; Description of the Interior of Rio Janeiro, by Lieutenant Shillibeer, he., 282.

VI. Rio Janeiro to Santos, 284 ; Marambaya, 284 ; the Ilha Grande, 285 ; Gairosu Bay, 286; St. Sebastian, &c, 286; thence to Santos, 287 ; Santos, and Rocks iu the Vicinity, 288. VII. Santos to the Rio de la Plata, inclusive, 288 ; River Iguape, 289 ; Cananea and Paranagua, 289 ; River Guaratuba, 2:>0 ; Island of St. Catharine, 291 ; Admiral Vou Krusenstern's Description, 291 ; that of the Baron Roussin, 292; of Captain Banal, 294; the Coast Southward of St. Catharine's, 295; the Rio Grande de St. Pedro, or Do Sul, 297 ; Mr. Luccock's Description, 297 ; Sailing Directions, by Captain Grant, 2t»8 ; Reid Shoal, 298 ; by Captain Harrison, 299; Signals at the Rio Grande, 300 ; Official Directions, 301 ; by Captain Downward, 304 ; Winds, Tides, and Currents, between the Island of St. Catharine and tie Rio Grande de St. Pedro, 305; St. Pedro to the Plata, 305 ; the Castelhos, 305. , CONTENTS.

IX VIII. The Rio de la Plata, 305; Rio Parana, 306; Republic of Uruguay, 307; of Buenos Ayres, 307; Cape Santa Maria, 308 ; Maldonado, 308 ; Flores 'isle, 309; Monte Video, 31 1 ; Colonia, 311 ; Hornos Isles, 311 ; Cape San Antonio and Pta. das Piedras, 311; Point Iudio, 312; Buenos Ayres, 312; Landfalls, or Points of Recognisance on approaching the Plata, as described by Captain Banal, 313 ; Weather, Winds, &c, 314 ; Depths of the River at the Entrance and in the Offing, 315 ; Navigation at the Entrance and in the River, 316 ; Routes on proceeding to Buenos Ayres, 319; Passage between the Chico Bank and the South Shore, 319; Passage between the Ortiz and the North Coast, 319; Passage between the Ortiz and Chico Banks, 320 ; Routes to the Isles of Hornos, 320. Descriptions and Remarks of British Officers, 320 ; Captain Heywood's Remarks concerning the Winds, Weather, Tides, Currents, Soundings, &c, in the Plata, 320; Winds, 321 ; Tides, 321 ; Soundings on advancing to the River, 322; Lobos to Flores, 323; English Bank, 323; Monte Video, 323; Navigation Southward of the English Bank, 324 ; Monte Video to Buenos Ayres, 325 ; Observations on the Anchorage of Buenos Ayres, 327 ; Port and Pilot Charges, 328 ; Description of Buenos Ayres, 329; Navigation Eastward of the River, by Captain Beechey, 333.

The Coasts of La Plata and Patagonia, from the River of La Plata to the Strait of Magalhaen, 336 ; Coast of the Pampas, aud Inhabitants of the Country, 336 ; Remarks, by Captain R. FitzRoy, 336. Description of the Coast, 337; Cape Conientes, 339; Bahia Bianca, 339; Port Btlgrano, and San Bias Bay, 340 ; Rio Negro, 341 ; Carmen, 342; St. Matthias Bay, 342; Tide Races, 343; Port San Jose, 343; Nueyo Gulf, 343; River Chupat, 344 ; Port Santa Elena, 344 ; Cape 'Two Bays, he, 345 ; Port Malaspina, and Cape Three Points, 345; Port Desire, 346; Sea Bear Bay, 347; Spiring, or Ferrer Bay, 347 ; Watchman's Cape, 348 ; Port St. Julian, 348 ; Santa Cruz, 349 ; Coy Inlet, 351 ; Cape Fairweather, 352; River Gallegos, 351 ; Cape Virgins, 352; Strait of Magalhaens, 352; Captain King's Remarks on the Passage through the Strait, 352.

IX. The Coast of Tierra del Fdego to Cape Horn, &c, including Staten Island, 353 ; Description of Tierra del Fuego, 353 ; Strait of Le Maire, 354 ; Good Success Bay, 354 ; Staten Island, 355 ; Description of the Strait of Le Maire, 355 ; Tides, 356 ; Harbours, &c, of Staten Island, 356 ; From the Strait of Le Maire to Cape Horn, &c., 358 ; Hermite Isles, and Cape Horn, 358 ; St. Martin's Cove, 359 ; Islets of Diego Ramirez, 359 ; of St. Udefonso, 360. Geneial Remarks on the Passage along the Eastern Coast of Patagonia, and around Cape Horn, &c, by Captain P. P. King and Captain F. W. Beechey, R.N., 360; Passage of the Blossom, 361 ; Home Passage of the same, 363.

SECTION VII. THE COASTS OF AFRICA, FROM CAPE MOUNT TO CAPE LOPEZ,

IN- CLUDING THE ISLANDS OF FERNANDO PO, PRINCES, ST. THOMAS, AND ANNO BON. I. General Description and Directions, 364 ; Windward Coast, 364 ; Gold Coast, 364 ; the Natives, Sec, 365 ; Climate, 366. Descriptive Remarks and Sailing Directions for the Navigation to and from Western Africa, by Captain T. Midgley, 367; Passage from England, 319; Luminosity of the Sea, 368 ; Employment of Kroumen, 368 ; the Seasons, 369 ; Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen, 369; the Current, 370; the Homeward Passage, 370; Directions for Sailing from the Bight of Biafra to Sierra Leone, by Mr. J. Finlaison, 371 ; by Captain Oliver, R.N., 371. X CONTENTS. II. Particular Description of, and Directions for, the Windward Coast, 372 ; River Gallinas, and Cape Mount, 372 ; Liberia, 373; Cape Mesurado, 374 ; River Junk, 375 ; the Grain, or Pepper Coast, 376; Cresson, 376; Grand Bassa, 376; Grand Cestos River, 377 ; Sangwin, and Settra Krou, 378 ; Little and Grand Sesters, 379 ; Cape Palmas, &c, 380.

III. The Ivory or Teeth Coast, 380; Cavally, 381 ; Tahou, 381 ; St. Andrew's Bay, 381 ; Lahou, 382 ; Grand Bassam, 383 ; Assinee, 383. IV. The Gold Coast Eastward to the River Volta, 384; Currency on the Coast, 335, 387 ; the Forts on the Coast, 385 ; General Description, 384 — 386 ; Assinee to Cape Apollonia, 388 ; Axim, 388 ; Cape Three Points, 388 ; Dixcove, 389 ; Secondee, 389 ; Chama, 339 ; Commenda, 390 ; St. George D'Elmina, 390 ; Cape Coast Castle, 391 ; Lighthouse of Cape Coast, 392 ; Anamaboe, 393; Cormantine, 393 ; Whinebah, 394; Accra or Akkrah, 394 ; Ningo, 396; River Volta, 396; Cape St. Paul, 397; Remarks upon the Appearance of the Land, from the Fort of Boutry to Cape St. Paul, by Captain R. Wauchope, R.N., 397. V. The Bight of Benin, from Cape St. Paul to Terra Formosa, 399 ; Quitta, &c, 399; Popoe and Whydah, 400; Porto Novo and Ardrah, 401; Badagry, 401; River Lagos, 402 ; Cradoo Lake, 403 ; Benin River, or Rio Formosa, 404 ; Warree, 406 ; Rio dos Foi^ados, or Warree River, 408 ; Rio Ramos, 409; the River Niger, Nun, or Quorra, 409.

VI. The Bight of Biafra, from the River Nun or Quorra to Cape Lopez, including the Islands of Fernando Po, Princes, St. Thomas, and Anno Bon, 412; Remarks, by Captain Midgley, 412; the Navigation of the Bight of Biafra, 412; Prevalent Winds, 413; Current, 413; Anchorage, 413; Directions, 414; Rio Nun to New Calabar River, 415; Description of the Coast, 416; New Calabar River, 417; Bonny River, 419; Directions for the Bonny, by Captain Midgley, 421 ; River Andony, 424 ; Old Calabar River, 424 ; Rio del Rey, he, 429 ; Camaroens Mountain, 430; Bay of Amboises, 432; River Bimbia, 433; Camaroens and Malimba Rivers, 434 ; Bight of Pannavia, &c, 437; Banoko, 437 ; Cape St. John, and Coast Southward, 438; Corisco Bay, 438; River Gaboon, 440; Winds on the Coast, 443 ; River Gaboon to Cape Lopez, 443 ; Islands of the Bight of Biafra, 445 ; 1.

Fernando Po, 445 ; Climate, 447 ; Maidstone Bay, and Clarence, 448 ; George, or West Bay, 451 ; Currents, 451 ; Ilha do Principe, or Prince's Island, 452; Island of San Thome, or St. Thomas, 457 ; Anno Bona, 463.

SECTION VIII. THE COAST OF AFRICA, FROM CAPE LOPEZ TO THE CAPE

OF GOOD HOPE, AND THENCE TO ALGOA BAY. Remarks on the Seasons, Winds, Currents, &c, by Captain Matson, 465 ; Bank of Soundings, 467 ; Description: Cape Lopez, or Lopo Gonc,alves, 468; thence to Yumba, 470 ; Yumba to Loango Bay, 472 ; Loango, 473 ; Black Point Bay, 474 ; Louisa Loango River, and Kacongo, 475 ; Malemba, 475; Kabenda, 477; Kabenda to the Zahir, or Congo River, 478 ; Roads of Loango, Malemba, and Kabenda, 480 ; Coast of Congo, 481 ; the Zahir, or Congo River, 481 ; General Remarks and Instructions on the Navigation between Biafra and Congo, 489 ; Winds aud Seasons, 489; Cousa River, 491. Kingdom of Angola, 491; Cape Juma, or Foreland Bluff, 492; Ambrizette, 492- Rio Doce, or Loze, 493; Ambriz, 494; Mazula Bay, 495; Dande and Beno-J Bay, 496. ° CONTENTS. XI A St. Paul de Loanda, or Angola, 497; Curimha, 498 ; Coanza River, 499 ; Kingdom of Benguela, 500 ; Cape Ledo, 500 ; Novo Redondo, 501 ; Quicombo, 501 ; Logito River, 502 ; Lobito, 503 ; St. Philip de Benguela, 504 ; Benguela Bay to Cape St. Mary, 506 ; Elephant Bay, 506; Bahia de Mossamedes, or Little Fish Bay, 509 ; Cape Negro, 509 ; Port Alexander, 510.

General Description of the Coasts of Cimbebasia and Hotlentotia, 510; Great Fish Bay, 511 ; Nourse River, 5] 1 ; Cape Frio, 512 ; Cape Frio to Cape Sierra, 512 ; Walvisch Bay, 513; Sandwich Harbour, and Alligator Rocks, 515 ; Hollam's Bird Islet,515; Spencer's Bay, 516 ; Mercury Island, 516 ; Ichaboe Island, 516 ; Angra Pequena, 519 ; Elizabeth Bay, 520 ; Possession Island, 520 ; Angras Juntas, 521 ; Orange, or Gariep River, 522 ; Cape Voltas, 523 ; St. Helena Bay, 524 ; Saldanha Bay, 525; Dassen, or Coney Island, 526; Robben, or Penguin Island, 527. Cape of Good Hope, 527 ; General Description, 527, 528 ; Description of Cape Town, 528 ; Table Mountain, and Table Cloth, 530 ; Table Bay, 531 ; Lighthouses and Time Ball, 531, 532 ; Port Regulations, 532 ; Directions for Table Bay, 533 ; Remarks on the Cape, &c, 536 ; Table Bay to the Cape Point, 537 ; False Bay, 538 ; Simon's Bay, 540 ; Light Vessel, 540; Port Regulations for Simon's Bay, 541; Directions, by Mr. Bellamy, 542 ; Winds in False Bay, 545.

The Southern Coast, from False Bay to Algoa Bay, 545 ; Cape Agulhas, and Lighthouse, 546 ; Struys Bay, 548 ; Agulhas Bank, 550 ; Mossel Bay, 551 ; Knysna River, 552; Plettenburg Bay, 552; St. Francis, or Kamtoos River Bay, 553; Algoa Bay, 553; Cape Recife Lighthouse, 554; Port Elizabeth, 554; Roman Rick, 554 ; St. Croix Island Lighthouse, 557 ; Bird Island Lighthouse, 556 ; Sailing Directions for Algoa Bay, 557 ; Point Padron, 560 ; Port Instructions for Algoa Bay, 560.