The Atlantic Navigator: Being a Nautical Description of the Coasts of France ...

It employed the Marion 80 odd days to Cabenda, a port 200 miles nearer than Ambriz; to which port (Ambriz) from Monrovia, in this vessel (the Perry) we went in 23-making 31 from Porto Praya. In the John Adams, 10 to Monrovia, and 46 to Ambriz, by the way of Prince's Island; about 10 of which was lost working to the south of Cape Palmas. From Cape Palmas to the point of crossing the equator the current is easterly-south of that westerly.

The practice along the coast in this vessel (the Perry) was, to keep near enough to the land to have the advantage of a land and sea breeze, and to drop a kedge whenever it fell calm, or, we were unable to stem the current. Upon this part of the coast near the Congo, the lead line does not always show the direction of the current which affects the vessel. On the bottom there is a current in an opposite direction from the surface; therefore, before dropping the kedge, the better way is to lower a boat and anchor her— which will show the drift of the vessel. Between Ambriz and the Congo, I have seen the under current so strong to the S.E., as to carry a 24-pound lead off the bottom, while the vessel was riding to a strong S.W. currentbut the under current is the strongest.

In crossing the Congo, I would always suggest crossing close to its mouth, night or day; going North with the wind W.N.W., steer N.N.E., with a five or six knot breeze, when you strike soundings on the other side you will have made about a N. E. course in the distance of 9 miles, by log from 11 fathoms off Shark Point. The current out of the river runs West about 2 knots an hour. With the land breeze it is equally convenient, and may be crossed in two hours. In coming from the north, with Cabenda bearing N.E., in 13 fathoms, or from the latitude of 5° 48'-wind S.W., a S.S.E. course will carry you over in four hours outside of Point Padron, and by keeping along shore the current will assist you in going to the South. Vessels which cross to seaward from latitude 5° 45′ and long. 9° W., are generally six days or more to Ambriz; by the former method it occupied us (the Perry) only two days."-Page 481.

ST. JOHN'S.-Off the entrance to this port, a large iron fog-bell has lately been placed. It lies in 7 fathoms with Cape Spencer bearing S. 59° E.; Cape Mispick S. 62° E. 3 miles; Partridge Lighthouse, N. 21° E. 14 mile; Sheldon Point N. 49° W. 1 miles; Medginish south-east point N. 76° W. 2 miles; Cape Negro, red mark, S. 81° W. 44 miles; and Cape Split S. 78° W. The height of the bell above the water is 19 feet.-Page 498.

CHARLESTON.-To enter this harbour the assistance of a pilot is imperative. Attempts are now being made (June, 1853) to improve the navigation by deepening the channel.-Page 516.

PREFACE.

SINCE the first publication of this work great accessions have been made to our knowledge of the hydrography of the Atlantic, and it has been our object in every successive edition to avail ourselves of such sources of information as may enable us to present as correct a work as its nature will admit. With this view, much of the present edition has been entirely rewritten, particularly the sections on the detached islands of the Azores, Canaries, &c.; and the whole has been remodelled and revised, so as to embody, if possible, all the information we at present possess on the Atlantic. During the last few years, the coasts of the Atlantic, more or less, have been surveyed, and, with the exception perhaps of that of Southern Africa, but little remains to be accomplished. Most of the detached islands have also been examined, and the American government are now engaged in an elaborate survey of the whole surface of the Atlantic, for the purpose of recording the direction and force of the currents, the prevailing winds, height and strength of the tides, &c., which when completed will be of the greatest value to commerce, as it will, in all probability, present much shorter routes across the ocean than have hitherto been adopted; as it is, much benefit has already resulted from only a partial examination. This examination is under the superintendence of Lieut. Maury of the U.S. Navy, who is so well known for his excellent Wind and Current Charts. As a result of this examination many of the vigia or rocks, reported in various parts of the Atlantic, are proved to have no existence whatever; bottom has been obtained in various places at a depth of 2000 to 3000 fathoms, while in one place, lat. 31° 59′ N. and long. 58° 43′ W., no ground was reached with a line of the length of

fathoms or nearly 6 miles; and a branch or off-set from the Gulf Stream has been discovered as far east as long. 72° 10′ W. in a latitude so far to the southward as 33° 20' N., this was met with when searching unsuccessfully for the Ashton Rock. But, while the American Government has been so active, our own has been no less so, as the islands of the Azores, Madeira, and Canaries have for the first time been thoroughly examined by Captain A. T. E. Vidal, and a survey of the coast of Guinea, in continuation of that carried on by Captains Owen, Arlett, and Vidal, in 1838, has been completed by Captain Denham. The French Government have also carried on a survey of the north coast of Brazil, in the vicinity of Para, and of French Guayana, which was entrusted to M. Tardy de Montravel, and completed in 1844, so that these coasts are now laid down with some pretensions to accuracy.

By these various surveys we have been enabled materially to improve the present edition; but in a work of this kind we are well aware that perfection cannot be obtained, the changes which are continually taking place in the

direction and shape of shoals, whether caused by storms or otherwise, render such impossible. This work is not therefore presented as an absolute guide to the mariner, to supersede the assistance of a pilot when one can be obtained; but is offered as an aid when, from circumstances, the assistance of local knowledge is not accessible. It must be remembered that no sailing directions for any length of time can be correct-the very nature of shoals and sands forbids it; a good chart and pilot should always, therefore, as a rule be obtained, but, when such are not to hand, this work may then be of service, and as it is our wish that it should be made as accurate as possible, we invite communications from those who may be able to render such, assuring them that any remarks which may tend to its improvement will be most gratefully accepted.

It only remains for us to add, that in the description of the coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal, we have availed ourselves of the excellent works of Le Saulnier de Vauhello, Tofino, and Franzini; and of the coast of Africa, of the surveys of Captains Owen and Vidal, and the Manuel de la navigation à la cote occidentale d'Afrique, by M. Charles P. de Kerhallet, of the French Navy. Various other authorities are mentioned in the body of the work, and much excellent information has been furnished by private friends. To the pages of the excellent periodical, the Nautical Magazine, acknowledgment is due for many extracts, and much invaluable matter has also been derived from the Journals of the Royal Geographical Society.

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