117

upwards of 400 yards, leaving a clear and straight
channel of 117 yards between the low water of
the shore and the extreme rock, both being
steep to.

Upon the extreme rock we have, with some dif-
ficulty, erected an iron perch 15 feet long; it is
drilled 3 feet into the solid rock, and set up by
four chain stays, so firmly, that I have no reason
to fear its being washed away. Therefore, vessels
passing through at any time of tide can see exactly
the width of the channel, and may pass as near
as 10 yards of the perch, if necessary. The
rock upon which the perch stands only uncovers
at spring tides. I should therefore recommend
that this perch be kept in repair, if not replaced
with a larger one, for it is absolutely necessary
for the safe navigation of the pass. A rock I have
called Rock Cod Point (from the immense quan-
tity we obtained there), has sunken rocks
extending from it, S. by E., 100 yards, and should
be also avoided, from the set of the tide being
stronger there than north of it.

The extraordinary nature of the bottom in this
Pass is quite sufficient to account for the whirling
of the current, in connexion with the narrowness
of it, the depth ranging from 7 to 54 fathoms,
without reference to the distance from the shore
or rocks: and here I would remark, in reference
to tides, that a phenomenon, by no means of rare
occurrence, but of special effect in this pass, is
observable—that the ebb stream running to the
eastward commences and runs in great force
(although the tide is actually rising in the Basin
and Pass, and even the rocks forming the
pass) and nearly two hours before actual high
water. This phenomenon is partly accounted for
by the same laws of gravitation which produce the
highest tide three days after the full or new
moon. The impulse of the tidal wave having
been accelerated, continues as a pendulum to
oscillate after being put in motion, and passing
through Cook\'s Strait to the westward, sends its
mass of water into Blind Bay later by two and a-half
hours than it actually ebbs in the Straits: this will
account for the declension of water through the
Pass before the tide has reached its highest in
Current Basin.

I wish particularly to refer to the set of the
tides in the Pass, as shown in the plan. Instead
of setting through the narrow channel, they set
across, more in a line from Rock Cod Point to
Channel Point, and vice versa. This I ascertained
by anchoring there in boats.

Before reaching the pass, there is an awkward
shell bank, with eight feet on it at low water spring
tides, three cables long from the N. E. to S. W.,
and two cables broad. The N. E. extreme is only
two cables from the perch: and as leading marks
in rapid tides are scarcely available (as also the
points being too monotonous), I refrain from giving
any, as likely to lead to error, but leave navigators
to judge their distance between it and Rock Cod
Point, which is one and-a-half cables. On this
blank, I strongly recommend a buoy to be placed,
which, with the perch, would leave nothing re-
quired for the passage through. On the east side
of the pass there is a rocky patch, one and-a-half
cables N. E. of Reef Point; but a vessel having
passed through has no business to near it.

Having described the French Pass, it will neces-
sarily be inquired my opinion of it, as an available
passage.

The passage is perfectly straight; it is suffi-
ciently broad and deeper for the largest vessel ever
built. We have proved that it is about twice the
width of the entrance to Nelson; there is never
any sea, and anchorage can be found on either
side, but not in the pass.

But against these advantages the chances of hit-
ting the correct time of tide, the possibility of
having to anchor, and of the wind failing, and the
consequent risk of being set to the rocks by the
current, convince me that the advantage gained by
a large vessel saving 12 or 15 miles is not an ade-
quate compensation. But coasters wishing to
avoid the cross sea off Stephen\'s Island might and
do anchor in Current Basin, running through the
Pass at slack water; the slack high water being
preferable, passing from west to east, and vice
versa.

With regard to steamers, a vessel that can com-
mand a speed of eight knots could, in my opinion,
pass through at springs and ordinarily at any
time, the narrowest channel being 117 yards, and
passed in about five seconds.

If steam navigation is to be continued through
the Straits, I should recommend the captain of the
vessel to visit Current Basin and the French Pass,
because as a stranger he might be flurried; but
I feel assured that he would afterwards adopt it,
and by leaving Nelson at the last of the flood, and
reaching the Pass in four and-a-half hours (the
distance being 35 miles), the water would then be
slack there; that, the ebb stream would then have
ended.

In concluding this notice of the Pass, I may
remark, that as a fishing place it is equal, if not
surpassing, any place I ever visited: boats could
load with hapuka, rock cod, and cavalhoes, in an
incredibly short space of time. Our ship\'s com-
pany, with hook and line, caught fish and dried
them, sufficient to last them for weeks. There is
also another fish seen constantly leaping in the
Pass, feeding on the herring. The natives call it
te haki. It is generally larger than the hapuka.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
BYRON DRURY,
Commander and Surveyor.

To his Honour the Superintendent
of the Province of Nelson.

PELORUS ESTUARY.
(Cook\'s Straits.)

This extensive estuary, with its numerous arms,
is situated between Queen Charlotte\'s Sound and
Blind Bay, and is included between latitude 40°
52\' S. and latitude 41° 15\' S., and between longi-
tude 173° 45\' E. and longitude 174° 8\' E.

The coast line is no less than 250 miles. The
depth of water varies from 45 to 16 fathoms, until
gradually decreasing in the main branch towards
the head, where it receives two rivers, forming
banks at the head of that arm; but, with this excep-
tion, and one sunken rock near the entrance, there
is no obstruction to navigation, and having this
anomaly, that the nearer you approach the points
the deeper the water.

With the exception of the head of the main
branch, the general character of the country is
mountainous, rising with almost perpendicular
acclivity to the height of from 2,000 to 3,000 feet,
and clothed with dense forest. The intervening