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should be found. It secures every advantage that could possibly be obtained by a closer course, and at that distance the light will be brilliant.

Precautions:--In clear weather, the light may be seen, when 5 or 6 miles eastward of Struys Point, from a look-out at the height of 35 feet; and if the vessel then should chance to be close in shore, by steering the above course, she might touch the shoal of Struys Point. To guard against this, when the light is first seen, it should be brought immediately to bear W. by N.; and keeping this bearing of the light, the vessel will pass 2 miles to the southward of any danger respecting Struys Point.

Care should be taken when approaching the land before the light is discovered, for in hazy weather, or from spray in a fresh breeze, combined with the distance of Struys Point (about 15 miles), the light may be faint or altogether obscured, and the vessel may get within the line of danger. Under these circumstances the lead should not be neglected, and the depth should not be less than 20 fathoms, without putting about immediately to the south.

The like precautions are required in the day time, particularly in foggy weather; for the high land of Agulhas may be invisible, while the sand hills of Struys Bay and the breakers off Northumberland Point are distinctly seen. On these occasions it is difficult to determine whether the vessel is to the eastward or westward of Struys Point; because the shore features of the bay eastward of that point, are similar to those of Struys Bay, although the extent is less.

Sailing vessels in particular should adhere to these rules, for if it should fall calm, the heavy swell which constantly rolls towards the shore would carry them with it, and the only resource, that of anchoring, would probably be of no avail from the rocky nature of the bottom, combined with the swell. The "St. Mungo" is said to have been wrecked in this way.

Coming from the westward, the light will be seen first on a S. 57deg. 15min. E bearing. The extreme end of the low ground called Gunner’s Quoin Point bears N. 52deg. 30min. W. from the light-house, distant 19¾ miles, but is not visible from it. The sea was remarked breaking a long way off the point—it will therefore be necessary to keep off until the light becomes visible.

With the precautions here given, there will be as little danger in rounding Agulhas as in rounding the Cape of Good Hope, or indeed any other headland.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND AND SHORE ABOUT AGULHAS.

Cape Agulhas is defined to be the rocky projection from the south east corner of the Agulhas Promontory, the centre of which Promontory is about ⅔ths of a mile Westward of the projection, and about 200 yards more southerly, being the most southern part of Africa.

Description of the Land.—The features of the land about Agulhas distinguish it from the neighbouring headlands. A ridge shaped undulating clump, rising from the flat ground, is separated into four ridge-shaped hills by irregular ravines running nearly true east and west. The middle ridges enter wedge like, at the east end, and are lost towards the centre, where the ravine widens to a mile in breadth. The middle ridges are the lowest, the northern and southern are nearly of equal height.

Viewed at a distance from the seaward, easterly or westerly, the north and south elevations being seen nearly end on, resemble two oblong hummocks; but the former extending more easterly appears the highest as seen from the eastward.

Viewed at a distance from the southward, the south ridge masks the others, save at their east end; but the ravines being hid, the whole appear to be united (only the south and middle ridges are noticed on the chart. They are all given on Col. MICHELL’S plan.)

The highest part of the south ridge is 455 feet above the level of the sea, and its true meridional distance from the shore is almost exactly one mile. From this point the descent eastward is rather gradual. Westward the descent is at first steep, then slightly undulates. Southward it is steep, then undulates to within 300 yards of the shore, where the ground comes flat.

On the first undulation from the shore, which is about 55 feet above the level of the sea, nearly true south of the highest point before mentioned, and N. 30° W., 520 yards from Cape Agulhas, the light-house is built. This spot was selected by the masters of H. M. Ships President, Brilliant, and Rosamond, (Messrs. REES, RUSSEL and ASHTON), under the command of Capt. FOOTE, R. N., in conjunction with Lieut.-Colonel MICHELL.

The light commands to seaward between E. and N.W. by W.; or more correctly, E. to N. 57deg. 15min. W.

Description of the Shore.—West of the Agulhas Promontory the shore bends north-westerly, then round to the headland called Gunner’s Quoin forming an irregular shallow incurvation of about 19 miles in breadth. Immediately to the E.N.E. of the Promontory are two deep indentations. The first called St. Mungo’s Inlet. The next is deeper and wider, and the projection which separates them is called St. Mungo’s Point. From the last inlet the shore runs jagged to the dangerous projection called Northumberland Point, the site of the wreck of the ship “Duke of Northumberland,” which Point forms the west horn of Struys Bay.

The whole of the beach, from the west of the Agulhas Promontory to Northumberland Point, consists of rugged sandstone and quartz rocks, or rocky reef, perfectly impracticable even for a boat. At the Promontory groups of rocks prevail; at the Cape, rocks and rocky reef, extending out a third of a mile. At the inlets, flat rocky reef exposed at low water for a third of a mile; thence rocky to Northumberland Point, where it is sand and reef.

Exposed to the uninterrupted oscillations of the Southern Ocean, the sea breaks heavy on this iron bound shore, particularly during southern winds. A vessel touching upon it,