THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Anchorage may be found in Possession Bay in
about 12 fathoms, mud, 3 cables from the shore, and
out of the influence of the tides, on the Hayter Island
side of the strait.

Tides.—It is high water, full and change, in Pos-
session Bay at 8h. Springs rise about 5 feet, and
neaps 2 feet 6 inches. The stream of flood sets to
the northward, and that of ebb to the southward, fol-
lowing the direction of the strait, and reaching at
springs a velocity of 5 knots an hour.

In shore, on the eastern side of the strait, there is
at times an eddy tide setting in the opposite direction
to that of the tide in the centre of the strait. It ap-
peared from observations extending over a period of
fourteen days, that although there was a constant
change in the time of high water, that the time of
low water was always at about 3h. p.m. The direc-
tion, strength, and duration of the wind appeared to
have a marked effect upon the tides.

Coast, Middle, and Dinner Islets are small, similar
in appearance, and situated at the south-west entrance
to China Strait. Coast Islet is the highest of the
three (about 300 feet), and lies in the mouth of a
small bight of the main land.

Dinner Islet is nearly mid-channel between Hayter
and Heath Islands. Its summit is near its northern
end, and it has a small sand-beach on its north-east
side.

Middle Islet is equidistant from Coast and Dinner
Islets, resembling the latter in appearance, and bears
from it N.N.W., distant 9 cables. All are thickly
wooded, and fringed with coral reef.

The Coast of New Guinea, from the point abreast
Coast Island, trends north-east for 2 miles, after
which it gradually curves round to N. by W. to the
North Foreland, and has but slight indentations; it
is bold and thickly wooded, rising in steep inclines
from the water's edge to an altitude of about 1,500
feet, with deep ravines, becoming more extensive and
marked as the North Foreland is approached. Depths
of 24 fathoms, coral, were found at a distance of
about 1½ mile from the shore, but this can afford no
criterion to the surrounding soundings, which are
probably much deeper. A 4-fathom coral patch lies
about a mile S.E. by E. of the North Foreland, and
discoloured water having an apparent depth of about 4
fathoms upon it, lies about 1 mile E. by N. N. of
the same headland, the position of the latter danger
being doubtful.

North Foreland is a steep, bluff, rounded headland,
forming the north-east point of the southern prong
of the fish-tail, to which the eastern part of New
Guinea may be likened. To the westward of it, the
coast forming the southern shore of Milne Bay con-
tinues its bold, steep nature, and is slightly indented
by a succession of small bays, which have not been
minutely examined. Small cascades of fresh water
abound in this part, suitable for ships in quest of
that necessary.

Spike Island lies about 14 mile north-westward of
the round of the North Foreland; it is low and
woody, and about a mile in length, north-west and
south-east. A coral reef surrounds it, and connects
it with the shore reef of the mainland, over which
there is a narrow boat channel.

Anchorage.—The "Basilisk" anchored in 14
fathoms, about 3 miles westward of Spike Island;
and the "Sandfly," in 1874, anchored in the same
vicinity, and replenished with excellent water.

Milne Bay, which separates the north-east and
south-east arms of the eastern part of New Guinea,
runs in in a westerly direction, and is about 25 miles
deep, with an average breadth of 8 miles. The Owen
Stanley Range, which may be called the backbone of
Eastern New Guinea, terminates at its head, and,
running parallel to it, separated by extensive valleys,
713
are the Cloudy Mountain and Stirling Ranges.
Villages are numerous, and there is much cultivation
on its southern shore. The water here is very deep—
no bottom with 200 fathoms of line being found about
half way into the bay, midway between, or 4 miles
distant from, either shore.

Discovery Bay is situated about 16 miles westward
of Spike Island. The following is extracted from
Captain Moresby's report of 1873:—“This re-
markably snug anchorage is situated on the south
shore of Milne Bay, about 5 miles from its head.
Approaching it from seaward, the eastern part appears
low and wooded; on nearer approach, the anchorage
is distinctly marked by a reef above water, with one
small bush on it. The entrance lies between this
reef and the eastern point of the bay. Ships should
keep the eastern bight of the cove on board, as the
shore there is steep-to, there being 8 fathoms within
a few yards of the beach, whilst the western side has
an extensive shore reef, not always discernible.

“Water.—That which runs through the village is
not recommended, but round either the east or west
points of the bay, abundance of fresh water may be
obtained.

“Supplies of pigs, yams, and many varieties of
tropical fruit and vegetables were obtained from the
natives, in exchange for old iron-hoop and axes; any
other articles of trade were comparatively useless.”

Aleford Islets, four in number, small, and sur-
rounded by reefs, are situated at the head of Milne
Bay, at a distance of about a mile from the shore.
The depths outside them increase from 10 fathoms
half a mile off, to 20 and 30 fathoms at distances of
1 and 2 miles. Many large canoes were seen in
this neighbourhood, and the manner of the natives
towards Europeans was anything but timorous.

Immediately to the north of the Aleford Islets, the
coast of Milne Bay appears to be low, with foul
ground extending some distance from the shore; it
then sweeps in a series of small, steep bights along
the foot of the Stirling Range, for about 20 miles in
an easterly direction, until abreast the Killerton
Islands, where a more extensive bay occurs, in which
anchorage may be found.

Killerton Islands are three in number, lying in an
east and west direction, nearly equi-distant from each
other, and varying in distance from the shore, from
a quarter of a mile to a mile. They are low and well
wooded, and anchorage may be found between the
eastern island and the shore of the bay, in from 12
to 13 fathoms, sandy bottom. The space between
the islands as well as between the two western islands
and the shore, is blocked with coral reef; and three
dry patches extend to a distance of three-quarters of
a mile southward of the middle island. The passage
to the anchorage is from the eastward, keeping mid-
channel between the eastern island and the shore;
caution is necessary, as coral patches abound near all
the islands. The anchoring ground is about a third
of a mile southward of the village. When the
"Basilisk" first visited this place, the natives brought
a dog on board, and sacrificed it by dashing its head
on the quarter-deck, apparently as a peace-offering
to ratify friendship.

Mount Killerton in the Stirling Range, rising im-
mediately above the Killerton Islands to an altitude
of about 1,357 feet, is a conspicuous mountain, having
rather a wide-spread summit, with rounded shoulders.
From the south-east and north-west the summit
makes in three round knobs or elevations, of which
the centre is the highest. In approaching Goschen
Strait from the westward, this mountain affords a
good mark, the top being seldom clouded.

From Killerton Islands the long narrow promon-
tory, forming the northern horn of the eastern por-
tion of New Guinea, trends N.E. by E. for about 10