The India Directory: Or, Directions for Sailing to and from the East Indies, China, Australia, and the Interjacent Ports of Africa and South America, Volume 1William H. Allen & Company, 1852 - Pilot guides |
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Common terms and phrases
12 fathoms 14 miles 20 fathoms 9 fathoms abreast anchor anchorage approach Atoll Bab-el-Mandeb bearing blow boats Bombay bottom breakers called Cape Cape Comorin Captain Owen Ceylon channel chronometers coast coral Coromandel coast dangerous depths direction distance East side easterly eastern eastward edge entrance extends extremity farther fathoms close fathoms water flagstaff formed full and change Gulf half a mile harbour high land high water Hill islets Jibbel Jiddah Kishm leagues longitude low water Madagascar Mahé miles off shore miles wide Mozambique Channel Muscat navigators nearly North end North side northern northward outer passage passing Peak Point de Galle Port projecting reef river round S.W. monsoon sail sand sandy island seen Shab Shadwan ship shoal situated South point southerly winds southern southward steep steer Strait Suakin Table Bay tide town true vessels village weather West side western side westward
Popular passages
Page xxv - Head. South S. by W. SSW SW by S. SW SW by W. wsw W. by S. West W. by N. WNW NWbyW. NW NW byN. NNW N. by W. Bearing of
Page xxi - found in his observations. He states distinctly, that " variations observed with the ship's head in different positions, and even in different parts of her, will materially differ from one another ; and much more will observations observed on board different ships." Mr. Wales gives instances of these differences amounting to 10°.
Page 105 - from the NW with thick weather, commonly with rain ; it veers gradually to the West, increasing in strength, and when it veers to the southward of that point, the weather begins to clear up ; at SW the gale blows hardest, and the barometer rises, and by the time the wind gets to
Page xiv - water-spout there is a vacuum,* in which none of the small particles of water ascend ; and in this, as well as around the outer edges of the water-spout, large drops of rain fall, because in those places the power of the
Page 603 - Pilot's Ridge,' which, in crossing to the NW, shows a little less water than on either side. In coming from seaward, you shoal rather suddenly from 28 to 23 fathoms, upon its eastern edge. It is composed of a shelly sand, or minute gravel, of a reddish or rusty-brown colour.
Page 53 - gradually to the eastward as you advance up the river ; and about the full and change of the moon strong breezes from south-eastward are common at this season, accompanied with rain and foul weather. At Buenos Ayres, during the summer months, the SE winds are generally fresh in the daytime,
Page xiv - a large body of water descends, sufficient to sink any ship. This does not appear to be the case, for the water descends only in the form of heavy rain, where it is broken from the ascending whirlwind ; but there is danger
Page 86 - with southerly, and falls with northerly winds ; these proceeding from a warmer atmosphere are more rarefied, consequently the mercury falls in the barometer, whereas southerly winds coming from the frozen regions near the pole are more dense, and cause the mercury to rise. This ought to be kept in remembrance ; for when the wind was from
Page 55 - Isle Lobos, she will get out of fine sand into dark mud ; which is the quality of the bottom (chiefly) between Cape St. Mary and Lobos, as well as 8 or 9 leagues to the eastward of that island ; and the depth of water between them is generally 26 to 20 fathoms.
Page 603 - when it is necessary to cross her, to pass under the stern : several instances of serious damage having occurred during the SW monsoon, whereby the outer floating light was more than once compelled to leave her station for repairs, to the great inconvenience and risk of vessels entering and quitting the river.