Directions for Navigating on Part of the South Coast of Newfoundland Part 3

To the Westward of _Bay de Leau_, 3 Miles NNW. from St. _John_'s _Head_ is _Little Bay Barrysway_, on the West-side of which is good Anchorage for large s.h.i.+ps in 7, 8, or 10 Fathom Water; here is good Fis.h.i.+ng Conveniencies, with plenty of Wood and Water.

[Sidenote: Harbour Briton.]

[Sidenote: South West Arm.]

_Harbour Briton_ lies to the Westward of _Little Bay Barrysway_, North 1 Leag. and a half from the Island of _Sagona_, and N. by E. from East-end of _Brunet_. The two Heads, which from the Entrance of this Harbour or Bay are pretty high, and lay from each other E.N.E. and W.S.W. above 2 Miles; near the East Head is a Rock above Water, by which it may be known: There are no Dangers in going in until you are the Length of the South Point of the S.W. Arm, which is more than a Mile within the West Head; from off this Point stretches out a Ledge of Rocks N.E. about two Cables Length; the only Place for King's s.h.i.+ps to Anchor is above this Point, before the S.W. Arm in 16 or 18 Fathom Water, mooring nearly East and West, and so near the Sh.o.r.e as to have the East Head on with the Point above-mentioned; the Bottom is very good, and the Place convenient for Wooding and Watering. In the SW.

Arm is Room for a great Number of Merchant s.h.i.+ps, and many Conveniencies for Fis.h.i.+ng Vessels.

[Sidenote: Jerseyman's Harbour.]

Opposite to the S.W. Arm is the N.E. Arm or _Jerseyman_'s _Harbour_, which is capable of holding a great number of s.h.i.+ps, securely shelter'd from all Winds. To sail into it you must keep the Point of _Thompson_'s _Beach_ (which is the Beach Point, at the Entrance into the S.W. Arm) open of _Jerseyman_'s _Head_, (which is a high bluff Head at the North Entrance into _Jerseyman_'s _Harbour_) this Mark will lead you over the Bar in the best of the Channel, where you will have 3 Fathom at Low-water; as soon as you open the Harbour, haul up North, and Anchor where its most convenient in 8, 7 or 6 Fathom Water, good Ground, and shelter'd from all Winds. In this Harbour are several convenient Places for erecting many Stages, and good Beach room.

_Jerseymen_ generally lay their s.h.i.+ps up in this Harbour, and cure their Fish at _Fortune_ and _Grand Bank_.

[Sidenote: Gull Island, and Deadman's Bay.]

From Harbour _Briton_ to the W. end of _Brunet_, and to the _Plate Islands_, the Course is S.W. by S. 6 Leagues and a half to the Southermost _Plate_. From _Harbour Briton_ to _Cape Miquelon_ is S.W.

a quarter W. 10 Leagues. From the West Head of _Harbour Briton_ to _Cannaigre Head_, the Course is W. by S. Distant 2 Leagues; between them are _Gull-Island_ and _Deadman's Bay_. _Gull-Island_ lies close under the Land, 2 Miles to the Westward of Harbour _Briton_.

_Deadman's Bay_ is to the Westward of _Gull-Island_, wherein you may Anchor with the Land Winds. Between _Harbour Briton_ and _Cannaigre Head_, is a Bank stretching off from the Sh.o.r.e between 2 and 3 Miles, whereon is various Depths of Water from 34 to 4 Fathom. Fishermen say that they have seen the Sea break in very bad Weather, a good way without _Gull-Island_.

[Sidenote: Cannaigre Head.]

[Sidenote: Cannaigre Bay.]

[Sidenote: Cannaigre Rocks.]

_Cannaigre Head_ which forms the East Point of the Bay of the same Name, lies North Easterly 3 Leagues and a half from the West-end of _Brunet_; it is a high craggy Point, easy to be distinguished from any Point of view. From this Head to _Ba.s.starre_ Point, the Course is W.

by N. half N. 2 Leagues, and likewise W. by N. half N. 3 Leagues and a half to the Rocks of _Pa.s.s Island_; but to give them a Birth make a W.

by N. Course good. Between _Cannaigre Head_ and _Ba.s.starre Point_ is _Cannaigre Bay_, which extends itself about 4 Leagues Inland, at the Head of which is a Salmon River. In the Mouth of the Bay lay the Rocks of the same Name above Water, you may approach these Rocks very near, there being no Danger but what discovers itself. The Channel between them and the North Sh.o.r.e is something Dangerous, by reason of a range of Rocks which lie along Sh.o.r.e, and extend themselves 1 Mile off.

[Sidenote: Cannaigre Harbour.]

_Cannaigre Harbour_ which is very small, with 7 Fathom Water in it, is within a Point on the South-side of the Bay, 5 Miles above the Head: The Pa.s.sage into the Harbour is on the S.E. Side of the Island, lying before it. Nearly in the Middle of the Bay, abreast of this Harbour, are two Islands of a tolerable Height, on the South-side of the Westermost Island, which is the largest, are some Rocks above Water.

[Sidenote: Dawson's Cove.]

This Cove is on the N.W. Side of the Bay, bears North, Distance about 4 Miles from the Head, and East 2 Miles from the W. end of the _Great Island_. In it are good Fis.h.i.+ng Conveniences, and Anchorage for Vessels in 6 and 5 Fathom Water, but they will lay open to the Southerly Winds. Between the S.W. Point of this Cove and _Ba.s.starre Point_, which is 5 Miles Distance, lays the Range of Rocks beforementioned.

[Sidenote: Ba.s.starre Point.]

_Ba.s.starre Point_ which forms the West Point of _Cannaigre Bay_, is of a moderate Height, clear of Wood, and bold too, all the way from it to _Pa.s.s-Island_, which bears N.W. by W. 1 League from _Ba.s.starre Point_.

[Sidenote: Observations.]

The Land on the North-side of _Fortune Bay_ for the most Part is hilly, rising directly from the Sea, with craggy, barren Hills, which extends 4 or 5 Leag. Inland, with a great Number of Rivulets and Ponds. The Land on the South side of _Fortune Bay_, has a different Appearance to that on the North-side, being not so full of craggy Mountains, and better cloathed with Woods, which are of a short brushy kind, which makes the face of the Country look green.

[Sidenote: Pa.s.s Island.]

_Pa.s.s Island_ lies N. 16 30' East 7 Leagues and a half from _Cape Miquelon_, it is the N.W. extremity of _Fortune Bay_, and lies very near the Sh.o.r.e, is more than 2 Miles in circuit and is pretty high. On the S.W. Side are several Rocks above Water, which extend themselves 1 Mile from the Island, and on the N.W. Side is a sunken Rock at a quarter of a Mile from the Island; the Pa.s.sage between this Island and the Main, which is near two Cables Length wide, is very safe for small Vessels, wherein you may Anchor in 6 Fathom, a fine sandy Bottom. This Island is well situated for the Cod Fishery, there being very good Fis.h.i.+ng Ground about it.

[Sidenote: On the Soundings.]

In the Night time, or in foggy Weather, s.h.i.+ps ought to place no great Dependance on the Soundings in _Fortune Bay_, least they may be deceived thereby, for you have more Water in many Parts near the Sh.o.r.e, and in several of its contained Bays and Harbours, than in the middle of the Bay itself.

Description of _Hermitage Bay_.

From _Pa.s.s Island_ to _Great Jervis Harbour_, at the Entrance into the Bay of _Despair_, the Course is N. by E. a quarter E. near three Leagues; and from _Pa.s.s Island_ to the West End of _Long Island_, the Course is NNE. 8 Miles, between them is the Bay of _Hermitage_, which lies in ENE. 8 Leagues from _Pa.s.s Island_, with very deep Water in most Parts of it.

[Sidenote: Fox Islands.]

The two _Fox Islands_, which are but small, lie nearly in the middle of _Hermitage Bay_, 3 Leagues and a half from _Pa.s.s Island_; near to these Islands is good Fis.h.i.+ng Ground.

[Sidenote: Hermitage Cove.]

_Hermitage Cove_ is on the South-side of the Bay, opposite to _Fox's Islands_. To sail into it, you must keep between the Islands and the South Sh.o.r.e, where there is not the least Danger; in this Cove is good Anchorage for s.h.i.+pping in 8 and 10 Fathom Water, and good Fis.h.i.+ng Conveniences, with plenty of Wood and Water.

[Sidenote: Long Island.]

_Long Island_, which separates the Bay of _Despair_ from _Hermitage_, is of a triangular Form, about 8 Leagues in Circuit, of a tolerable Height, is hilly, uneven and barren. The East Entrance into the Bay of _Despair_ from _Hermitage Bay_, is by the West-end of _Long Island_; about half a Mile from the S.W. Point of the said Island, are two Rocks above Water, with deep Water all round them.

[Sidenote: Long Island Harbour.]

This Harbour lies on the South-side of _Long Island_, 2 Miles and a half from the West-end; before which is an Island, and several Rocks above Water, there is a narrow Pa.s.sage into the Harbour on each Side of the Island; this Harbour is formed by two Arms, one laying into the North, and the other to the Eastward; they are both very narrow, and have in them from 42 to 7 Fathom Water; the East Arm is the deepest, and the best Anchorage.

[Sidenote: Round Harbour.]

This Harbour, wherein is 6 Fathom Water, lies near 2 Miles to the E.

ward of _Long Island Harbour_, is also in _Long-Island_; it will only admit very small Vessels, by reason the Channel going in is very narrow.

[Sidenote: Picarre.]

_Harbour Picarre_ lies N. by W. half a League from _Little Fox Island_, (which is the Westermost of _Fox Islands_) to sail into it you must keep near the West-point to avoid some sunken Rocks off the other, and anchor in the first Cove on the East-side in 9 or 10 Fathom, sheltered from all Winds.

[Sidenote: Galtaus.]

This Harbour, which is but small, lies near the East-point of _Long-Island_; at the Entrance is several rocky Islands. The best Channel into the Harbour is on the West-side of these Islands, wherein is 4 Fathom Water, but in the harbour is from 15 to 24 Fathom. Here are several Places proper for erecting of Stages; and both this Harbour and _Picarre_ are conveniently situated for a Fishery, they laying contiguous to the Fis.h.i.+ng Ground about _Fox Islands_.

[Sidenote: Pa.s.sage of Long Island]

Between the East-end of _Long Island_ and the Main, is a very good Pa.s.sage out of _Hermitage Bay_, into the Bay of _Despair_.

Description of the Bay of _Despair_.

The Entrance of the Bay of _Despair_ lies between the West-end of _Long Island_ and _Great Jervis Island_, (an Island in the Mouth of the Harbour of the same Name) the Distance from one to the other is 1 Mile and a Quarter, and in the Middle between them is no Soundings with 280 Fathoms.

[Sidenote: Great Jervis Island.]