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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1899.
which at a Distance you will take for a large White Patch, on or near the Island; by this time you will see the Entrance of the Harbour, which is about 5 miles to the Northward of Craggy Island. The Land between the two is remarkable having two Hummocks and a Flat between ; the Northernmost Hammock stands on the South point of the Harbour. On the North side of the Entrance you will see a Hill which makes a Peninsula, and both from this and the South point runs out a reef of Rocks, but no Danger as they are always above Water, or the Sea breaks over them, but Deep Water Close to them. You will see in the Middle of the Harbour a little Isle with a Spit running from it S. W., but run round the North ward of the Isle, and Anchor where you please; This small Island would be a fine place to plant Guns upon to defend the Harbour : There is a Channel on each side, but the North side is the Broadest and of course the best for Working; This Harbour forms a long square; at the East end is a long Isle lying N. and S. which I call Long Island, between the N. end of it and the N. W. point of the Harbour is the Entrance of what is called the Interior Harbour, going in you will see three Islands, the first the largest, the 2d the next (which is the Island above mentioned as a mark to come in or go out by the 3d the smallest, from the N. W. point of Long Island to the middle of this 3d Isle runs a flat shoal of Mud which you must take care of, for you may have 8 fathoms, and the next cast only two or 3 fathoms, all the N. and W. of those Islands is nothing but a flat of soft mud; on any of the Three Islands I have mentioned you may erect convenient Wharfs, as you have] 3 and 4 fathoms close to the Rocks, here you might have Storehouses and Hospitals. To the Eastward of the First Island you will see a ronnd low flat Island, which I call round Island, between this and the above other Isles makes the Harbour which you may lye in what Water you please from 17 to 3 fathoms, From round Island runs to the Southward a Spit of Mud and Sand about 2 Cables length with only 3 fathoms on it and 5 close to between this Island and the N. W. point of the Harbour, there are several Streams of Fresh Water and one large spring which may be cleared out with very little trouble where you may have plenty of Good Water. The largest Ship in the Navy may Anchor within a Cables length of this place to Complete their Water. This Harbour is capable of containing a great number of Ships, and I think it may be made one of the best in the known World, it is commodious and roomy, very easily defended as there is no such thing as to attack it on the Land side or back part being surrounded with a large Shoal lake, or piece of Water, and it is surrounded again with a very thick Jungle or Mangrove Trees which grows in the Water and . of Course it must be a Swamp, so you have nothing to Guard but the Harbours Mouth.
No. IV. Abstract of Kyd's Report relative to the Settlements at Prince of Wales'
Island and the Andamans; also his Report on the comparative length of the passages between Madras and Bengal and
the Andamans and Prince of Wales' Island, 1795. I.- Major Kyd's first part of a Report relative to the Settlements at Prince
of Wales' Island and the Andamans, dated the 4th March, 1795. P. 2.- One of the principal objects of his visit to Prince of Wales' Island was to enable him to clear up strong doubts that had arisen in his mind respecting the comparative advantages of the Infant Settlement at the Andamans as a Port of refitment and refreshment for the Navies of Great Britain, with those of Prince of Wales Island, [i. e. Penang] which he surveyed and reported upon to Government soon after it was settled in 1787.
P. 3. - Takes a short view of what has hitherto been done by Government for the establishment of a Port of refitment of our Fleets to the Eastward of Cape Comorin, in order to prevent in future that great loss of the most valuable period of the Year for Naval operations, which has heretofore been sustained by the Fleets being obliged to make a long Voyage to Bombay to repair.
