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chai ia a 18 THOMPSON'S COAST PILOT. ase the starboard hand. Give them a berth of 40 feet. The greatest depth of water carried out in 1864 was 11 feet on the level. In the middle of the channel the bottom is hard, until after passing Grassy Point, when it is hard, covered with mud. Outside of Grassy Point, it is sandy out of the channel; within Grassy Point, there is mud bottom out of the channel. The depth of water is affected to the extent of from 6 to 18 inches by the wind and vary- ing atmospheric pressure ;-the changes being of almost daily oc- currence. | The courses are magnetic; and due allowance should always be made for set of current in the bay, and also among the islands, according to which way the wind is or has been blowing. ' Fishing Island Shoal lies ESE from the east side of Rock Is- land about 2 miles, and is just above water. A few years ago there was a fishing shanty on this island, but the rise of water drove it off. 'The water is deep all round it, and there is good anchorage under the SE side of Rock Island, in 5 to 9 fathoms water. There is also another reef which lies SSE, 3 miles from the SE end of Rock Island, 4 mile long, with 4 feet water on it. FROM WASHINGTON HARBOR TO LONG TAIL POINT LIGHTHOUSE, BY THE STRAWBERRY ISLAND CHANNEL. Run out of the harbor close round Buoyer's Bluff, which is very bold, and at a distance of 1 mile; steer SWbyS 29 miles to abreast of the point beyond Horse Shoe Island, leaving Plum Island to port in the distance, and the Door Bluff (which is high and deep close to) on the peninsula to port; and as you approach the next high bluff, called the Sister Bluff, you will make two small islands called the Sisters, which you also leave to port, at a distance of 14 to 2 miles, and take notice that there is a reef which bears from these islands SWbySiS 24 miles, with 64 feet water on it. You can run all round it in from 40 to 50 feet water. After passing these islands, keep Horse Shoe Island just open with the next bluff point above it, Fish Creek Bluff, leaving a patch of rocks called the Pan- cake Shoal to starboard, which shoal bears from Horse Shoe Island NW about 2 miles. After passing Horse Shoe Island, keep the east shore well aboard, until past the Strawberry Islands and abreast