A Five Years' Residence in Buenos Ayres, During the years 1820 to 1825 Containing Remarks on the Country and Inhabitants; and a Visit to Colonia Del Sacramento

Part 16

Chapter 162,123 wordsPublic domain

5. Here, you will change your course to the W. of the compass, taking care to pass to the distance of the two last buoys, which are to the N.W. of Chico Bank; for if the river should ebb with rapidity, and there should be a strong current on the larboard-tack, you would run the risk to pass too near. Continue to steer to the W. by which means you will make out Ensenada, and the Point Lara, which last you will recognise by a tufted tree, called the _ombu_, which is to the S.E. of this point; and on the brink of the river, before you are out of sight of Point Lara, you will perceive a small wood of _ombus_, situated on the hill of the village of Quilmes; afterwards you will see the towers of Buenos Ayres, and the vessels anchored in the roads, towards which you will direct yourself.

_From Punta del Indio, or Cape Indian, passing to the Southward of the Chico Bank._

_Observation, to know La Punta del Indio, or Cape Indian._--Making sail to the N.W. at a distance of about 7 or 8 miles from La Punta de Piedras, or Point Piedras, you observe, to the N.W. of this Point, two woods of _talas_ (American trees), visible at a distance of about 7 miles from the said Cape.

To the N.W. of this wood of _talas_, there is a plain, which extends about 4 miles. You will perceive then a small wood, or copse, remarkable by a tree of _tala_, which forms the Point of Cape Indian.

When you have made the Cape Indian to the S.S.W. distance about 7 to 8 miles, steer to the W.N.W. of the compass; you will discover three _ombus_ (tufted trees) upon the hills, upon the land of the Magdalene, distant about one league from the river. Continuing your course, you will observe six _ombus_, situated in the Village of Magdalene, and which appear to be on the same line; at the fifth _ombu_ you will perceive the Church, with its two little towers; that of the E. is larger than that of the W. Observe, that the first buoy, placed to the S.E. of the Bank Chico, is to the N. 15° E. of the compass from this church.

In making the first _ombu_ S.S.W. of the compass, at a distance from land of about 6 miles, you will see, with a spy-glass, to the N.W. in running over the horizon, and of the elevation of an ordinary-size vessel. When the weather is clear, and a smooth sea, you will see just 5 miles distance, the buoy which is placed upon the Bank Chico, and upon a bottom of 3 fathoms. To the W.N.W. of this buoy, distance of 3 miles, there is only 1½ fathom. In passing one mile to the S. of this same buoy, you will discover another to the W. ¾ N.W. distant 4 miles. When you have passed the second buoy, you can sail without any fear to the W.N.W. at a distance from land of about 7 or 8 miles; because the Bank Chico pointed out by the second buoy remains to the N.N.W. of the compass.

Passing the two buoys situated to the S.E. of the Bank Chico, and continuing to sail W.N.W. you will distinguish several _ombus_ situated upon some hills. When you close in the two small woods of _talas_, upon the side of the river, then you close in to the Point of the Atalaya, and arrive to the small wood, or copse of _talas_, you will have passed the Bank Chico.

Leaving the copse of _talas_, the coast is very low, and presents small regions of sand, to a distance of about 6 miles; that which follows, and which is more raised, is the Forest of Santiago of the Ensenada: to the end of this Forest, there is three leagues of length; it is the Point, or Cape de Santiago of Ensenada of Barragan: arrived there, follow the same directions that have been given in the first course from Monte Video to Buenos Ayres.

_Observations._

In the passage from Monte Video to the Southern Coast, the bottom is bad, as well as in the environs of Cape Indian.

From Cape Indian, as far as the first _ombu_, situated upon the land of the Magdalene, you must not anchor nearer than 6 or 7 miles from the shore, because there is a ridge of rocks, which extends itself to more than 5 miles, and on which anchors will not hold.

_Variation of Depth of Water from Monte Video to Buenos Ayres, between the Banks Ortiz and Chico._

Leaving Monte Video, having the Cape to the S.W. you will find 2½ or 3 fathoms of water; at 9 miles, you will find 5 fathoms; at 18 miles from thence, you will not find more than 3½ fathoms; at 30 miles farther, you will have a quarter of a fathom less; proceed 33 miles farther, and the sounding lead will give you once more 3½ fathoms; in short you will find the same depth of 3½ fathoms, until you find yourself within six miles of the Southern Coast.

From Cape Indian, with the 3½ fathoms, steering to N.W. towards the Bank Ortiz, the sounding lead will give you from 4½ to 5 fathoms, according as the river flows or ebbs; when you do not find more than 3 fathoms, then you will be on the brink of the Bank Ortiz.

From the 3 fathoms from the brink of the Bank Ortiz, steer to the W. towards Buenos Ayres; your soundings will increase progressively from 5½ to 6 fathoms, according as the river is either low or high.

At the commencement of the 6 fathoms, you will make the Point of Santiago of Ensenada to the S.W. of the compass.

This same depth of water continues, until you find yourself N. & S. with the Point or Cape Lara. Keep always steering to the W. of the compass, as before mentioned, and the soundings will diminish to 3 fathoms. If, during this passage, the river ebbed, you would have 3 fathoms from the Village des Quilmes.

By the course, and the differences of soundings above-mentioned, you will be able to navigate by night, or when the weather will not permit you to make out the marks.

Between the two Buoys which are placed to the N.W. of the Bank Chico and Ortiz, you will find 5½ and 6 fathoms, according as the river is high or low.

Between the Banks Chico and Ortiz, the anchorage is good, and the anchors hold tolerably well.

In the environs of the Bank Ortiz, vessels are less subject to part from their anchors, because the bottom is mud and sand.

From the Cape Indian to Buenos Ayres, the currents flow from the E.S.E. to the W.N.W.; their rapidity is much about from 1½ to 2 miles an hour.

In tacking, when the wind is contrary, a great deal of way can be made by means of the currents.

From the S.E. extremity of the Bank Ortiz, to the S.E. extremity of the Bank Chico, as you gradually proceed up the river, you will find yourself nearer the Bank Ortiz than the land; you will keep taking from 3 fathoms along the chain of rocks which run along the coast, until 3 short fathoms on the side of the Bank Ortiz. Observe, that during this tack, when you find yourself in 4 or 4½ fathoms, you are then nearer the bank than the land.

Having doubled the Bank Ortiz, you can safely proceed until you have 3 fathoms of water; for the depth diminishes gradually.

In tacking about between the Bank Chico and Ortiz, you can, as before said, run your tacks upon all the points of the Bank Ortiz as long as you are in 3 fathoms water. But in the tacks which you run upon the Bank Chico, you must put about ship as soon as the sounding line does not give you more than 4 fathoms, because this bank is full of pointed rocks, particularly at the place where the second buoy is placed, upon the point from the N.W. to the S.E.; it is also equally rocky from the first buoy to the S.E. as far as three miles to the W.N.W. because on the two points you find no more than 1½ fathom water.

* * * * *

POSITIONS of the TEN BUOYS placed on different Banks in the River Plate.

_Upon the Bank Chico there are Four Red Buoys._

1st. Is placed at the S.E. extremity of the Bank Chico, on a bottom of 3 fathoms. From this Point, you make the Magdalene Church at the S. 15° W. of the compass.

2d. Is placed at the S. extremity of the Bank, on a bottom of 3 fathoms. It is situated at the W. ¼ N.W. of the first, distant 4 miles: you make the Church, at 15° E.

3d. Is situated to the N. ¼ N.W. of the second, distant 4 miles, upon a bottom of 1½ fathom; it is in the middle of the Bank. You make the Point of Atalaya to the S.W. of the compass.

4th. Is placed at the N.W. extremity of the Bank, on a bottom of 3 fathoms, to the W.N.W. of the third, distant 4 miles. You make the Point of Atalaya to the S. 24° W. of the compass, distant 10½ miles.

_Upon the Bank Ortiz are placed Four Black Buoys._

1st. Is at the S.E. extremity of the Bank Ortiz, on a bottom of 3 fathoms. From the buoy, you make Cape Indian to the S.W. ¼ S. of the compass: you will, at the same time, see, from the deck of a vessel of an ordinary size, and on a clear day, the buoy, and the coast of Cape Indian.

2d. Is at the S. extremity of the Bank Ortiz, on a bottom of 3 fathoms, and to the N.N.E. of the buoy of the S.E. of the Bank Chico.

3d. Is placed upon the side of the Bank Ortiz, on a bottom of 3 fathoms, to the N.N.E. of the middle of the Bank Chico.

4th. Finds itself upon the Bank Ortiz, by 3 fathoms, and to the N. of the one of the N.W. of the Bank Chico.

_To the Ensenada de Barragan, on the Banks of Santiago and Lara, are placed Two Black Buoys._

1st. Black Buoy is upon the Bank of Santiago, in 3 fathoms: the bearing of this buoy has the Point of the Santiago to the S. 28° E. and Point Lara to the S. 53° W. of the compass.

2nd. Black Buoy is placed upon the Bank Lara, on a bottom of two fathoms, on the bearing of Point Lara to the S.E. ¼ S. and the Point of Santiago to the S. 63° E.

These two buoys are placed to warn Navigators to pass to the Northward.

_Observations._

The Bank Chico is not parallel with the S. coast, because, from the first buoy of S.E. you take the bearing of the third buoy to the N. 42° W. of the compass. This bank is nine miles in length.

This Bank forms to the N. a pretty considerable bay; it extends itself from the buoy of the S.E. to a distance of 4 miles to the N.W. In the middle of this bay, you have 3½ fathoms; but in steering to the S.S.W. of the compass, at a distance of 150 fathoms, you will only find 1½ fathom.

In the S. part, this bank forms another bay; it extends itself from the buoy of the N.W. as far as that of the Point of the S. in the direction of the S.E. ¼ S. distance about 6 miles; and in all this bay, in following the edge of the bank, there is 3½ fathom water.

THE END.

Printed by R. Macdonald, 30, Great Sutton Street, Clerkenwell, London.

* * * * *

Transcriber's Note: Some page numbers listed in the Table of Contents have been changed to more accurately denote the appropriate page. No attempt has been made to standardize spelling inconsistencies within this text. However, a few printing errors have been amended and noted within the following table.