That distant day, when darkness of the mind
Its influence shed o'er projects of mankiud,
Who conjar'd obstacles of every kind
Against its navigation:-

Want of wind,

Waters of slime, immoveable, and dark,
That would be fatal to the daring barque
Which should its shallows brave,-monsters marine
Were not omitted to complete the scene,-
With tangl'd weed,-monsters of hideous form,-
Portentous lights,-the overwhelming storm,—
And last, not least, even that heavenly host
Of brilliant stars, it said, would all be lost,
Would screen their rays as true celestial guides,
From him who dar'd t' invade its murky tides!
The torrid zone !-its heat was said to be
Enough to draw from vessels in that sea
The pitch their sides requir'd to keep them free.
Records of ancient lore, these yet remain
Fit emblems of the mind of man insane!

The Portuguese far South by sea had
Columbus saw enough to spur him on.

His high resolve! Could he not find by West,
A way to China, that might be the best?
America he found :-mistaken man!

Who thought he'd found the empire of the Khan!
His voyage once a minor minstrel sang,
In cadence sweet his flowing numbers ran,
Which in playful song he thus began :—

No transient ripple plays along the deep,
Whose every wave is now entranc'd in sleep;
The last pale glimmering of the morning light
Shines now but faintly thro' the shade of night,
Tinges with streaks of gold the liquid plain,
And paints the surface of the placid main:
A barque is seen, but not where mortal eye
Hath trac'd before the brightness of yon sky;
Far, far from every shore, no track to guide,
No path to lead her o'er the boundless tide,
Alone she lies, no rising tempest's blast
Swells her white sails, or bends her pliant mast:
Her gorgeous standard droops its sinking head,
Its folds no longer in the breezes spread;
While o'er the barque a deathlike silence reigns,
Th' adventurous chieftain on her deck remains.

To be continued.

Nautical Notices.

[Communications for the Editor of the Nautical Magazine to be addressed to him at 31, Poultry.]

F. Fixed. Fil. Fixed and Flashing. R. Revolving. I. Intermitting. Est. Established.

(a.) 57.-The light is distant 818 yards in a N.E. E. direction, from the fired white light on Sievers point; and the two lights in line, on the above bearing, lead clear of the shoals on both banks of the river, from Sievers point to abreast of the village of Little Dereklea, a distance of nearly 8 miles.

(b.) 58.-The Ministry of Marine at Copenhagen have given Notice, that the lightships marking Trindelen rocks, Kobber grund, and Anholt Knob reef, which have hitherto been withdrawn during the period, between the 31st day of December and the 31st day of March, will hereafter (as is the case with the Læso channel and Drogden light-vessels) be kept at their stations the whole year through, or so long as the Ice allows; and that when compelled by Ice to leave their stations, the lightships will again resume their positions, as soon as circumstances permit.

(c.) 59. With reference to Notice to Mariners, No. 31 (see p. 385 of our July number), relative to the proposed light-vessel, near the western end of the One Fathom bank in the Bristol channel; on and after the 1st day of November, 1866, there will be exhibited from the light-vessel a quick revolving white light, at an elevation of 38 feet above the sea; and for the purpose of distinction, a fixed red light will also be shown from a pedestal abaft, at an elevation of 14 feet.

(d.) 61.-The light is a fixed white light varied by flashes. It shows a fired light for the space of forty-five seconds, followed by a brilliant glare of three seconds duration, preceded and followed by a partial eclipse of six seconds duration.

(e.) 62.-The Ministry of Marine at Copenhagen has given Notice, that both the beacons on the North eud of Fanö island have been taken down, and

that a new wooden beacon, 50 feet high, has been erected on the northernmost sand hill of Fanö island.

The beacon in one with Jerne church leads to the buoy on Peacock's plan marked Graadyb placed outside the channel, and in the deepest water over the bar to Graa Deep, and on to a large black conical buoy with a staff and ball, on the west tongue of Sören Jessens sand.

The white buoys and marks point out the North side, and the black buoys and marks the South side of the channel, from the Peacock buoy to Fanö roadstead.

CHINA SEA.

The following information has been received from Mr. John W. Reed, Master Commanding H. M. surveying vessel Rifleman, as resulting from a survey made by Mr. Tizard, Master, R.N., in June 1866

Lamock Islands.-The two small islands adjoining East Lamock islands iu a N.E. direction are incorrectly laid down in the charts. From the S.E. point of East Lamock island, North Rock bears N. 38° E., and from the same point the island between North Rock and East Lamock island bears N. 29° E.; the distance of both from East Lamock island is correctly given on the chart.

Times Rock.-The position of this rock, which lies to the north-eastward of the Lamock islands (originally reported by Mr. Anderson of the schooner Times; see China pilot, 4th ed., page 104), and on which several vessels have recently struck, has now been accurately determined. It is a dangerous coral pinnacle with only 9 feet at low water. From it the North rock-of the Lamock islands-bears S.W. S., distant a little more than a mile, and Dome island W.b. N. § N,, distant 12 miles.

When on the rock, the eastern bluff of East Lamock island is just in sight to the westward of the western apex of North rock, the extremes of the island subtending an angle of 13° ] l'.

The High Lamock island, open to the N. W. of East Lamock island, clears the rock on its N.W. side; and when open to the S.E., clears the rock on its S.E. side. To pass outside, or the N.E. of this danger, the angle subtended by the Lamock islands should not exceed 10°, when the High Lamock is shut in.

The Times, and other vessels, placed this rock much further from the Lamock islands, but on nearly the same bearing as given above; the distance was in 1866, carefully measured from the gun-boat Drake, whilst at anchor on the rock. The position assigned to the Times rock on the Admiralty chart, on the authority of Mr. Anderson, was sounded over, but no danger was discovered, and the fishermen-who were offered a reward to point out any other rocks-state that none other exists in the vicinity.

Mackinnon Rock, in the channel between Namoa and the Lamock islands, and on which the Ellen Rodger struck in 1862, is a dangerous coral pinnacle, having only 5 feet on it at low water. From the rock the N.W. point of Plat island bears W.S.W., distant three quarters of

a mile; the East extremity of Oeste rock S.b.E. E., 14 miles ; the summit of Ruff rock S.E. E., 2 miles; and the summit of Dome island, N.E. by E. E.

Mr. Boxer, Master Commanding H.M.S. Hesper, reported another rock in this channel, a little to the eastward of the Mackinnon rock. This danger was searched for in the Drake; but without success, and the fishermen most positively asserted that no other rock than the Mackinnon exists in the channel.

Directions. To avoid this danger, vessels entering the channel from the westward, should not bring Plat island to the westward of S.W.b.S., whilst Dome island is to the northward of an E.b.N. bearing; when Oeste rock bears S.b.W., they will be to the eastward of Mackinnon rock, and can haul to the northward.

Entering the channel from the eastward, after passing Dome island, steer to the northward until it bears E.b.N., and keep it on that bearing until Plat island bears S.W.b.S.

All bearings are magnetic-variation 0° 0'.

PORT OF ADELAIDE, South Australia,-Regulations.

Marine Board Offices, Port Adelaide,

August 29th, 1866.

Sir, I am directed by the President and Wardens to forward you the accompanying copy of Regulations for Vessels hoisting Signals when arriving off this Port; and to request you will give every publicity thereto.

I have the honour, &c.

GEO. J. DIMSLEY, Secretary.

To the Editor of the Nautical Magazine.

1st. All ships arriving from over-sea ports within a radius of five (5) miles of the Semaphore Station, on LeFevre's Peninsula, between daylight and dark, shall hoist the following signals :—

1. The National Ensign at the Peak or Ensign Staff.

2. The ship's number as per Commercial or Marryat's Code. 3. The port from whence she arrives.

2nd. All ships from over-sea ports having arrived off the Semaphore Station, or near the entrance of the Port Adelaide Creek, during the night, shall hoist at day-break the signal published in the first clause of these regulations.

3rd. All ships arriving coastwise within a radius of five (5) miles of the Semaphore Station, on LeFevre's Peninsula, between daylight and dark, shall hoist at the main, and keep flying for one hour, the signal indicating her port of clearance or departure, as per code under the fifth clause of these regulations.

4th. All ships having arrived coast wise off the Semaphore Station, or near the entrance of the Port Adelaide Creek, during the night, shall hoist at daylight, and keep flying for an hour, the signal prescribed in the third clause of these regulations.

5th. The following code of signals, indicating the names of ports or places in this province, refer to the third and fourth clauses of these regulations, and are to be hoisted by vessels arriving coastwise, as therein provided:

From Nos. 10 to 18 the flags are to be hoisted together one over the other, No. I being always uppermost.

The flags not to be less than one square yard, and pendants three feet by four and a half feet.

Commanders and Masters of ships failing to comply with these regulations are liable to a penalty of not less than five (5) pounds, or more than thirty (30) pounds, under the 19th section of the Customs Act of 1864.

Given under my hand at the Custom House, Port Adelaide, this 9th day of July, 1866.

B. DOUGLAS, Collector of H.M. Customs.