Southampton Water, or Trissanton Bay, is a large inlet of the sea, commencing at Caldshot Castle, and stretching to the north-west upwards of 10 miles: it is navigable to the head for vessels of considerable bur den. Its shores are extremely beautiful and picturesque, being lined on one side by the New Forest, and on the other by the ruins of Netley Abbey.
The English Channel, after the junction of South ampton Water, turns round the northern point of the Isle of Wight, gradually making its compass, till the coast of Hampshire fronts the south-west, opposite to that part of the Isle of Wight where the river Medina enters the sea. Between the island and the shore of Hampshire, is the noted road of Spithead: it lies di rectly opposite to the narrow neck of land on which the town of Gosport stands.
As we proceed to the east from Portsmouth-harbour, the coast is indented with another large basin, inter spersed with various islands. From this basin, several branches run up into the country, one of them forming the harbour of Chichester. This basin is filled in part by the small river Lavent, which flows by that city in a southward direction. The coast here is extremely level, and continues so towards the south, till it is terminated by the bill or peninsula of Selsey. A little further on, a few low rocks appear in the sea, near Bognor, but the coast becomes again low and marshy near Little hampton. As we proceed to the east, the South Downs form a nearer back-ground, and at length advancing close to the coast, break into stupendous cliffs, till they are terminated by the bold point of Beachy Head. This promontory lies between Hastings and Shoreham, pro jecting perpendicularly over the beach, from which it has its name. It is the highest on all the south coast of England. It is noted for shipwrecks in stormy weather, and has several caverns made in it by the sea.
Beyond Beachy Head, the coast turns to the north east, and becomes a sandy and marshy level near Peven sey: it continues of this description till it reaches the Rock of Hastings. The port of this name fills a hol low space between two cliffs. At the eastern extremity of this county there is a very capacious bay, or rather estuary, on which were anciently two good ports, Rye and \Vinchelsea. The former is now so completely choked with sand, that it can admit only very small ves sels; and the latter is entirely deserted by the sea. After passing Rye, the coast of Sussex stretches out into a point, which is called Dunge Ness. This is the extremity of Romney Marsh, in an eastern direction.
The coast of Kent, adjoining to Sussex, is flat, abounding in sand and pebbles, and continues so till we pass Sandgate. Here the hills close in ; a steep and clownish tract succeeds, descending from the interior of the county in a fine ridge, and terminating in abrupt chalk cliffs. In one of the hollows of this range, Folk stone stands between Dover Castle and that cliff so strikingly described by Shakspeare. A narrow semi circular range of cliffs is formed, that recedes a little from the coast. Beneath this range the town of Dover occupies all the space open to the sea.
The coast of Kent continues formed of high chalk cliffs, occasionally sinking into hollows, till we come to the headland called the South Foreland : from this point the shore fronts the cast, receding so as to sur round a large sandy area, which appears to have been left by the sea. This flat tract is terminated in front by the high grounds of the Isle of Thanet.
Between the South and the North Foreland, arc the Downs, a greatly frequented road for shipping : they ex tend about six miles. Off the Downs lie the Goodwin Sands, distant from Deal five miles, extending north north-cast and south-south-west about 12 miles. They are supposed formerly to have made part of the Kent ish land, (though this is denied by some), and to have been overflowed about the end of the reign of William Rufus, or the beginning of that of Henry I. These sands are very dangerous for vessels riding in the Downs, which, in high winds, are frequently driven upon them. They arc divided into two parts by a very narrow chan nel : in many parts they are dry at low water, and in some places even before that time. The northern divi sion is of a triangular form, lying north and south to wards the sea, and running away south-east to meet the cast side, while it tends on the south-west towards the shore. This part of the sands is about 3i miles long, and 21 miles broad: the north end, called the North Land Head, is about six miles from the coast ; the west end, which is called Blunt Head, is very dangerous. The largest place that dries on this sand, is called by the seamen Jamaica Island. The south part of the Goodwin Sands is 31 miles in length, and, at the north end, not above a mile in breadth, from whence it gra dually diminishes towards the south-west, till it ends in a narrow point called South Land Head, which is three miles from the coast. These sands are altered more or less every year, by storms and strong tides.