1802.
January.
the ship, with the head east-south-east, gave 7° 25′, which, reduced to what it should be with the head in the meridian, is 4° 26′ west. The mean, and what I consider to be nearest the true variation in this neighbourhood, will be . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
3° 6′ west |
This is what I allowed upon the bearings taken with the theodolite upon the top of the hill behind the bay, and it appeared to be the same upon two small islands, one to the east and the other west, where Mr. Thistle took angles; but at Mondrain Island there seemed to be considerable differences.
Before entering the archipelago, the variation was observed to be 9° 21′ west, with the ship's head east-south-east; but at three leagues to the east of Termination Island, in the following year, and with the head at east-north-east, it was no more than 3° 50′ west. From the first, I should deduce the true variation on the west side of the archipelago to be 6° 28′, and off Termination Island, from the second, to be 0° 57′ west; both of which coincide with the other observations in showing the islands of the archipelago to possess a considerable degree of magnetic attraction.
The rise of tide in Lucky Bay was so trifling, that under the circumstances of our stay no attention was paid to it.
Thursday 14.In the morning of the 14th, the wind being then light from the northward, we got under way and steered for Mondrain Island. In our route eastward from thence, several low rocks and patches of breakers were left on each side, besides small islands whose bearings had been taken from the hill behind Lucky Bay; the depth of water, however, was between 20 and 30 fathoms. The wind was then moderate from the south-westward, but the weather so hazy that there was much difficulty, and some uncertainty, in recognizing the different islands.
At half past ten we steered more towards the main land, that no opening in it might escape unseen; and at noon, hove to