wards W. by S., which by Noon brought us into the Latitude of 9° 30′ S., and Long. 229° 34′ W., and by our run from New Guinea ought to be in sight of Wessels Isle, which, according to the Chart is laid down about 20 or 25 Leagues from the coast of New Holland; but we saw nothing, by which I conclude that it is wrong laid down; and this is not to be wonder'd at when we consider that not only these Islands, but the lands which bound this Sea have been discover'd and explored by different people and at different times, and compiled and put together by others, perhaps some Ages after the first discoveries were made. Navigation formerly wanted many of these helps towards keeping an Accurate Journal which the present Age is possessed of; it is not they that are wholy to blame for the faultiness of the Charts, but the Compilers and Publishers, who publish to the world the rude Sketches of the Navigator as Accurate surveys, without telling what authority they have for so doing; for were they to do this we should then be as good or better judge than they, and know where to depend upon the Charts, and where not. Neither can I clear Seamen of this fault; among the few I have known who are Capable of drawing a Chart or Sketch of a Sea Coast I have generally, nay, almost always, observed them run into this error. I have known them lay down the line of a Coast they have never seen, and put down Soundings where they never have sounded; and, after all, are so fond of their performances as to pass the whole off as Sterling under the Title of a Survey Plan, etc. These things must in time be attended with bad Consequences, and cannot fail of bringing the whole of their works in disrepute.[1] If he is so modest as to say, Such and such parts, or the whole of his plan is defective, the Publishers or Vendures will have it left out, because they say it hurts the sale of the work; so that between the one and the other we can hardly tell when we are possessed of a good Sea Chart until we ourselves have proved it.
Saturday, 8th.—Winds Easterly, with a high Sea from the same Quarter. Our Course and distance sail'd this 24 Hours is S. 86° 30′ W., 102 Miles; Latitude in 9° 36′ S., Long. 231° 17′ W.
Sunday, 9th.—Light Airs and Clear weather the most part of this 24 Hours. In the evening found the Variation by several Azimuths to be 0° 12′ W., and by the Amplitude 0° 5′ W. At Noon we were by observation in the Latitude of 9° 46′ S., Long. 232° 7′ W. Course and distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon S. 78° 45′ W., 52 Miles. For these 2 days past we have steer'd due W., and yet we have by observation made 16 Miles Southing—6 Miles Yesterday and 10 to-day; from which it should seem that there
- ↑ Cook had good reason for writing thus, and being himself scrupulously honest and careful, he felt this scamped work to be a disgrace to seamen.
