2l6 L I E U T E N A N T C O O K ’s V O Y A G E
• 77°- broad, except at the north eaft entrance, where it is fomev_
what lefs than two miles, being contracted by the iflands
7 hurfday tilere_ That which I called Poffeflion Illand is of
a moderate height and circuit, and this we left between us
and the main, palling between it and two fmall round
iflands, which lie about two miles to the N.W. of it. The
two fmall iflands, which I called Wallis’s Iflands, lie in the
middle of the fouth weft entrance, and thefe we left to the
fouthward. Our depth of water in the ftreight was from
four to nine fathom, with every where good anchorage, except
upon the bank, which lies two leagues to the northward
of Wallis’s Iflands, where, at low water, there are but
three fathom: for a more particular knowlege of this
llreight, and of the fituations of the feveral iflands and
Ihoals on the eaftern coaft of New Wales, I refer to the
chart, where they are delineated with all the accuracy, that
circumftances would admit; yet, with refpeCt to the Ihoals,
I cannot pretend that one half of them are laid down, nor
can it be fuppofed poflible that one half of them Ihould be
difcovered in the courfe of a Angle navigation: many iflands
alfo muft have efcaped my pencil, efpecially between latitude
2o° and 220, where we faw iflands out at fea as far as
an ifland could be diftinguifhed; it muft not therefore be
fuppofed, by future navigators, that where no fhoal or ifland
is laid down in my chart, no fhoal or ifland will be found in
thefe feas: it is enough that the fltuation of thofe that appear
in the chart is faithfully afcertained, and, in general, I have
the greateft reafon to hope that it will be found as Tree from
error as any that has not been corrected by fubfequent and
fucceffive obfervations. The latitudes and longitudes of all,
or mod of the principal head lands and bays, may be confided
irij.for we feldom failed of getting an obfervation once
atldaft every day, by which to correct the latitude of our
reckoning,
R O U N D T H E WO R LD.
111111, • •: . a ir
reckoning, and obfervations for fettling the longitude were
equally numerous, no opportunity that was offered by the
fun and moon being fuffered to efcape. It would be injurious
to the memory of Mr. Green, not to take this opportunity
o f attefting that he was indefatigable both in making
obfervations and calculating upon them; and that, by his
inftruCtions and affiftance, many of the petty officers were
^enabled both to obferve and calculate with great exaCtnefs.
This method of finding the longitude at fea, may be put
into univerfal practice, and may always be depended upon
within half a degree, which is fufficient for all nautical pur-
pofes. If, therefore, obferving and calculating were con-
fidered as necefiary qualifications for every fea officer, the
labours of the fpeculative theorift to folve this problem
Plight be remitted, without much injury to mankind:
neither will it be fo difficult to acquire this qualification, or
put it in practice, as may at firft appear; for, with the affiftance
of the nautical almanack, and aftronomical ephemeris,
the calculations for finding the longitude will take up little
more time than the calculation o f an azimuth for finding the
variation of the compafs.
tfya.
Aug lift.
Thurfday z3-J
VOL. III. E e CHA P .