55 a V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
m u that produced any vegetables, which had not vifibly felt its effe&s.
. oft°b.!r' . where the Country was well wooded, the loftieft timbers had the
topmdft of their branches burned; yet none feemed totally deftroyed
by it; and where the luxuriance of the foil had obliterated its baneful
appearance amongft the growing Ihrubs and plants, the ground,
on examination, was found ftrewed over with the remains of
branches and Humps that had been partially confirmed by fire. Had
this conflagration been occafioned, as fome of us fuppofed, by repeated
Harms of violent lightning and thunder, it is reafonable.to imagine we
fliOuld have feen the forefi trees much torn and lhattered to pieces;
which in no inftance was' obferved.
As nothing further occurred, worthy any particular notice, I Hiall conclude
my remarks on this country by Hating the aflronomical and nautical
obfervations that were made for afcertaining its fituation, and for
Other purpoles o f navigation.
The latitude of the fituation of the (hips in King
George the Third’s Sound, deduced from 9 meridional
altitudes of the fun, taken by four different
obfervers and quadrants, all nearly agreeing together,
gave their mean refult - - - 35° 5* 3° f°uth
The longitude deduced from the mean refult of
25 fets of lunar diffances of the fun and flats, taken
before our arrival; 8 fets taken whilfl at anchor
in the found ; and 52 fets taken after our departure,
and reduced to our nation there; making in the
whole 85 fets, each fet containing 6 obferved dif- .
tances, and equalto 5 1 0 obfervations, gave - 118° 14' 13" eafl
Kendall’s'chronometer, allowing the Portfmouth
rate, on our'arrival {hewed - - - • ~ 117 w? 0
Allowing the Cape rate - - - - 1180 23' o
Arnold’s chronometer, on board the Chatham, allowing
the Cape rate - - . “ ' 117 '3® 3°
By the daily obfervations made at anchor, Kendall’s chronometer appealed
to have altered its rate as fettled at the cape of Good Hope,
and
and feemed to be going nearer to its original Portfmouth rate. The refult
of a fortnight’s obfervations proved it to be gaining at the rate of
6" per d a y ; and admitting the longitude to be right as afcertained by
our obfervations, it was, at nopn on the gth o f October, fafl of mean
time at Greenwich 26' 14": and as it was manifefl on our arrival and
during our refidence at the Cape, that Kendall’s chronometer was gaining
materially on its Portfmouth rate, I have, in reducing the obfervations
taken prior to our arrival in King George the Thirds Sound,
adopted a mean rate, which I trufl will render the refult o f the feveral
obfervations liable to little error.
The variation o f the magnetic needle on board whilfl at anchor, by
two compaffes, differed from 30 55’ to 7011 “. The mean refult of 12
fets lhewed 5° 20' weftwardly variation.
The vertical inclination of the South point o f the magnetic
needle, marked end North, face Eafl . . . 65'
“49
Marked end North face Weft .- - - 63'
Marked end South face Eafl - . - - - 65'
28'
Marked end South face Weft - - - - 65° 20'
Mean vertical inclination of the South point of the marine dip-
ping needle - . > >7 - n 64° 54
Our obfervations with regard to the tides were rather indepifive, as
their flu&uation in the found feemed to be greatly influenced by the force
and direftion of the wind; our laft yifit however to Qyfter Harbour
afforded an opportunity of noticing, that the rife and fall appeared on
that day to be about four feet, and that it was high Water 42' after
the moon paffes the meridian. Whilfl on the coaft the yeffels were
conftantly found to be further advanced, than what the run of the log
intimated ; but whether this was oceaftoned by errors in this practice, or,
by a current continually preffmg eaftward along the coaft, w,e had no
pofitive means of difeovering; though, from our conclufions at the time,
the latter Ihould feem to be the cafe, as the log was not only ufed with
much eircumfpeftion, but the line was frequently remeafured, and always
found according to its due proportions.
179 1.
O&ober.
V O L . I . I CH A P TER