35 2
*794- about 8 leagues, appeared to be broken, and about ten miles withinthem
December. tw0 fmall jflets. Thefe rocks, according to our obfervations, are
fituated in latitude 20° 45', longitude 054“ 27', lying from the land mentioned
at noon as appearing like a fmall ifland s. 76 w., 6 leagues distant,
and from the fouthernmoft of the Marias s. 36 f V at the diftance of
12 or 13 leagues.
In the evening the breeze that had been very moderate all day, frefti-
ened, and towards midnight we paffed cape Corientes, at the diftance of
. about 5 leagues; this time was rather unfavorable for the fixing of its
Friday 19. pofition ; but as it was ftill in fight at day-light the next morning, bearing
by compafs N . 8 e . , and having been conftantly within our view during
the night, I Ihould fuppofe that it’s fituation as refulting from our
obfervations will be liable to no very material error. Thefe placed cape
Corientes in latitude 20° 22', longitude 254° 40'; from whence if this
ftatement be corredt, the above rocky group will be found to lie N. 26 w.,
at the diftance of 9 leagues.
The American coaft to the fouthward of cape Corientes not continuing
to take a diredlionfavorable to our route, we were no longer defirbus
o f keeping near its Ihores, and I therefore made the belt of our way towards
the ifland of Cocosand the Galipagos, with an intention of flopping atone
or both of thofe places. At noon the obferved latitude was 19015', longitude
2540 48'; the coaft at this time was ftill in fight, Rearing by compafs
north, n . 85 e . , and its neareft part north-eaft, about 10 leagues
from us. We were now accompanied by many of the tropical fifties, and
oceanic birds, and notwithftanding that we had a frefh breeze from the
north-weftward, the weather was very fultry and unpleafant. The thermometer
within thefe two days had rifen from 70 to 81, and the heat
that we now experienced was attended with a degree of oppreffive inconvenience,
that exceeded any thing of the fort I had ever before felt, under
fimilar circumftances of fuch an alteration in the height of the mercury.
The unpleafantnefs of the atmofphere on faturday morning became greatly
increafed by the north-wefterly wind dying away, and by its being fuc-
ceeded by calms or light variable airs. The atmofphere was. perfedtly
clear, ferene, and unincumbered either with' fogs or clouds, which made
i; it
it very difficult to account for the extraordinary change in the climate De^®kr>
between our then ftation and the three Marias iflands, as the diftance ' v ’
did not exceed 70 leagues. This may poffibly be accounted for by the
ptoj'efiling promontory of cape Corientes, and other parts of this mountainous
country intercepting thofe cool refreffiing gales from the north
that are fo grateful and acceptable to the human conftitution.
That part of the globe we had now to pafs over having been little
frequented by perfons poffeffing the means of making due obfervations
on the vertical inclination of the magnetic needle, I purpofed to procure
fome obfervations at different intervals when the {hip was fufficiently
Heady for this purpofe. This day in latitude 18° 20', longitude 255° 40,
the Marked End, North Face Eaft, ftiewed . 38” 17'
Ditto Ditto Weft,1 - 3® 3
Ditto South Face Eaft,. - 34 3
D i t t o D i t t o Weft, - ^ 20
Mean vertical inclination of the north point of the
marine dipping needle,,; - - ■ 41
The horizontal inclination or variation was about 6 eaftwardly.
A continuation of very light winds made our progrefs very flow,
through an ocean on whofe furface great numbers of turtles, in every
direflion, were lying afleep, a n d ‘we had only to lower down the boat,
and without interrupting the progrefs of the ffiip, make choice of as
many as we required; though under our prefent circumftances we
would readily have waved the acquifition, of thefe luxuries for a little
more wind, as with that which now prevailed, the flop’s motion through
the water was fcarcely perceptible.
We had again fight of the American coaft onfunday lhorning; it bore Sunday..,
by compafs from N. 5 e . to eaft, to N. 72 e : ; but at fo remote a diftance
that we loft every appearance of it by noon, when the obferved latitude
was 17“ 56', longitude 255° 52'. During the two preceding days we had
very light variable winds from the eaftward and s. E. with alternate calms,
apd very oppreffive fultry weather; but by the thurfday following we had 1 h - i
fome little alleviation, as the wind then blew a moderate Heady breeze
V ol.I II . Z z from