hundred men engaged; and that owing to this unexpected addition
to the fishery, he had been unable to provide the number of persons
required for the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company. This was
unpleasant information, as it increased the apprehension of our being
detained at York Factory the whole winter, if boatmen were not
taken from hence. I could not therefore hesitate in requesting Mr.
Geddes to engage eight or ten men well adapted for our service, on
such terms as he could procure them, though the Secretary of State’s
permission had ,not yet reached pie.
Next to a supply of boatmen, our attention was directed towards
the procuring of a house conveniently situated for trying the instruments,
and examining the rates of the chronometers. Mr. Geddes
kindly offered one of his, which, though in an unfinished state, was
readily accepted, being well situated for our purpose, as it was placed
on an eminence, had a southern aspect, and was at a sufficient
distance from the town to secure us from frequent interruption.
Another advantage was its proximity to the Manse, the residence of
the Bev. Mr. Clouston, the worthy and highly respected minister of
Stromness; whose kind hospitality and the polite attention of his
family, the party experienced almost daily during their stay.
For three days the weather was unsettled, and few observations
could be made, except for the dip of the needle, which was ascertained
to be 74° 37' 48", on which occasion a difference of eight degrees
and a half was perceived between the observations, when the
face of the instrument was changed from the east to the west, the
amount being the greatest when it was placed with the face to the
west. But on the 8th, a westerly wind caused a cloudless sky, which
enabled us to place the transit instrument in the meridian, and to
ascertain the variation of the compass, to be 27° 50' west. The sky
becoming cloudy in the afternoon, prevented our obtaining the
corresponding observations to those gained in the morning ; and the
next day an impervious fog obscured the sky until noon. On the
evening of this day, we had the gratification of welcoming our absent
companion, Mr. Back. His return to our society was hailed with
sincere pleasure by every one, and removed a weight of anxiety from
my mind. It appears that he had come down to the beach at
Caistor, just as the ships were passing by, and had applied to some
boatmen to convey him on board, which might have been soon accomplished,
but they, discovering the emergency of his case, demanded
an exorbitant reward which he was not at the instant prepared
to satisfy; and, in consequence, they positively refused to
assist him. Though he had travelled nine successive days, almost
without rest, he could not be prevailed upon to withdraw from the
agreeable scene of a ball-room, in which he joined us, until a late hour.
On the 10th, the rain having ceased, the observations for ascertaining
the dip of the needle were repeated ; and the results, compared
with the former ones, gave a mean of 74° 33' 20". Nearly the
same differences were remarked in reversing the face of the instrument
as before. An attempt was also made to ascertain the magnetic
force, but the wind blew too strong for procuring the observation to
any degree of accuracy.
The fineness of the following day induced us to set up the different
instruments for examination, and to try how nearly the observations
made by each of them would agree; but a squall passed over just
before noon, accompanied by heavy rain, and the hoped-for favourable
opportunity was entirely lost. In the intervals between the observations,
and at every opportunity, my companions were occupied in
those pursuits to which their attention had been more particularly
directed in my instructions. Whilst Dr. Richardson was collecting
and examining the various specimens of marine plants, of which these
islands furnish an abundant and diversified supply, Mr. Back and
Mr. Hood took views and sketches of the surrounding scenery, which
is extremely picturesque in many parts, and wants only the addition
of trees to make it beautiful. The hills present the bold character