/2 in longitude, reckoning at the rate it was found to go at, at that
island and at Tanna; but by reckoning at the rate it was going when last at
Queen Charlotte's Sound, and from the time of our leaving it, to our return
to it again, which was near a year, the error was 19' 31", 25 in time, or
4 deg. 52' 48" 1/4 in longitude. This error cannot be thought great, if we
consider the length of time, and that we had gone over a space equal to
upwards of three-fourths of the equatorial circumference of the earth, and
through all the climates and latitudes from 9 deg. to 71 deg.. Mr Wales found its
rate of going here to be that of gaining 12",576, on mean time, per day.

The mean result of all the observations he made for ascertaining the
variation of the compass and the dip of the south end of the needle, the
three several times we had been here, gave 14 deg. 9' 1/5 east for the former;
and 64 deg. 36" 2/3 for the latter. He also found, from very accurate
observations, that the time of high-water preceded the moon's southing, on
the full and change days, by three hours; and that the greatest rise and
fall of the water was five feet ten inches, and a half; but there were
evident tokens on the beach, of its having risen two feet higher than ever
it did in the course of his experiments.

A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD.

BOOK IV.

FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR RETURN TO ENGLAND.

CHAPTER I.

_The Run from New Zealand to Terra del Fuego, with the Range from Cape
Deseada to Christmas Sound, and Description of that Part of the Coast._

1774 November

At day-break on the 10th, with a fine breeze at W.N.W., we weighed and
stood out of the Sound; and, after getting round the Two Brothers, steered
for Cape Campbell, which is at the S.W. entrance of the Strait, all sails
set, with a fine breeze at north. At four in the afternoon, we passed the
Cape, at the distance of four or five leagues, and then steered S.S.E. 1/2
E. with the wind at N.W., a gentle gale, and cloudy weather.

Next morning the wind veered round by the west to south, and forced us more
to the east than I intended. At seven o'clock in the evening, the snowy
mountains bore W. by S., and Cape Palliser N. 1/2 W., distant sixteen or
seventeen leagues; from which cape I, for the third time, took my
departure. After a few hours calm, a breeze springing up at north, we
steered S. by E. all sails set, with a view of getting into the latitude of
5