s south; and from the anchoring place the island
of Amsterdam was in sight to the northward. We had fair weather all the
forenoon, but just at noon a squall came on which was unfavourable for
our observation. I had however two sets of double altitudes and a good
altitude exactly at noon according to the timekeeper. The result of these
gave for the latitude of the centre of St. Paul 38 degrees 47 minutes
south. The longitude I make 77 degrees 39 minutes east. The variation of
the compass, taking the mean of what it was observed to be the day before
we saw the island and the day after, is 19 degrees 30 minutes west.

At noon we were three leagues past the island. We kept on towards the
east-south-east, and for several days continued to see rock-weed, which
is remarked to be generally the case after ships pass St. Paul's; but to
the westward of it very seldom any is seen.

August. Wednesday 13.

In latitude 44 degrees 16 minutes south, longitude 122 degrees 7 minutes
east, I observed the variation of the compass to be 6 degrees 23 minutes
west. I had no opportunity to observe it again till in the latitude of 43
degrees 56 minutes south, longitude 133 degrees 16 minutes east, when it
was 1 degree 38 minutes east; so that we had passed the line of no
variation. In 1780, on board the Resolution in latitude 44 degrees 23
minutes south, longitude 131 degrees 28 minutes east, the variation was
observed 6 degrees 0 minutes west, which is a remarkable difference. We
had much bad weather with snow and hail, and in our approach to Van
Diemen's Land nothing was seen to indicate the nearness of the coast,
except a seal, when we were within the distance of 20 leagues.

Tuesday 19.

At ten o'clock this afternoon we saw the rock named the Mewstone, that
lies near the south-west cape of Van Diemen's Land, bearing north-east
about six leagues. The wind blew strong from the north-west. As soon as
we had passed the Mewstone we were sheltered from a very heavy sea which
ran from the westward. At eight o'clock at night we were abreast of the
south cape when the wind became light and variable. Saw several fires
inland.

The Mewstone is a high bold rock that lies five leagues to the south-east
of the south-west cape and is the part that all ships bound this way
should endeavour to make. Its latitude is 43 degrees 46 or 47 minutes.
Several islands lie to the northward between that and the main, among
which, bearing north by west from the Me