18 AZIMUTH TABLES. 



of the Hyclrographer furnished the doubtful traveller, 

 dubious of his variation, an unerring Mentor. This was 

 a portable tabular compilation of azimuthal bearings of 

 the sun, at intervals of twenty minutes, between the lati- 

 tudes of 70 and 81 north, embracing the travelling 

 period between March and September inclusive. 



I should make but a feeble attempt to explain these 

 matters to the general reader. Professional men need 

 none. The words of our Hydrographer are too perfect, 

 and they will speak for themselves. 



" In the neighbourhood of the magnetic poles the com- 

 pass becomes so sluggish as to be of little use, either to 

 the mariner in his boat or to the traveller on his sledge, 

 and both are therefore obliged to depend, for the direction 

 of their course, on the bearing of the sun. But in high 

 latitudes the path of the sun is inclined at so small an 

 angle to the horizon, and its rise or fall is therefore so 

 slow, that it is difficult to determine its azimuth or bear- 

 ing by a rough altitude measured from an horizon en- 

 cumbered with ice ; and a more careful observation, by 

 reflection, would not only consume much valuable time, 

 but would be impracticable in the earlier months, from 

 the severity of the weather, which would render it dan- 

 gerous to expose the hands. 



" Assuming, therefore, that at every station where the 

 boat is moored, or the sledge party is encamped, the 

 apparent time has been correctly ascertained, and the 

 pocket watches duly set ; then will the following tables, 

 by showing the true bearing of the sun, enable the leader 

 to adopt what course he pleases, and moreover to adhere 

 to it, by repeatedly looking at his watch and estimating 



