1777 THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 471 



The variation of the compass was found to be, 



r Annamooka, on board, - 8 30' 3%" east 



AnchoroffKotoo, between > ~ 1? O0 , 



* j Annamooka and Hapaee, ) " ~ 



n Anchor off Lefooga, ^-10 11 40 



Tongataboo, on board, - 9 44 5 



.Ditto, on shore, - 10 12 58 



I can assign no reason why the variation is so 

 much less at and near Annamooka, than at either of 

 the other two places. I can only say, that there is 

 no fault in the observations ; and that the variation 

 ought to be more at Annamooka than the above, as 

 it has been found to be so to the northward, south- 

 ward, eastward, and westward of it. But disagree- 

 ments in the variation, greater than this, even in the 

 same needle, have been often observed. Audi should 

 not have taken notice of this instance, but from' a 

 belief that the cause, whatever it is, exists in the 

 place, and not in the needles ; for Mr. Bayly found 

 the same, or rather more difference. 



The tides are more considerable at these islands, 

 than at any other of my discoveries in this ocean, 

 that lie within the tropics. At Annamooka it is high 

 water, on the full and change days, nearly at six 

 o'clock ; and the tide rises and falls there, upon a 

 perpendicular, about six feet. In the harbour of 

 Tongataboo, it is high water, on the full and change 

 days, at fifty minutes past six. The tide rises and 

 falls on those days, four feet nine inches ; and three 

 feet six inches at the Quadratures. In the channels 

 between the islands, which lie in this harbour, it 

 flows near tide and half-tide ; that is, the flood con- 

 tinues to run up near three hours, after it is high 

 water by the shore ; and the ebb continues to run 

 down, after it is flood by the shore. It is only in 

 these channels, and in a few other places near the 

 shores, that the motion of the water or tide is per- 

 ceivable > so that I can only guess at the quarter 



