PACIFIC AND BEERING'S STRAIT. 39 



ously disposed on this subject will find it ably treat- 

 ed by the late Captain Burney, R. N., in his account 

 of the Buccaneers. 



Without entering into a question which presents 

 so many difficulties, I shall merely observe, that, 

 considering the rapid current that exists in the vi- 

 cinity of the Galapagos, and extends, though with 

 diminished force, throughout the trade wind, the 

 error in Davis's reckoning is not more than might 

 have happened to any dull sailing vessel circum- 

 stanced as his was. To substantiate this, I shall 

 advert to four instances out of many others which 

 might be named. In a short run from Juan Fer- 

 nandez to Easter Island, Behrens, who was with 

 Roggewein, was drifted 318 geographical miles to 

 the westward of his supposed situation. The Blos- 

 som, in passing over the same ground, in the short 

 space of eighteen days experienced a set of 270 

 miles ; and on her passage from Acapulco to Valpa- 

 raiso of 401 miles : and again M. La Perouse, on his 

 arrival at the Sandwich Islands from Conception, 

 touching at Easter Island on his way, found a simi- 

 lar error of 300 miles in the course of that passage. 

 It is fair to presume that the passage of Davis from 

 the Galapagos to Easter Island was longer than that 

 of either of the abovementioned vessels ; and con- 

 sequently it is but reasonable to allow him a greater 

 error, particularly as the first part of his route was 

 through a much stronger current. But taking the 

 error in the Blossom's reckoning as a fair amount, 

 and applying it to the distance given by Wafer, 

 there will remain only 204 miles unaccounted for 

 between it and the real position of Easter Island, 

 which from the foregoing considerations, added to 



