17^9. ROUND THE WORLD. 7^ 



ascertained than that of the Streight of Le Maire, 

 and Cape Horn, in the chart now offered to the public, 

 as it was laid down by several observations of the 

 sun and moon, that were made both by myself and 

 Mr. Green. 



The variation of the compass on this coast I found 

 to be from 23° to 25° E. except near Barnevelt's 

 islands and Cape Horn, where we found it less, and 

 unsettled : probably it is disturbed here by the land, 

 as Hermit's squadron, in this very place, found all 

 their compasses differ from each other. The declin- 

 ation of the dipping-needle, when set upon shore in 

 Success Bay, was 68° 15' below the horizon. 



Between Streight Le Maire and Cape Horn we 

 found a current setting, generally very strong, to the 

 N. E. when we were in with the shore ; but lost it 

 when we were at the distance of fifteen or twenty 

 leagues. 



On the 26th January, we took our departure from 

 Cape Horn, which lies in latitude 55° 5S' S. longitude, 

 68° 13' W. The farthest southern latitude that we 

 made was 60° 10', our longitude was then 74° 30' W. ; 

 and we found the variation of the compass, by the 

 mean of eighteen azimuths, to be 27° 9' E. As the 

 weather was frequently calm, Mr. Banks went out in 

 a small boat to shoot birds, among which w^ere some 

 albatrosses and sheer waters. The albatrosses were 

 observed to be larger than those which had been taken 

 northward of the Streight ; one of them measured 

 ten feet two inches from the tip of one wing to that 

 of the other, when they were extended : the sheer- 

 water, on the contrary, is less, and darker coloured 

 on the back. The albatrosses we skinned, and having 

 soaked them in salt-water till the morning, we par- 

 boiled them, then throwing away the liquor, stewed 

 them in a very little fresh water till they were tender, 

 and had them served up with savoury sauce; thus 

 dressed, the dish was universally commended, and we 



F 4} 



