T H E P A C; I F I C O C E A N. 47 



2'8* 23' 15". As our obfervations were made about half a ^ '775; 



ISovember.. 



mile to the Eaft or theirs, the error of the watch, in longi- ^ — ^,. — -» 

 tude, is no more than 8' 25". Kencc we have rcafon to 

 conclude, that fhe had gone well all the way from England, 

 and that thg longitude, thus given, may be nearer the truth 

 than any other. 



If this be admitted, it will, in a great meafurc, enable 

 me to find the direcSlion and ftrength of the currents we met 

 with on this palTage from England. For, by comparing tlie 

 latitude and longitude by dead reckoning, with thofe by 

 obfervation and the watch, we fliall, from time to time, 

 have, very accurately, the error of the fliip's reckoning, be 

 the caufe what it will. But as all imaginable care was taken 

 in heaving and keeping the log, and every necelTary allow- 

 ance made for lee-way, heave of the fea, and other fuch 

 circumftances, I cannot attribute thofe errors that did hap- 

 pen, to any other caufe but currents; but more particularly 

 when ihe error was conftantly the fame way, for feveral days 

 fuccellively. 



On the contrary, if we find the fliip a-head of the rec- 

 koning on one day, and a-ftern of it on another, we have 

 reafon to believe that fuch errors are owing to accidental 

 eaufes, and not to currents. This feems to have been the 

 cafe in our paiTage between England and Teneriffe. But, 

 from the time of our leaving that illand, till the 15th of 

 Auguft, being then in the latitude of 12" North, and longi- 

 tude 24° Weft, the fhip was carried 1" 20' of longitude to the 

 Weftward of her reckoning. At this ftation, the currents 

 took a contrary direction, and fet to Eaft South Eaft, at the 

 rate of twelve or fourteen miles a day, or twenty-four 

 hours, till we arrived into the latitude of 5° North, and 

 longitude of 20° Weft ; which was our moft Eafterly fitua- 



tion 



