T H E P A C I F I C O C E A N. 95 



with it. This occalioned fome delay, as it took us up the »777- 



L 1 J 1 1 January, 



Whole day to clear the wreck, and to fit another top-maft. — ^..— -^ 

 The former was accomplillied without lofing any part of it, 

 except a few fathoms of fmall rope. Not having a fpare 

 main-top-gallant-maft on board, the fore- top-gallant-mall 

 was converted into one for our immediate ufe. 



The wind continued Wefterly, blew a frefh gale, and was 

 attended with clear weather ; fo that fcarcely a day pafTed 

 without being able to get obfervations for fixing the longi- 

 tude, and the variation of the compafs. The latter de- 

 creafed in fuch a manner, that in the latitude of 44° 18' 

 South, longitude 132° 2' Eaft, it was no more than 5° 34' 18" 

 Weft; and on the 22d, being then in the latitude of 43' 27' WeJnef. 22, 

 South, longitude 141' 50' Eaft, it was 1° 24' 15" Eaft. So 

 that we had crolTed the line where the compafs has no vari- 

 ation. 



On thd 24th, at three o'clock in the morning, we difco- Friday 24, 

 vered the coaft of Van Diemen's Land, bearing North i 

 Weft. At four o'clock, the South Weft Cape bore North 

 North Weft 4 Weft ; and the Mewftone, North Eaft by Eaft, 

 three leagues diftant. There are feveral iflands and high 

 rocks lying fcattered along this part of the coaft, the South- 

 ernmoft of which is the Mevcftone. It is a round elevated 

 rock, five or fix leagues diftant from the South Weft Cape, 

 in the diredion of South s^° Eaft. 



At noon, our latitude was 43° 47' South, longitude 147° 

 Eaft; and the fituation of the lands round us as follows: 

 An elevated round-topped hill bore North 17° Weft; the South 

 Weft Cape North 74° Weft; the Mewftone Weft J. North; 

 Swilly Ifle or Rock South 49° Eaft ; and the South Eaft or 

 South Cape North 40* Eaft, diftant near three leagues. The 



land 



