118 



PROGRESS TOWARDS 



1824. noon position again gave a remarkable proof 

 Sept. of the Strength of the easterly set, as the lati- 

 tudes by observation and dead reckoning were 

 the same, but the observed longitude was 

 twenty-eight miles to the eastward of that by 

 account, thence shewing a constant set of above 

 one knot an hour. 



In the afternoon, the magnetic error of the 

 compasses was found to have decreased very 

 considerably^. Small snow fell occasionally 

 throughout the day, and one very fresh squall 

 obliged us suddenly to shorten sail ; but the 

 weather quickly moderating, it was set again. 

 Although the clouds, during the past week, 

 had began to assume their hard wintry forms 

 and colours, the temperature continued compa- 

 ratively moderate. Very little weed was seen 

 on this day, a happy proof of our being clear 

 of the banks which had so long perplexed and 

 alarmed us; and the sea had re-assumed its 

 darker hue, to which we had so long been un- 

 accustomed. 



Running till ten P.M., we lay to for the night, 

 as I had reason to suppose we were to the 

 southward of Cape Southampton, and was more 

 particularly confirmed in this opinion from the 



* See Appendix. 



