PASSAGE FROM GHEENLAND TO BRITAIN. 369 



SECT. XVI. 



Proceedings in a Greenland Ship, from leaving the 

 Fishing Stations, to her arrival in Britain. 



When a ship has on board an ample cargo, or 

 when the fogs set in, and the whales totally disap- 

 pear, so as to put a period to the fishery for that 

 season, there remains no sufficient motive to induce 

 farther stay in the country ; the course of each ship 

 is, therefore, directed immediately homeward. 



It is not unusual for a ship to bear away, without 

 the navigators having first obtained any certain 

 knowledge as to their situation in longitude. Not 

 having, perhaps, seen any land for some weeks, or 

 even months, or possibly not since their arrival on 

 the fishing stations ; having neither a chronometer on 

 board, nor the means of taking a lunar observation ; 

 they set out ignorant of the meridian on which 

 they sail, and sensible of their being liable to an er- 

 ror of 5 or 6 degrees of longitude. In such cases, 

 they steer a south-westerly course by the compass. 

 If they happen to be in a more westerly situation 

 than they expect, an increase in the westerly varia 

 tion reacts a little in their favour ; and if they prove 

 to be farther easterly, a decrease of the variation of 

 the compass, tends to give them more westing than 

 VOL. II. A a 



