94 



SAMUEL EDWARD DAWSOIST ON THE 



point to the northwe.st, it is taken as pointing to northeast, as if it were in Fi-aace. The error has 

 therefore continued and will continue, for they cling to their old customs, though it lea'is to grave 

 errors. A compass set north and south is also in use,'' in which the point of the magnetic needle is 

 fixed right under the fleur-de-lis. A good many prepare their small maps according to this compass, 

 which seems to me to be the best, and to approach nearer to the true meridian of Now Franco than 

 the compasses of Eastern France set to northeast. Thus it happened that the eai'ly navigators who 

 sailed to parts of Now France in the west, thought they would not be more astray in going thiihor 

 than when going to the Azores, or other places near France, whore the variation is almost insensible 

 in navigation, and whore the pilots have no other compasses than those of France set to north-east, 

 and representing the true meridian there. And so, when sailing continually towards the west and 

 wishing to keep on a certain latitude, they would shape their course straight towards the west by 

 their compass, thinking they were sailing on the parallel they wished to go upon.-' But continuing 

 on in a straight line, and not in a circle, like all parallel lines ou the globe, after a long distance 

 when insight of land, they sometimes found themselves three, four or five degrees more southerly 

 than necessary, and thus they were deceived in their latitude and reckoning. It is very true, how- 

 ever, that with tine weather and the sun shining, thej^ would correct their latitude, but it was not 

 without wondering why the course was wrong, which was, because instead of sailing in a circular, 

 line according to the parallel, they ran in a straight line, and, thus, as the meridian changed the 

 points of the compass changed, and con.sequently the course. It is then most noeoisary to know the 

 meridian and the variation of the magnetic needle, and it is of service for all pilots sailing round the 

 world, and specially at the north and south, whore the gi'eatest variations of the magnetic needle 

 occur and also where the circles of longitude are smaller, since their error would thou be greater 







>*, Cfefïl. 



'*r*X» 



Part of Champlaiii's large map (l(il2) drinvii to tlie compas.s o£ Ea.stcrn France. 



if they did not know the variation of the magnetic needle. The error then liaving thus originated, 

 and sailors being unwilling, or not knowing how, to correct it, it has remained as it is to this day, so 

 that it is difficult to alter this system of navigating in these parts of New France. This is why I 

 have prepared this large map, both on account of its being more full than the small one, and because 

 it will be more satisf\ictory to sailors, who will be able to sail by it in the same manner as by their 

 small charts. They must forgive me if I have not made the maps better or more in detail, as the 

 lifetime of a man would hardly suffice to learn anything so thoroughly but in time he will find some- 

 thing omitted. Observant persons of an inquiring mind will see during their travels things that are 

 not set down on this map, and they can insert them, so that in the course of time doubts will be 

 cleared up about such matters. I think that I have done my duty as far as I could, for I have for- 

 gotten nothing that I have seen worthy to bo put on my said map, and I have given clear information 



