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ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



distances sailed. The reckonings of two of the most skilful seamen on 

 board the "Golden Hinde," the master and mate, are given. "We have 

 had that of the former worked out as follows : 



By this it appears that the average course was to the south of west ; 

 and by calculation that they had made a southing of about 43 minutes in 

 latitude, bringing them to the latitude of 45° 57', which is that of Cape 

 Breton. By the master's reckoning they had sailed 121 leagues, by the 

 mate's lit. By calculation the first represents a distance westerly of 291 

 miles or 7° 4' 30" of longitude, bringing them to 60° 12' west longitude, 

 which is at the western side of the entrance to Gabarus Bay, about four- 

 teen miles from Louisbourg. (See map page 129.) 



The mate's reckoning would place them still farther north. We do 

 not rely upon either as sufficiently accurate to enable us to determine 

 their true position, but we might expect that they would give us an 

 approximation to it, otherwise what would be the use of keeping such 

 reckonings. To allege that while by the estimate they could make of 

 their courses and distances they would be in the neighbourhood of Cape 

 Breton, they were really on Sable Island more than a hundred miles 

 distant, and that they had gone this far out of their calculations in a 

 voyage of about three hundred miles is manifestly absurd. What renders 



