48 ST. Paul's. 



about midway on its eastern side, latitude 38° 42', 

 and is in every way preferable to the spot chosen 

 for that purpose by Vlaming in 1764, on the 

 south-east side of Amsterdam, where landing is 

 never very easy, and generally quite impracticable. 



The well ascertained fact, that water is found in 

 abundance at St. Paul's, leads to a very fair in- 

 ference, that in this humid atmosphere, and with a 

 much greater elevation, the same essential com- 

 modity may be met with at Amsterdam ; but cer- 

 tainly at St. Paul's, and most probably at Amster- 

 dam, the rugged nature of the travelling over these 

 volcanic islands, would render useless any attempt 

 to water a ship. 



The following table, though it may not possess 

 much interest for the general reader, will not be 

 without its value in the eyes of my nautical bre- 

 thren : it shews the increase of variation since 

 1747 :— 



From Horsburg's 

 Directory 



WESTERLY VARIATION. 



o 



. 18f 

 20 

 H.M.S. Beagle . ' 1837 . . .21 



As these islands lie in the same meridian, the 

 longitude given above of Amsterdam, will equally 

 apply to St. Paul's : they are admirably situated for 

 connecting the meridians of Africa and Australia. 

 We lost sight of Amsterdam towards evening, and 

 flattered ourselves that we were also leaving the 



