rOL. LV.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 269 



ference in the total duration between this place and Tornea° of 24™ 33'; a dif- 

 ference considerably greater than was expected by Dr. Halley in 1761 ; and, sup- 

 posing with that astronomer, that the observations at each contact may be taken 

 true to a single second, which indeed experience will not warrant, sufficient to 

 determine the sun's parallax within ^^w part of the whole. 



But as this and the other point fall in the great South sea, where it does not 

 certainly appear that there is any land, let us inquire in what parts of the South 

 sea we may reasonably expect to find land. From the accounts of some of the 

 circumnavigators, it should seem that there are islands scattered here and there 

 about the tropic of Capricorn, particularly the island or islands of St. Peter, in 

 about 150° of w. longitude from Greenwich, and in about 21° of s. latitude. 

 Mr. H. therefore computed the parallactic angle for a place 10^ 22"" 50" to the 

 west of Greenwich, and in 21° of s. latitude, and found that the ingress would 

 happen 6™ IC later, and the beginning of egress 6"^ 6' sooner, than if seen 

 without parallax ; that the total duration is therefore shortened 12™ 16' by parallax ; 

 and consequently that there is a difference of 23™ 56' in the total duration be- 

 tween Tornea° and this island, supposing the sun's parallax = S'^.y on the day of 

 the transit; or of 26™ 3g , if that parallax be supposed = 9".7. 



About the latter end of the l6th century, Don Pedro Fernandez de Quiros 

 made two voyages for the discovery of the southern continent and islands, under 

 the patronage of the Viceroy of Peru. From several memorials which he pre- 

 sented to the court of Spain in the year 1609, with a view to procure a settle- 

 ment of the countries he had actually discovered, it appears that he had found 

 many islands, and particularly a large tract of land lying in or near the 1 5° of s. 

 latitude, well peopled and well cultivated, the' inhabitants generally of a peace- 

 .^■eble disposition. The produce of this country is represented to be such as to 

 render it a fit object to any commercial nation : consisting of gold, silver, pearl, 

 spices of many sorts, and sugar-canes. He describes several safe and commodious 

 harbours, particularly Puerto de la Vera Cruz in lat. 15° 40's. capable of holding 

 1000 ships, with a safe anchorage in every part; and where he himself actually 

 staid 36 days with 3 ships. From the wholesomeness of the air, the fertility of 

 the soil, and many other circumstances peculiar to this continent, he makes no 

 scruple to prefer it to every country which the Spaniards had conquered, whether 

 in the e. or w. Indies.* Mr. H. however observes, that, if this country be 

 195° to the w. of London, the whole of the transit, in all probability, will not 

 be visible, as Venus will enter wholly on the sun's disk at, or a few minutes be- 

 fore, the time of sun rising. 

 The Spaniards gave the name of the islands of Solomon to certain countries in 



• Hartis'f Voyages, 2d edit. vol. 1, p. 63. — Orig. 



