PLAN OF VOYAGE. 



33 



" From Tahiti the Beagle should proceed to Port Jackson 

 touching at some of the intervening islands, in order to divide 

 the run into judicious chronometer stages ; for the observatory 

 at Paramatta (Port Jackson) being absolutely determined in 

 longitude, all those intervening islands will become standard 

 points to which future casual voyagers will be able to refer 

 their discoveries or correct their chronometers. 



" From Port Jackson her course will depend on the time of 

 the year. If it be made by the southward, she might touch at 

 Hobart Town, King George Sound, and Swan River, to 

 determine the difference of longitude from thence to the Mau- 

 ritius, avoiding the hurricane months ; to Table or Simon's 

 Bay, according to the season ; to St. Helena, Ascension, and 

 home. 



" If she should have to quit Port Jackson about the middle 

 of the year, her passage must be made through Torres Strait. 

 In her way thither, if the in-shore route be adopted, there 

 are several places whose positions it will be advantageous to 

 determine : — Moreton Bay, Port Bowen, Cape Flinders, and 

 one of the Prince of Wales Islands ; and in pursuing her way 

 towards the Indian Ocean, unless the wind should hang to the 

 southward. Cape Valsche or the south-west extreme of New 

 Guinea, one of the Serwatty Chain, Coupang, or the extreme 

 of Timor, Rotte Island, and one of the extremes of Sandal- 

 wood Island, may be easily determined without much loss of 

 time. And, perhaps, in crossing the ocean, if circuiqristances are 

 favourable, she might look at the Keeling Islands, and settle 

 their position. 



" Having now enumerated the principal places at which the 

 Beagle should be directed to touch in her circuit of the globe, 

 and described the leading operations which it would be desir- 

 able to effect, it remains to make some general remarks on the 

 conduct of the whole survey. 



" In such multiplied employments as must fall to the share 

 of each officer, there will be no time to waste on elaborate draw- 

 ings. Plain, distinct roughs, every where accompanied by 

 explanatory notes, and on a sufficiently large scale to show the 



VOL, II. D 



