8 Cordova's Voyage of Discover^/ 



more easterly than the time-piece, and 1^ 22 more easterly 

 than the observations. 



From repeated observations of the variation of the magnetic 

 needle, both by amplitude and azimuth, we found the varia- 

 tion chart of M. BeiJin, constructed in 1757, sufficiently exact 

 in the neighbourhood of the line; but by no means so much to 

 be depended on, when at some distance from it. 



The discussions between Captain Cook and M. de Monier, on 

 this subject, excited us to the inquiry : in which our results co- 

 incided with those of the former navigator; although we could 

 not justly say of our needle as the captain says of his, — that it 

 was excellent. 



As soon as we had passed into S. latitude, the winds fixed 

 themselves in the S.E. quarter, drawing however more to the E. 

 than to the S. ; which was also observed by Captain D. Joseph 

 Varela, of the Spanish frigate Santa Catalina, who, in his voy- 

 age from Cadiz to Brasil, in 1771, being obliged to cross the 

 Line far to the W. of the usual point, apprehended he should 

 not be able to make Cape St. Augustine; but he found that, as 

 he advanced in the southern hemisphere, and approached the 

 coast of Brasil, the winds drew more to the E. ; so that, although 

 he had fallen so much to leeward, as to be within sight of the 

 island of Fernando Norono, he yet weathered that cape without 

 any difficulty. Cook experienced almost the same favourable 

 change of the wind, as do all our vessels on their return from 

 America to Europe ; for which reasons it seems not improper 

 that, in a voyage from Europe to South America, navigators 

 should venture to trust a little to such a change ; and therefore 

 to cross the Equinoctial from 16" to 20^ from Cadiz, provided 

 the properties of their ships warrant them to make such at- 

 tempts. 



Captain Cook, in consequence of his own experience, lays it 

 down, that from the meridian of Teneriffe to the W., the set- 

 ting of the waters is constantly to the westward ; and, on the E. 

 side of the same meridian, they set to the eastward : that is to 

 say, that they dra\v always tow^ards the respective coasts of 

 America and Africa, Gur experience in this voyage confirmed 

 the former part of the observation, which explains the variety 

 in the accounts of different navigators respecting these currents. 

 Some instances which we had occasion to consult also attest the 

 truth of the remark : for example. Captain D. Philip Gonzalez, 

 of the Spanish man-of-war the San Lorenzo, on his passage from 

 Spain to Lima, having crossed the Line to the eastward of the 

 meridian of Teneriffe, found, on his arrival on the coast of Pa- 

 tagonia, a great difference to the eastward between his reckon* 



