VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR. 275 



ftrength and diredion of the winds ; to de- 

 termine the variations of the needle ; to fix 

 the fituation of the principal caps and quick- 

 iands ; and, in ihoit, to give, if not the lon- 

 gitude, at lead the latitude of the moft re- 

 markable places. 



The journal of the pilot, entrufled with 

 the care of the veffel, ought certainly to have 

 informed him refpeding all thefe parti- 

 culars. 



A traveller of abilities, or only animated 

 with a defire of rendering himfelf ufeful, 

 when he vifited diftant countries, and tra- 

 verfed paflages iittle frequented by European 

 fhips, would not have negledted details in- 

 difpenfably neceflary to the fafety and im- 

 provement of navigation. Benyowfki, how- 

 ever, boafted of the extent of his know- 

 ledge, and of having difcovered a new route 

 for going from Kanifchatka to China : but 

 the journal of his voyage, while it proves 

 T 3 that 



