Cape Leemcin.'] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 51 
who called it Cape Chatham. Its latitude is very nearly 35° 3' south, isoi. 
longitude 1 16 0 29' east, and it was sketched by Mr. Westall. ' KS£y?'. 
Whilst stretching in for the shore, with the ship's head north- (Atlas 
west-by-north (magnetic), I took azimuths with two compasses on ^JJS) 1 ' 
the binnacle; after which they were immediately placed upon a stand 
near the taffrel, and other azimuths taken. The variation resulting 
from the observations on the binnacle was 5 0 59' west, and from those 
near the taffrel 8° 24' west ; affording another instance of the effect 
produced by changing the place of the compass. In 1803, and at 
twenty leagues to the west of Cape Leeuwin, we had io° 4' variation 
on the binnacle, with the head south-east; from which, and the above 
5" 59', the true variation off the cape, or such as would be obtained 
with the ship's head at north or south, should be f 48' west.* 
At seven o'clock, we got sight of the two white rocks, which 
enabled me to take up the survey of the preceding evening; and we 
then bore away along the coast at the distance of four or five miles, 
with a pleasant breeze and fine weather. 
Some parts of the shore between Point D'Entrecasteaux and 
Cape Chatham were not distinctly seen. That which is nearest to 
the cape, lies in the line of N. 38 0 W. from its outer part, and pre- 
sents an intermixture of steep cliffs and small sandy beaches, with 
a back land moderately high, and better covered with wood than 
that before described. On the east side of Cape Chatham, the shore 
falls back to the northward, and makes a bight in which is a small 
reef of rocks. It then projects in a cliffy head, which lies S. 75° E. 
seven miles from the cape, and is called Point Nuyts in the French 
chart, upon the supposition, probably, that this was the first land 
seen by Nuyts, in 1627. Beyond this point, the coast trends very 
nearly east; but forms several projections, some of which are steep 
^ * The mode by which these, and other observations made with the compass on the 
binnacle, are reduced to what is conceived to be the true variation, is explained in the 
Appendix No. II, to the second volume. 
