A VOYAGE TO 
[South Coast. 
1802. 
nearest cliffs, are all the documents that remain for the construction 
Tuesda7if- of a cnart - P° mt Culver and Point Dover are exceptions to this 
general uniformity; but it requires a ship to be near the land before 
even these are distinguishable. The latter point was somewhat 
whiter than the cliffs on each side, which probably arose from the 
front having lately fallen off into the water. 
In the night of the 19th, the wind shifted round to the east- 
ward, and continued there for three days ; and during this time we 
beat to windward without making much progress. Several observa- 
tions were taken here for the variation of the compass : with the 
ship's head east-by-north, azimuths gave f 15' west, and at south, 
4 0 2,6'; five leagues further eastward they gave 6° 13' with the 
head north-east, and eight leagues further, an amplitude 4 0 18' at 
south-by-east. These being corrected, would be 4 0 13', 4 0 26', 4 0 2', 
and 3 0 42' west; so that the variation had now reassumed a tolerably 
regular course of diminution. The mean of the whole is 4 0 6' west 
variation in the longitude of 125 0 51' east. 
Friday 22. At the end of three days beating, our latitude in the evening 
of the 22nd was 32 0 22', and longitude 126 0 23'; the depth in that 
situation was 7 fathoms, at two miles from the land, and the furthest 
extremes visible through the haze, bore west-half-north and east, 
the latter being distant four or five miles. The bank which before 
formed the cliffs, had retired to a little distance from the coast, and 
left a front screed of low, sandy shore. Several smokes arose from 
behind the bank, and were the first seen after quitting the archipelago. 
The barometer had kept up nearly to 30 inches during the 
east and south-east winds, but it now fell to 29,65; and we stretched 
off for the night in the expectation of a change of wind, and pro- 
bably of blowing weather. At ten, the sails were taken aback by a 
Saturday^, breeze from the westward ; but at daylight it had veered to south- 
by- west, and the mercury was rising. We then bore away for the 
land ; and having reached in with the low, sandy point, which had 
borne east in the evening, steered along the coast at three or four 
