RUDGE ON THE SOUTH M.^GNETIC POLE. 
591 
pole on the 22nd of November 1642, it would 
now be found in or about the forty -third 
parallel of south latitude to the south-east of 
the island of Madagascar, a convenient situa- 
tion, when compared with that of the north 
magnetic pole for ascertaining the exact 
position of the south magnetic pole, and 
where experiments with the horizontal and 
dipping-needles to lead to its discovery and 
determine the comparative intensity of the 
south magnetic power might with facility be 
made. In pursuance of this desirable object 
the progress of the south magnetic pole might 
be accurately ascertained by annual observa- 
tions ; whether its distance from the south 
pole of the earth is uniform in its progress 
and if in an exact opposite direction to the 
north magnetic pole ; to trace the point at 
which the axis of the magnetic poles, crosses 
that of the earth ; and thus by a continued 
series of observations and experiments a 
wide field mis’ht be opened to enlarge our 
hitherto imperfect knowledge of this myste- 
rious power, which might be considered of 
so much importance in guiding and directing 
the motion of the earth on its axis and in its 
orbit. 
TABLE OF THE OBSERVATIONS ON THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE MADE 
BY CAPTAIN JOHN ABEL TASMAN FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE 
TERMINATION OF HIS VOYAGE; EXTRACTED FROM HIS JOURNAL. 
Time. 
Latitude. 
Longitude 
from Paris. 
V ariation of the 
Needle. 
1642. 
October 8 to 22. 
40®40’S. 
23°24°&2°5°\V 
22. 
49 47 
89'’44’ 
260 45 w. 
Nov. 6. 
49 4 
114 56 
26 
15. 
44 3 
140 32 
18 30 W. 
21. 
158 
4 W. 
22. 
The needle in conti- 
nual agitation. 
24. 
42 25 
163 50 
The needle pointed to- 
wards the land now 
first discovered and 
called Van Die- 
men’s Land. 
Dec. 1- 
43 10 
167 55 
3 E. 
Frederick Henry bay. 
Van Diemen’s Land, 
9. 
42 37 
176 29 
5 E. 
New Zealand. 
18. 
40 50 
191 41 
9 E. 
1643. 
January 8. 
30 25 
192 20 
9 E. 
12. 
30 5 
195 27 
9 30 E. 
16. 
26 29 
199 32 
8 E. 
19. 
22 35 
204 15 
7 30 E. 
21. 
21 20 
205 29 
7 25 E. 
25. 
20 15 
206 19 
6 20 E. 
March 2. 
9 11 
192 46 
10 E. 
14. 
10 12 
186 14 
8 45 E. 
20. 
5 15 
181 16 
9 E. 
25. 
4 35 
175 10 
9 30 E. 
1 
April 1. 
4 30 
171 2 
8 45 E. 
12. 
3 45 
167 
10 E. 
14. 
5 27 
166 57 
9 15 E. 
20. 
5 4 
164 27 
8 30 E. 
May 12. 
0 54 
153 17 
6 30 E. 
18. 
0 26 
147 55 
1 5 30 E. 
27. 
6 12 S. 
1 127 18 
1 Returned to Batavia after 10 months’ 
absence, having sailed round the Australian continent without 
seeing any part of it but the extremity of Van Diemen’s Land. 
[Philosophical Magazine, for 1836 . 
