THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
with it. This occafioned fome delay, as it took us up the 
whole day to clear the wreck, and to fit another top-maft. 
The former was accomplifhed without lofing any part of 
it, except a few fathoms of fmall rope. Not having a fpare 
main-top-gallant-maft on board, the fore-top-gallant-maft 
was converted into one for our immediate ufe. 
The wind continued W efterly, blew a frelh gale, and was 
attended with clear weather; fo that fcarcely a day paffed 
without being able to get obfervations for fixing the longi¬ 
tude, and the variation of the compafs. The latter de- 
creafed in fuch a manner, that in the latitude of 44 0 18 7 
South, longitude 132 0 a 7 Eaft, it was no more than 5 0 34* 7 1S 77 
Weft; and on the 22d, being then in the latitude of 43 0 27' 
South, longitude 141 0 50' Eaft, it was i° 24' 15 77 Eaft. So 
that we had crofted the line where the compafs has no va¬ 
riation. 
On the 24th, at three o’clock in the morning, we difco- 
vered the coaft of Van Diemen’s Land, bearing North § 
Weft. At four o’clock, the South Weft Cape bore North- 
North Weft 1 Weft; and the Mewftone, North Eaft by Eaft, 
three leagues diftant. There are feveral iflands and high 
rocks lying fcattered along this part of the coaft, the South- 
ernmoft of which is the Mewftone. It is a round elevated 
rock, five or fix leagues diftant from the South Weft Cape, 
in the direction of South 55 0 Eaft. 
At noon, our latitude was 43 0 47 7 South, longitude 147* 
Eaft; and the fituation of the lands round us as follows: 
An elevated round-topped hill bore North 17 0 Weft; the 
South Weft Cape North 74 0 Weft; the Mewftone Weft § 
North; Swilly Me or Rock South 49 0 Eaft; and the South 
Eaft or South Cape North 4o°Eaft, diftant near three leagues. 
The land between the South Weft and the South Capes is 
broken 
93 
1777. 
January. 
V .. 1 a t 
Wednef. 22. 
Friday 24, 
