420 
A VOYAGE TO 
1777 I can affign no reafon why the variation is fo much left 
^ 1)r< at, and near, Annamooka, than at either of the other two 
places. I can only fay, that there is no fault in the oh- 
fervations; and that the variation ought to be more at An¬ 
namooka than the above, as it has been found to he fo to 
the Northward, Southward, E aft ward, and Weft ward of it. 
But difagreements in the variation, greater than this, even 
hi the fame needle, have been often obferved. And I fhould 
not have taken notice of this inftance, but from a belief 
that the caufe, whatever it is, exifts in the place, and not 
in the needles; for Mr. Bayly found the fame, or rather 
more difference. 
The tides are more conftderable at thefe iflands, than at 
any other of my difcoveries in this ocean, that lie within 
the tropics. At Annamooka it is high water, on the 
full and change days, nearly at fix o’clock; and the tide 
rifes and falls there, upon a perpendicular, about lix feet. 
In the harbour of Tongataboo, it is high water, on the 
full and change days, at fifty minutes paft fix. The tide 
rifes and falls, on thofe days, four feet nine inches; and 
three feet fix inches at the Quadratures. In the channels 
betw r een the iflands, which lie in this harbour, it flows near 
tide and half tide; that is, the flood continues to run up 
near three hours, after it is high water by the lhore ; and 
the ebb continues to run down, after it is flood by the 
fliore. It is only in thefe channels, and in a few other 
places near the fliores, that the motion of the water or 
tide is perceiveable; fo that I can only guefs at the quarter 
from which the flood comes. In the road of Annamooka, 
it lets Weft South Weft, and the ebb the contrary; but it 
falls into the harbour of Tongataboo from the North Weft, 
pafles. 
