A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 14
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The calm was succeeded by a wind from the south; between which point and
the N.W., it continued for the six succeeding days, but never blew strong.
It was, however, attended with a great hollow swell from the S.W. and W., a
sure indication that no large land was near in those directions. We now
steered east, inclining to the south, and on the 10th, in the latitude of
43° 39', longitude 144° 43' W., the variation was found, by several
azimuths, to be more than 3° E., but the next morning it was found to be 4°
5' 30", and in the afternoon, 5° 56' E. The same day, at noon, we were in
the latitude of 43° 44', longitude 141° 56' W.
At nine o'clock in the morning of the 12th, the longitude was observed as
follows, viz.
Self 1st set 139° 47' 15"
Ditto, 2d set 140 7 30
Mr Wales 1st set 141 22 15
Mr Wales 2d set 140 10 0
Mr Clerke 140 56 45
Mr Gilbert 140 2 0
--------------
Mean 140 24 17-1/2 West.
This differed from my reckoning only 2° 1/2. The next morning, in the
latitude of 43° 3', longitude 139° 20' W., we had several lunar
observations, which were consonant to those made the day before, allowing
for the ship's run in the time. In the afternoon we had, for a few hours,
variable light airs next to a calm; after which we got a wind from the
N.E., blowing fresh and in squalls, attended with dark gloomy weather, and
some rain.
We stretched to the S.E. till five o'clock in the afternoon on the 14th, at
which time, being in the latitude of 43° 15', longitude 137° 39' W., we
tacked and stood to the north under our courses, having a very hard gale
with heavy squalls, attended with rain, till near noon the next day, when
it ended in a calm. At this time we were in the latitude of 42° 39',
longitude 137° 58' W. In the evening, the calm was succeeded by a breeze
from S.W., which soon after increased to a fresh gale; and fixing at S.S.W,
with it we steered N.E. 1/2 E. in the latitude of 41° 25', longitude 135°
58' W., we saw floating in the sea a billet of wood, which seemed to be
covered with barnacles; so that there was no judging how long it might have
been there, or from whence or how far it had come.
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