the Variation of the Compass to be 2 degrees 24 minutes West, being the Mean result of several very good Azimuths. This was just before we crossed the Line in the Longitude of 29 degrees 29 minutes West from Greenwich. We also try'd the Diping Needle belonging to the Royal Society, and found the North point to Dip 26 degrees below the Horizon; but this Instrument cannot be used at Sea to any great degree of accuracy on account of the Motion of the Ship, which hinders the Needle from resting. However, as the Ship was pretty steady, and by means ofa Swinging Table I had made for that purpose, we could be Certain of the Dip to two Degrees at most. The Observed Latitude and that by account nearly Agree. Wind South-East to South-East by East; course South 30 degrees West; distance 95 miles; latitude 0 degrees 15 minutes South, longitude 29 degrees 30 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 26 degrees East, 358 leagues.
Wednesday, 26th. First part light Airs and Cloudy weather, the remainder a Moderate Breeze and Cloudy. After we had got an observation, and it was no longer Doubted that we were to the Southward of the Line, the Ceremony on this occasion practis'd by all Nations was not Omitted. Every one that could not prove upon the Sea Chart that he had before Crossed the Line was either to pay a Bottle of Rum or be Duck'd in the Sea, which former case was the fate of by far the Greatest part on board; and as several of the Men chose to be Duck'd, and the weather was favourable for that purpose, this Ceremony was performed on about 20 or 30, to the no small Diversion of the Rest. Wind South-East to South-South-East; course South 31 degrees West; distance 77 miles; latitude 1 degree 21 minutes South, longitude 30 degrees 18 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 25 degrees 30 minutes East, 385 leagues.
Thursday, 27th. Fresh Gales and Close Cloudy weather. Variation 2 degrees 48 minutes West. Wind South-South-East to South-East; course South 38 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 79 miles; latitude 2 degrees 23 minutes South, longitude 31 degrees 7 minutes West; at noon, Bonavista, South-East point, North 26 degrees East, 410 leagues.
Friday, 28th. Fresh Breeze and fine Clear weather. At a little past 1 a.m. Longitude in by the 3 following Observations--viz., by the
Moon and the star Arietis, 32 degrees 27 minutes; by the Moon and Pollux, 32 degrees 0 minutes 15 seconds; by ditto, 31 degrees
48 minutes 32 seconds; the mean of the whole is 32 degrees 5 minutes 16 seconds West from Greenwich, which is 31 minutes more
Westerly than the longitude by account carried on since the last Observation. The two first observations were made and computed
by Mr. Green, and the last by myself. The star Arietis was on one side of the Moon and Pollux on the other. This day at Noon, being nearly in the latitude of the Island Ferdinand Noronha, to the Westward of it by some Charts and to the Eastward by others, was
in Expectation of seeing it or some of those Shoals that are laid down in most Charts between it and the Main; but we saw neither one nor a Nother. We certainly passed to the Eastward of the Island, and as to the Shoals, I don't think they Exhist, grounding this my Opinion on the Journal of some East India Ships I have seen who were detain'd by Contrary winds between this Island and the Main, and being 5 or 6 Ships in Company, doubtless must have seen some of them did they lay as Marked in the Charts.* (* There is a very dangerous reef, As Rocas, 80 miles west of Fernando Noronha. The Endeavour passed 60 miles east of latter.) Wind South-East to South-East by East; course South 33 degrees West; distance 93 miles, latitude 3 degrees 41 minutes South, longitude 32 degrees 29 minutes West.
Saturday, 29th. Fresh Breezes and pleasant weather. Variation of the Compass 2 degrees 25 minutes West. Wind East-South-East;
course South by West; distance 101 miles; latitude 5 degrees 25 minutes South, longitude 32 degrees 48" West.
Sunday, 30th. A Steady breeze, and for the most part close cloudy weather. Variation by several Azimuths 1 degree 31 minutes West. At noon the observed latitude 7 miles southward of account. Wind East-South-East; course South 3/4 West; distance 107 miles; latitude 7 degrees 8 minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 4 minutes West.
Monday, 31st. A Fresh breeze and Clear weather. Variation 0 degrees 15 minutes West. Observed Latitude again to the Southward of the Log. Wind East to East-South-East; course, South 1/2 West; distance 114 miles; latitude 9 degrees 1 minute South, longitude 33 degrees 16 minutes West.
32
[November 1768. Between Equator and Rio.]
Tuesday, November 1st. Moderate breezes, for the most part Cloudy. Variation by the mean of Several Azimuths 0 degrees 58 minutes West in the Evening, and in the Morning found it to be 0 degrees 18 minutes West. Wind East-South-East; course South 3/4
West; distance 98 miles; latitude 10 degrees 38 minutes South.
Wednesday, 2nd. A Steady breeze and fine pleasant weather. This Afternoon, by the mean of Several Azimuths and the Amplitude, found the Variation to be 0 degrees 34 minutes East, from which it appears that about the aforegoing Noon we have Crossed the Line of no Variation in the Latitude of 10 degrees 38 minutes South, and, according to the following Observations, in 32 degrees
0 minutes West longitude from Greenwich. At 5 hours 5 minutes 0 seconds Apparent time a.m. the longitude of the Ship and the Observation of the moon and the star Aldebaran was found to be 32 degrees 0 minutes 45 seconds; at 8 hours 17 minutes 0 seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 25 minutes 0 seconds; and at 9 hours 0 minutes 16 seconds, 32 degrees 19 minutes 0 seconds. The mean of the three is 32 degrees 14 minutes 55 seconds. And again at 7 hours 12 minutes 52 seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 10 minutes 4 seconds; and at 7 hours 19 minutes 42 seconds, per sun and moon, 32 degrees 15 minutes 20 seconds. The mean of these two is 32 degrees 12 minutes 42 seconds, and the mean of the whole is 32 degrees 13 minutes 43 seconds West from Greenwich, which is less by a whole Degree than that by account, which is a Considerable Error to be made in 5 Days in these low Latitudes. One would think from this that we must have had a Current setting to the Eastward, which is not likely that it should set against the settled trade wind. The 3 first of these Observations were made by Mr. Green, and the 2 last by myself. Wind East-South-East, South; course South by West; distance 132 miles; latitude 12 degrees 48 minutes South, longitude 32 degrees 20 minutes West per Observation.
Thursday, 3rd. A Fresh Trade wind and fair weather. Variation per Azimuth this Evening 0 degrees 47 minutes East, and at a little past 9 a.m. longitude in per sun and moon 33 degrees 0 minutes West of Greenwich. Wind East by South-East; course South 15 degrees West; distance 128 miles; latitude 14 degrees 51 minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 7 minutes West.
Friday, 4th. A Steady Gale and fair weather. P.M. Variation per Azimuth 1 degree 29 minutes West, ditto 1 degree 28 minutes West, and by the Amplitude 1 degree 12 minutes West; mean 1 degree 23 minutes West, by which it appears that we have again Crossed the Line of no Variation. At 1/2 past 9 a.m. the longitude of the Ship, per Observation of the sun and moon, 33 degrees 26 minutes 30 seconds. Wind East by South; course South 19 degrees 30 minutes West; distance 125 miles; latitude 16 degrees 49 minutes South, longitude 33 degrees 37 minutes West.
Saturday, 5th. Fine pleasant weather. Variation per Azimuth this morning 3 degrees 21 minutes East, which makes me Doubtful of
the Variation found yesterday, tho' at the time I had not the least room to doubt of the Accuracy of the Observations. Longitude per
Observation 34 degrees 43 minutes 30 seconds West. Wind East to North-East; course South 30 degrees 35 minutes West; distance
109 miles; latitude 18 degrees 22 minutes South, longitude 34 degrees 50 minutes West.
Sunday, 6th. First and Latter part squally, with heavy Showers of rain; middle moderate and fair. I now determined to put into Rio de Janeiro in preferance to any other port in Brazil or Falkland Islands, for
