Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/256

30 steered in the parallel of the island. Next day at noon, our situation was in 0° 22′ south and 20° 5′ west; and seeing no land, nor any signs of being in its neighbourhood, I gave up the search after the island, and hauled south-westward on our way to the Cape of Good Hope.

In the morning, I had observed the variation with Walker's meridional compass, when the ship's head was W. by N. (magnetic); upon the binnacle it gave 14° 30′, and on the booms 13° 0′ west. Thus the difference, arising from a change of place in the compass, appeared to diminish sensibly as we approached the magnetic equator. The true variation I judge to have been 13° 11′ west.

During the two nights of our search for St. Paul's, the quantity of sail was so reduced that not more than ten or twelve leagues should be passed between dusk and daylight; by which means the view astern, in the morning, nearly reached to the horizon of the preceding evening, and any thing, a little elevated above the surface of the water, could scarcely escape being seen from the mast head, more especially as we were fortunate in having distinct views towards each setting and rising sun. The look-out, also, was particularly attended to; for at this time was commenced the system which, in all similar cases, I intended to pursue throughout the voyage. A part of this plan was an order to the three warrant officers to take charge of the look-out betwixt dark and daylight, and to be answerable for the vigilance with which it should be executed, both in their own persons, and in those who were placed upon the same duty under them. The leisure usually enjoyed by this class of officers, particularly by the gunner and carpenter, I conceived to admit of this abridgment, without injury to their ordinary sea duties.

I had twice before crossed the equator, at the respective distances of twenty-six and seventy-three miles to the west of where our search for the Isle of St. Paul ceased; and Mr. Thistle, the master, had crossed the parallel of 25′ south, in longitude 22° 12′, a few months