Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/67

  

IV.—On the Vigia called the Aitkins' Rock. By Captain A.T.E. Vidal, R.N. Read the 15th of December, 1830.

the numerous vigias dispersed over the North Atlantic Ocean, not one has perhaps excited so much apprehension, or been the subject of such frequent inquiry, as that denominated Aitkins' Rock. It is said to lie off the north-west coast of Ireland, immediately in the track of vessels trading from the westward to our northern ports; and the various positions assigned to it range from the latitude of 55° to 55° 18′ N., and from longitude 9° 38′ to 14° W.

The first notice of this supposed danger was communicated from Whitehaven on the 12th September, 1740. It states, 'that on the 15th July last, at seven o'clock at night, on our passage from Virginia, in the Friendship of Ayr, John Aitkins, master, James Lockhart, mate, saw, by the weather-leech of our foresail, a rock about four feet under water, distant, to the best of our judgment, forty or fifty yards. Our ship was running E. by S., under a reefed foresail, at the rate of six knots per hour. The wind was N.N.W., with a heavy swell from the N.W. All hands were on deck, and saw it plainly. Next morning, we made the land between Inishterhol and Tory Island, at about eight o'clock; and at noon the Mouth of Derry Loch bore S.W. by S. ten leagues, Isla at the same time being E. by S. six leagues. From these bearings, I find the rock lies in latitude 55° 18′ N., and longitude, from the meridian of London, 11° 14′ W. At the time we saw the said rock it was an hour's ebb.'

Secondly.—In Weir's History of Greenock, amongst the occurrences of the year, we read—'September 4th, 1766.—The accounts we had formerly from Captain Aitkins are confirmed by Captain Dunlop of the Bogle, who arrived this day from Virginia, and gives the following account:—

'On the 29th ult., about four, we fell in with a small rock, bearing north one quarter of a mile distant. We were then sixty leagues west of Tilling Head, on the north-west coast of Ireland. Its top was rugged, and about the length of the ship's keel, and appeared seven or eight feet above water. By