Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/260

NO. 3. public. Therefore Captain Digges, Mr. Robison (who was the Gentleman sent along with me) and myself, agreed that nobody should know the account the Watch gave but ourselves, till we should be near making land. On the 10th of January, in the afternoon, I had a very good observation; and, according to the Watch, and supposing the wind to continue to blow as it then did, we should see the Island of Deseada next morning, about ten o'clock; and the Captain and I agreed that this afternoon (being the 10th) I should tell all the Officers where we were by the Watch, and that I expected to see the land next day. Accordingly I stated so, which very much surprised them; for, according to the nearest of their reckonings they were one hundred and fifty miles further from the Island than I was: but they did not at ail dispute my being right, I having already given them an instance of it at Madeira. Accordingly about half-past six o'clock in the morning of the 11th, we saw the land; which was only about three hours sooner than I expected. The correctness of the Watch amazed them very much.—[The Islands of Guadaloupe, Antigua, Montserrat, Rockdondo, Nevis and St. Christophers, Eustacia and Saba, Hispaniola and Albovato, are severally mentioned, with the dates on which they were in sight, but as it was not necessary to appeal to the Timekeeper, we pass on.] On the 18th, about twelve o'clock at noon, we saw the Island of Jamaica, and on the 19th, about five in the afternoon, we came to an anchor at Port Royal.

On the 20th we went on shore to fix on a proper place to make the observations for trying the correctness of the Watch; but it was the 26th before we got a proper place built up; when we got a good observation, and found that the Watch in all this time (that is, since the last observation at Portsmonth) had erred two minutes and thirty-six seconds, in ten weeks: