Page:Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World in the Years 1791–95, volume 1.djvu/309

Rh tine; which hae alllllal in fixing its longitude, as well as that of the exterior eoall of New Albion foulhward to cape Mendocino. A pari of tliis coalt, prior to our vifit, had been icen by different na- vigators, and tlic pofuion of certain head lands, capes, &c. given to the world. Several of thefe I have found myfelf under the neccflity of placing in different latitudes and longitudes, as well thofe feen by Cap- tain Cook, as others laid down by the different vifitors who have foUow- cfl him. This, howeer, I have not prefumed to do, from a confciouf- nefs of fuperior abilities as an aftronomer, or integrity as an hifforian ; but from the convitl;ion, that no one of my predeceffors had the good fortune to meet fo favorable an opportunity for the examination : under the happy circumftances of which I have been induced to affign, to the feveral conlpicuous head lands, points, &c. the pofitions afcertained by the refult of our feveral obfervations ; from which, as it evidently ap- peared that our chronometer had materially accelerated on its Otaheitean rate, it may not be unacceptable to ftate the mode I adopted for the correftion of that error. In our paffage towards, and during our ftay amongfl, the Sandwich iflands, the chronometer, agreeably to its Otaheitean rate, feemed to have been accurate to a fcrupulous degree of nicety ; but, by fome ob- fervations made prior to the 26th of march, it appeared to have devi- ated manifeflly from the truth. The obfervations made on that day were the mod remote ones I made ufe of on this occafion ; and, by the mean refult of all made fince in port Difcovery, inftead of the chrono- meter gaining at the rate of 4" 3"' per day only, it was fouud to be gain- ing 1 1" r^^"' per day ; and therefore, inftead of the allowance of the for- mer rate, from the 26ih of march to our arrival on the coaft, it was in- creafed to 8" per day : and from the 17th of april, 1 i"3o"' were allowed as the rate of the chronometer, for the purpofe of reducing all our ob- fervations from that period to our arrival in port Difcovery ; which medium, I trull will hereafter be found fully to anfwer my expefta- tions. The following will fere to exhibit the different obfervations made to eftablifh this point, comprehending two hundred and twenty fets of lunar diflances, each fet containing fix obfervations, taken by the feveral officers and gentlemen on board, as follow : Mr. 15 170-. Miv. i '!■ ■Mm
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