A Gentle breeze and Clear weather. With a moist air. Soon after sun Rise found the Variation of the Compass to be 2°.. 24' West being the mean result of sever^l very good Azimuths. this was just before we crossed the line in Longitude of 29°.. 29' West from Greenwich. We also try'd the Deping Needle belonging to the Royal Society and found the North point to dep 26° below the Horizon, but this instrument cannot be used at sea to a very _^ ^any great degree of accuracy on account of the motion of the Ship which hindors the Needle from resting. however as the Ship was pretty steady and by means of a swinging table I had made for that purpose we could be certain of the dep to two degrees at most. the observed Lat^.d and that by account nearly agrees.

Voyaging Accounts