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Coast of Terra del Fuego
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Coast of Terra del Fuego (continued)
to the SE point of Hermites of Hermites Islands is SWBS. distant 3 Leags these Islands lay S.E. and N.W. and are pritty high, and will from most points of View be taken for one Island, or a part of the main- From the S.E point of Hermites Isles to Cape Horn the Course is SWBS. diste 3 Leagues-- the appearence of this Cape and Hermites Islands is represented in the last View in the Chart which I have drawn of this Coast from our first making the land unto Cape Horn in which is included Strait Le Maire and part of Staten land. In this Chart I have laid down no land nor figure'd out any shore but what I saw my self. and thus far the Chart may be depented upon. the Bay and inlets are left void the openings of which we only see from the Ship it cannot be doubted but what there is Anchorage ^ Wood and water in those ^ bays and it must have been in some of them that the Dutch Squadron Commanded by Hermite put into in the year 1624, It was the Vice Admiral Chapenham of this Squadron, who first discover'd that the land of Cape Horn was composed ^ consisted of a number of Islands, but the Account they have given of those parts is very short and imperfect and that of Schouton and Le Maire still worse. that it is no wonder that the Charts hitherto published should be found incorrect, not only in laying down the land but in the Latitude and Longitude of the places they contain; but I can now venter to assert that the Longitude of few parts of the World are better assertain'd then that of Strait Le Maire and Cape Horn be found ^ being determined by several observations of the Sun and Moon, made both by my self and Mr Green the Astronomer. —
We found the Variation of the Compass on this Coast to be from 23° to 25° East, except near Barnivelts Islands and Cape Horn where we found it less and unsittled: it is likly that it is here disturbed by the land as the Duch Squadron before mentioned found in this very place all their Compasses to differ from
© Transcribed from National Library of Australia Manuscript 1 page 33, 2004
Published by South Seas
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/cook_remarks-008
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