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.
- -.•l.
i '!■ ■Mm
