State Library of NSW
[Page 245]
241. April 1770. New South Wales
is here very small he says he has three times crossd the line of no variation & that at all those times as well as at this he has observd the Needle to be very unsteady moving very easily & scarce at all fixing this he shewd me he also told me that in several places he has been in the land had a very remarkable effect upon the variation as in the place we were now in at 1 or 2 Leagues distant from the shore the variation was 2 degrees less than at 8 Lgs distance.
24. The wind was unfavourable all day & the ship too far from the land for much to be seen 2 large fires however were seen & several smaller at night a little lightning to the Southward
25. Large fires were lighted this morn about 10 O'Clock we supposd that the gentlemen ashore had a plentifull breakfast to prepare The countrey tho in general well enough clothd appeard in some places bare it resembled in my imagination the back of a lean Cow coverd in general with long hair but nevertheless where her scraggy hip bones have stuck out farther than they ought from her body accidental rubbs & knocks have intirely bard them of their share of covering. in the even it was calm all the fires were put out about 5 O'Clock. several brown patches were
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