On the Magnet — Book IV. Chap. 20.

William Gilbert (1544–1603)

Exported from Wikisource on October 28, 2024

CHAP. XX.

Variation in the Eastern Ocean.

ARIATION in the Eastern Ocean throughout the whole voyage to Goa and the Moluccas is observed by the Portuguese; but they err greatly in many things, following, as they do, the first observers who note down variations in certain places with ill-adapted instruments, and by no means accurate observations, or by some conjectures. As, for instance, in Brandöe Island, they make the versorium deviate by 22 degrees to the north-west. For in no region or place in the whole world, of not greater latitude, is there so great a deviation; and, in reality, there the deviation is slight. Also when they make out that at Mosambique the compass deviates by one rumbe to the north-west, it is false; even though they use (as they are accustomed to do) the Portuguese compass: for beyond all doubt on the shore of Mosambique the versorium inclines

1

4
rumbe or even more to the south-west. Very wrongly also beyond the æquator in the course to Goa they make the little compass incline by 1

1

2
rumbe to the west: whereas they should rather have said that in the first part of the course the Portuguese compass inclines by 1 rumbe: but that the true meridional compass inclines by

1

2
rumbe only. In order that the amount of variation in the Eastern Ocean may be accurately settled in most places by our rules, there is needed a more exact and truer survey of the southern land, which spreads out from the south to the æquinoctial more than is commonly described on maps and globes.

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Table of Contents

Title page

On the Magnet — Book IV. Chap. 20.

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