Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

PLAN OF VOYAGE. S3 *' From Tahiti the Beagle should proceed to Port Jackson touching at some of the intervening islands, in order to divide the run into judicious chronometer stages ; for the observatory at Paramatta (Port Jackson) being absolutely determined in longitude, all those intervening islands will become standard points to which future casual voyagers will be able to refer their discoveries or correct their chronometers. " From Port Jackson her course will depend on tlie time of the year. If it be made by the southward, she might touch at Hobart Town, King George Sound, and Swan River, to determine the difference of longitude from thence to the Mau- ritius, avoiding the hurricane months ; to Table or Simon's Bay, according to the season ; to St. Helena, Ascension, and home. " If she should have to quit Port Jackson about the middle of the year, her passage must be made through Torres Strait. In her way thither, if the in-shore route be adopted, there are several places whose positions it will be advantageous to determine : — Moreton Bay, Port Bowen, Cape Flinders, and one of the Prince of Wales Islands ; and in pursuing her way towards the Indian Ocean, unless the wind should hang to the southward, Cape Valsche or the south-west extreme of New Guinea, one of the Serwatty Chain, Coupang, or the extreme of Timor, Rotte Island, and one of the extremes of Sandal- wood Island, may be easily determined without much loss of time. And, perhaps, in crossing the ocean, if circumstances are favourable, she might look at the Keeling Islands, and settle their position. " Having now enumerated the principal places at which the Beagle should be directed to touch in her circuit of the globe, and described the leading operations which it would be desir- able to effect, it remains to make some general remarks on the conduct of the whole survey. " In such multiplied employments as must fall to the share of each officer, there will be no time to waste on elaborate draw- ings. Plain, distinct roughs, every where accompanied by explanatory notes, and on a sufficiently large scale to show the VOL. II. D