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

34 MEMOKAXDUJr, minutise of whatever knowledge has been acquired, will be documents of far greater value in this office, to be reduced or referred to, than highly finished plans, where accuracy is often sacrificed to beauty. " This applies particularly to the hills, which in general cost so much labour, and aie so often put in from fancy or from memory after the lapse of months, if not of years, instead of being projected while fresh in the mind, or while any incon- sistencies or errors may be rectified on the spot. A few strokes of a pen will denote the extent and direction of the several slopes much more distinctly than the brush, and if not worked up to make a picture, will really cost as little or less time. The in-shore sides of the hills, which cannot be seen from any of the stations, must always be mere guess-work, and should not be shown at all. " It should be considered an essential branch of a nautical survey, to give the perpendicular height of all remarkable hills and headlands. It requires but a single angle at each station, adds much to our geographical knowledge, materially assists the draftsman, and by tables which are now printing it will afford to the seaman a ready and exact means of knowing his distance. " All charts and plans should be accompanied by views of the land ; those which are to be attached to the former should be taken at such a distance as will enable a stranger to recognize the land, or to steer for a certain point ; and those best suited for tlie plan of a port should show the marks for avoiding dangers, for taking a leading course, or choosing an advanta- geous berth. In all cases the angular distances and the angular altitudes of the principal objects should be inserted in degrees and minutes on each of the views, by which means they can be projected by scale, so as to correct any want of precision in the eye of the draftsman. Such views cannot be too numerous they cost but a few moments, and are extremely satisfactory to all navigators. " Trifling as it may appear, the love of giving a multiplicity of new and unmeaning names tends to confuse our geogra-