An account of several late voyages and discoveries

to the Streights of Magellan. 105 Dece1nher 18. 1670. This Evening I took the Sun's Amplitudc with my Compafs, and I hada good O~fervation_. I find the Variation of the Compafs to be e1ght Degrecs ten Minutes Ea– fterly. I do much reafon with myfelf as to the Vari– ation, that i.: diffrrs fo much in thc fome Latirude, between the Eafi and W dl-fidc of the Land of Jlmerica ; for on the Eafi-fidc, as I failed in thc Laúcude ·of forty Dcgrecs, I found rhc Compafs to bJ.ve twenty Degrees Variation Eafi:crly, by fo•eral good Obfrrvations, which I took with the (ame Infrrument as I now do ufe, which is a large Jlzünuth Compais ; and hcre I find but eight Dc– grccs and ten Minutes V.triation ; and it is but cight Degrccs ofLongitudemore W cfterly in the ame Parallcl, diffcring bctween chefe ObfervJ.– ·ons, and the difference of Variation. I find che Land to be but Onc hundred and wcnty fivc Leagues broad, from che Eafr-fide to he\V efr-fidc, in the L:ititudc of forty Degrees uch of the Equinoél:ial; certainl y the attraétive uality of the Magnet mufr be vcry powcrful in e Eaftern Part of the Land, more than in thc eílern, which caufeth the diftercnce ; yct I ad~ ire, being on both Sides of the Land, thc Com– fs fhould always havc the famc Var:iation frerly. I was of the Opinion chat the Varia– nwould have heen W efrerly on theW eft.. fide, being Eaftcrly on the Eafr-fide ; but I find e contrJry by Experiencc ; thercfore I believc ac che attr:...étive (@ality is not much in thi~ . eof ArµeriL·il, but in fome other Pare more tQ