fathoms, about midway on its eastern side, latitude 38 degrees 42
minutes, and is in every way preferable to the spot chosen for that
purpose by Vlaming in 1764, on the south-east side of Amsterdam, where
landing is never very easy, and generally quite impracticable.

ST. PAUL'S.

The well ascertained fact, that water is found in abundance at St.
Paul's, leads to a very fair inference, that in this humid atmosphere,
and with a much greater elevation, the same essential commodity may be
met with at Amsterdam; but certainly at St. Paul's, and most probably at
Amsterdam, the rugged nature of the travelling over these volcanic
islands, would render useless any attempt to water a ship.

The following table, though it may not possess much interest for the
general reader, will not be without its value in the eyes of my nautical
brethren: it shows the increase of variation since 1747:

COLUMN 1: SOURCE.
COLUMN 2: DATE A.D.
COLUMN 3: WESTERLY VARIATION.

From Horsburg's Directory : 1747 : 17 1/2.
From Horsburg's Directory : 1764 : 18 3/4.
From Horsburg's Directory : 1793: 20.
H.M.S. Beagle : 1837 : 21.

As these islands lie in the same meridian, the longitude given above of
Amsterdam, will equally apply to St. Paul's: they are admirably situated
for connecting the meridians of Africa and Australia. We lost sight of