Como curiosidad, este relato del encuentro de Cook con otros dos capitanes, Chevalier de Borda y alguien al que llama Varila, que no es otro que el Capitán de Fragata de la Real Armada José Várela y Ulloa, que acompaña a la expedición francesa de Chevalier de Borda, al mando de la Boussole y L'espiegle, para el levantamiento de cartas de Canarias y costa oeste de Africa. Esto fue en 1776. En 1778 Varela hara el "Derrotero y Descripción de las Isla Canarias ".
Se veian en estos trabajos un espiritu más sistematico. Aqui un trabajo subido a Researchgate sobre este proyecto.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=9e65b...QV8xNzgw&ntb=1 "La carta nautica de las Islas Canarias del caballero de Borda. Otro dato curioso es que Varela le hablaba de las coordenadas pero según Paris, y Cook las comparaba con las tomadas según Greenwich (viene al caso)
A lo que iba, Cook y De Borda y Varela intercambian datos sobre la longitud, a traves de las tomas de datos de los relojes que tenían. Mas o menos parece que coincidian. que yo aquí ya me pierdo. Por lo visto tenían un reloj en el barco y otro en el muelle y cada mediodia combrobaban si iban igual mediante señales, o algo así, (ya digo que me pierdo) y esos datos se los ofrecieron a Cook para que constrastaran, cosa que alabo Mrs. Cook
Pongo el texto y si interesa que traduzca google o algún otro traductor.
Copie y pegue pero tuve que corregir mucho texto pues no reconocia muchas letras. (libro viejo).
VIAJE AL OCEANO PACIFICO
Llevado a cabo por orden de su majestad
Para hacer descubrimientos en el hemisferio norte para determinar
posición y extensión del lado oeste de America su distancia de Asia y
la posibilidad de un paso por el Norte hacia Europa.
Llevado a cabo bajo la dirección de los capitanes Cook, Clerke and Gore
En los barcos de su majestad el Resolution y el Discovery en los años 1776 -1778-1779-1780
EN TRES VOLUMENES
VOL. I
CHAPTER II
Passage of the Resolution to Teneriffe.—Reception there.—Description of Santa Cruz Road.---Refreshments to be met with.—
Observations for fixing the Longitude of Teneriffe.—Some Account of the Island.—Botanical Observations.--- Cities of Santa Cruz and Laguna.—Agriculture.---Air and
Climate.—Commerce.---Inhabitants
The Chevalier de Borda, Commander of the French frigate now lying in Santa Cruz road, was
employed, in conjunction with Mr. Varila, a Spanish Gentleman, in making astronomical observations
for ascertaining the going of two time-keepers which they had on board their ship. For this purpouse,
they had a tent pitched on the pier head, where they made their observations, and compared
their watches, every day at noon, with the clock on shore, by signals. These signals the Chevalier
very obligingly communicated to us for that we could compare our watch at the same time. But
our stay was too short, to profit much by his kindness.
The three days comparisons which we made, asured us that the watch had not materially, if at
all, altered her rate of going ; and gave us the same longitude, within a very few seconds, that
was obtained by finding the time from observations of the sun's altitude from the horizon of the sea.
The watch, from a mean of these observations, on the 1ft, 2d, and 3d of August, made the longi-
tude 16º 31' West; and in like manner, the latitude was found to be 28º 30' 1 1" North.
Mr. Varila informed us, that the true longitude
was 18º35' 3" , from Paris, which is only 16º 16" 30'' from Greenwich less than what our
watch have by 14' 30", But, far from looking upon this as an error in the watch, I rather think
it a confirmation of its having gone well ; and that the longitude by it may be 'nearer the truth than
any other. It is farther confirmed by the lunar observations that we made in the road, which gave
16º 37' 10". Those made before we arrived, and reduced to the road by the watch, gave 16º 33'
30": and those made after we left it, and reduced back in the same manner, gave 16º 28'.
the mean of the three is 16º 30' 40".
To reduce these several longitudes, and the latitude, to the Pic of Teneriffe, one of the most
noted points of land with Geographers (to obtain the true situation of which, I have entered into
this particular discussion), I had recourse to the bearing, and a few hours of the ship's run after
leaving Santa Cruz road; and found it to be 12' 11" South of the road, and 29' 30" of longitude
West of it. As the base, which helped to determine this, was partly estimated, it is liable to some
error; but I think I cannot be much mistaked.
Dr. Maskelyne, in his British Marinner's Guide places the Pic in the latitude of 28º 12' 54"
This, with the bearing from the road will give the difference of longitude 43', which considerably
exceeds the distance they reckon the Pic to be from Santa Cruz. I made the latitude of the
Pic to be 28" 18' North. Upon that suppositions its longitude will be as follows:
By The Time-keeper - ----17º 0' 30"
Lunar obfervations - --16º 30' 20" West
Mr. Varila - - -----------16º 46' 0"
But if the latitude of it is 28º 12' 54", as in the British Mariner's Guide its longitude will be 13'
30" more westerly.
The variation, when we were at the anchor in the road, by the mean of all our compasses, was found
to be 14" 41' 20" West. The dip of the North end of the needle was 61º 52' 30".
Some of Mr. Anderson's remarks on the natural appearances of Teneriffe and productions ; and
what he observed himself, or learnt by information, about the general state of the island, will be of use,
particularly in marking what changes may have happened there since Mr. Glas visited it.
Lo del ingles a veces se me escapa, una cosa curiosa es que usaban la misma palabra "Road" para designar el puerto de tenerife, la bahia más bien, y que traducimos como "Rada", y para designar la carretera que los llevaba hacia la ciudad de La Laguna. cosas curiosas.
Y que "Timekeepers" son cronometros.