six cens lieuës de chemin, sans changer de route: aprés quoy trouvant le vent favorable, il tira vers les costes d'Affrique, droit au Nord Nordest. Mais comme il eut fait sur ce Rhombe quatre à cinq cens lieuës, les Pilotes des trois navires qui estoient sous sa conduite, apprehendant de manquer d'eau, devant que d'arriver au lieu où ils pretendoient aller, luy proposerent d'aller faire equade aux Barbades. Sur cela ce Capitaine les ayant fait assembler, & fait apporter leur Journaux, ils se trouverent esloignez dans leur calcul de celuy de ce Capitaine, l'un de 80 lieuës; l'autre de 100 & l'autre de 120. car ce Capitaine jugeoit par les Pendules, qu'il n'estoit plus gueres esloigné que de 30 lieuës de l'Isle del Fuego, qui est une de celles du Cap-vert, que ces Pilotes estimoient encore fort loin.
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Et parce qu'il avoit une entiere confiance en ces horloges, il soûtint qu'il falloit continuer la route, & le lendemain matin cette Isle parut comme il avoit jugé qu'il devoit arriver.
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voetnoot1)
- Dans les Philos. Trans. No. 1, du 6 mars 1665, on trouve la traduction suivante de cette pièce; on y remarquera quelques variantes.
A Narrative concerning the success of Pendulum-Watches at Sea for the Longitudes.
The Relation lately made by Major Holmes, concerning the success of the Pendulum-Watches at Sea (two whereof were committed to his Care and Observation in his last voyage to Guiny by some of our Eminent Virtuosi, and Grand Promotors of Navigation) is as followeth;
The said Major having left that Coast, and, being come to the Isle of St. Thomas under the Line, accompanied with four Vessels, having there adjusted his Watches, put to Sea, and sailed Westward, seven or eight hundred Leagues, without changing his course; after which, finding the Wind favourable, he steered towards the Coast of Africk, North-North-East. But having sailed upon that Line a matter of two or three hundred Leagues, the Masters of the other Ships, under his Conduct, apprehending that they should want Water, before they could reach that Coast, did propose to him to steer their Course to the Barbadoes, to supply themselves with Water there. Whereupon the said Major, having called the Masters and Pilots together, and caused them to produce their Journals and Calculations, it was found, that those Pilots did differ in their reckonings from that of the Major, one of them eighty Leagues, another about an hundred, and the third, more; but the Major judging by his Pendul-Watches, that they were onely some thirty Leagues distant from the Isle of Fuego, which is one of the Isles of Cape Verd, and that they might reach it next day, and having a great confidence in the said Watches, resolved to steer their Course thither, and having given order so to do, they got the very next day about Noon, a sight of the said Isle of Fuego, finding themselves to sail directly upon it, and so arrived at it that Afternoon, as he had said. These Watches having been first Invented by the Excellent Mounsieur Christian Hugens of Zulichem, and fitted to go at Sea, by the Right Honourable, the Earl of Kincardin, both Fellows of the Royal Society, are now brought by a New addition to a wonderfull perfection. The said Monsieur Hugens, having been informed of the success of the Experiment, made by Major Holmes, wrote to a friend at Paris a Letter to this effect.
Suit la traduction anglaise de la Lettre de Chr. Huygens à J. Chapelain. Voir la Lettre No. 1324.
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Auteursrecht onbekend