NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Transcript Of Worsleys Navigational Log Book
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2017 Feb 7, 22:54 -0500
On Tue, Feb 7, 2017 at 2:48 PM, Brad Morris <NoReply_Morris@fer3.com> wrote:
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2017 Feb 7, 22:54 -0500
Elephant Island is mentioned in March 1839 By Charles Wilkes (US Exploring Expedition). According to him, Cape Belsham was the eastern most point.
' On the 6th of March the wind shifted to the northward with snow.
On the 7th while making all way to the northward the fog lifted and high land was reported within a short distance of us. A few moments more and we should have been wrecked. This proved to be Elephant Island. We found from its position that we had been set upwards of fifty miles to the eastward in the last four days by the current. We passed to leeward of it. The sea was too high to attempt a landing. In the afternoon it cleared and from our observations we found Cape Belsham, its eastern point ,well placed. We passed between it and Cornwallis Island. The Seal Rocks were also seen and observed upon.'
' On the 6th of March the wind shifted to the northward with snow.
On the 7th while making all way to the northward the fog lifted and high land was reported within a short distance of us. A few moments more and we should have been wrecked. This proved to be Elephant Island. We found from its position that we had been set upwards of fifty miles to the eastward in the last four days by the current. We passed to leeward of it. The sea was too high to attempt a landing. In the afternoon it cleared and from our observations we found Cape Belsham, its eastern point ,well placed. We passed between it and Cornwallis Island. The Seal Rocks were also seen and observed upon.'
Don Seltzer
On Tue, Feb 7, 2017 at 2:48 PM, Brad Morris <NoReply_Morris@fer3.com> wrote:
RobinGeorge and I thought that the epitome referenced was the "Ethiopic of the South Atlantic" because of the direct mention of Cape Belsham on Elephant Island. In light of the latest discovery of the designation of the points, I cannot be so sure anymore. The Cape Belsham designated by Worsley is not the northern most point, nor does the latitude and longitude match that given in the Ethiopic.And yet there it is all the same. The name appears and is given much weight by Worsley. I have found no other references to Cape Belsham, other than the Ethiopic.
