Mediterranean Sea is extended toward the west
from that meridian, so on the side {181} toward the east the Mediterranean
Sea lies open as far as Palestine; as toward North and East lie open the
whole Archipelago and the neighbouring Black Sea. From the Peloponnesus
toward the north pole the meridian passes through the largest and most
elevated regions of all Europe; through Achaia, Macedonia, Hungary,
Transylvania, Lithuania, Novogardia, Corelia and Biarmia.

* * * * *

CHAP. XIX.

The variation in the interior of large
_Continents_.

Most of the great seas have great variations; in some parts, however, they
have none, but the true directions are toward the pole. On continents,
also, the magnetick needle often deviates from the meridian, as on the edge
of the land and near the borders; but it is generally accustomed to deviate
by a somewhat small arc. In the middle, however, of great regions there are
no variations. Hence in the middle lands of Upper Europe, in the interior
of Asia, and in the heart of Africa, of Peru, and in the regions of North
or Mexican America, the versorium rests in the meridian.

* * * * *

CHAP. XX.

Variation in the Eastern Ocean.

Variation in the Eastern Ocean throughout the whole voyage to Goa and the
Moluccas is observed by the Portuguese; but they err greatly in many
things, following, as they do, the first observers who note down variations
in certain places with ill-adapted instruments, and by no means accurate
observations, or by some conjectures. As, for instance, in Brandoee Island,
they make the versorium deviate by 22 degrees to the north-west. For in no
region or place in the whole world, of not greater latitude, is there so
great a deviation; and, in reality, there the deviation is slight. Also
when they make out that at Mosambique the compass deviates by one rumbe to
the north-west, it is false; even though they use (as they are accustomed
to do) the Portuguese compass: for beyond all doubt on the shore of {182}
Mosambique the versorium inclines 1/4 rumbe or even more to the south-west.
Very wrongly also beyond the aequator in the course to Goa they make the
little compass incline by 1-1/2 rumbe to the west: whereas they should
rather have said that in the first part of the course the Portuguese
compass inclines by 1 rumbe: but that the true meridional compass inclines
by 1/2 rumbe only. In order that the