Bounty Islands Solander Islands. Captain William Bligh discovered the Bounty Islands en route from Spithead to Tahiti in 1788 and named them after his ship, HMS "Bounty", just months before the famous mutiny. The location of the islands were only roughly marked on charts. In early 1866 Commander W. H. Norman of HMCS Victoria was tasked with determining more accurately their position. He reported them as being latitude 47ˈ50 South and longitude 179ˈ00 East. Captain George Palmer, during the search for the "Matoaka" placed the islands at 47ˈ46ˈ24 South 178ˈ56ˈ45 East. Palmer also annexed the islands for New Zealand. During the 19th
Azimuth compass an azimuth compass designed by Gowin Knight to Joseph Banks for the voyage of HMS "Resolution" commanded by Captain James Cook in 1772. The instrument cost ₤80.0.0. On 6 February 1808 the American sealer "Topaz", commanded by Captain Mayhew Folger, arrived at Pitcairn Island to take on fresh water. There he found thirty five survivors of the Mutiny on the Bounty led by John Adams, who gave Folger the HMS "Bounty"'s azimuth compass and chronometer. Azimuth compass An azimuth compass (or azimuthal compass) is a nautical instrument used to measure the magnetic azimuth, the angle of the arc on the