In the days of sail it was virtually impossible to steer a course accurately to within a degree. As a result the compass was divided into thirty two equal “points”, each 11¼° wide. The four major points, namely north, south, east and west, are referred to as the four cardinal points of the compass. The following diagram shows how the compass was divided and what each point was called:

Starting from North, the points were named clockwise as follows:
North.
North by east.
North north east.
North east by north
North east.
North east by east.
East north east.
East by north.
East.
East by south.
East south east.
South east by east.
South east.
South east by south.
South south east.
South by east.
South.
South by west.
South south west.
South west by south.
South west.
South west by west.
West south west.
West by south.
West.
West by north.
West north west.
North west by west.
North west.
North west by north.
North north west.
North by west.