1801.
October.
Saturday 17.
sand, from the hills on the north side of Simon's Bay. I went, accordingly, to make an examination; and found that by sinking a cask in the sand, with the head out and the upper hoops taken off, the water drained through the spaces between the staves, sufficiently fast for our purpose. This plan was therefore adopted; and the watering of the ship immediately commenced.
Having seen this, and some other duties set forward under the proper officers, I accompanied Mr. Crosley, the astronomer, in search of a place where the observatory and tents could be conveniently set up. The situation chosen was near a small rill on the south side of the bay, about three-hundred yards from the magazine; and the permission of the military commandant being obtained, two tents, the observatory, and astronomical instruments were landed in the afternoon, with a guard of marines. The whole was placed under the charge of Mr. Flinders, the second lieutenant, who was also to act as an assistant in making and calculating the observations, for which he was qualified. The situation of the tents was tolerably well sheltered from the south-eastern gales, which begin to prevail at this season of the year; but the quantity of sand put in motion by every breeze, was a great molestation, and proved injurious to the instruments. Besides this inconvenience, there was another attached to the situation which had not been foreseen. The road from Simon's Town to a place called the Company's garden, led close past the observatory; and this was the sole ride or walk in the neighbourhood, which the inhabitants and the gentlemen belonging to the ships in the bay could enjoy. From those of the first rank, who took their morning's ride, to the sailor who staggered past on a Sunday, and even the slave with his bundle of fire wood, all stopped at the observatory to see what was going on. Ramsden's universal theodolite, set up for the purpose of observing transits, excited its share of attention from the curious. Some wanted information, some amusement, and all would have liked to see how the sun appeared through the telescope.
