the level readings varying with the altitude in quite an irregular manner. As a 

 result of this, observations of circumpolar stars for the determination of the azimuth 

 correction could not be made, since, at this altitude, the position of the telescope 

 prevented the use of the striding level. 



Considerable difficulty was experienced at all tunes owing to the low temperature 

 at which the observations were made (from 40 C. up) and owing to the almost con- 

 stant wind. Apart from the serious annoyance caused by the low temporal lire in freezing 

 the exposed parts of the observer, the difficulty of fogging of the lenses was met with 

 in its worst form, so that these had to be constantly scraped in order to remove the 

 hoar-frost due to the observer's breath. The amount of hoar-frost deposited was, of 

 course, aggravated by the telephone method used in taking the time of passage of the 

 star. 



For the time determinations, one observer (Dr. Simpson, Commander Evans or 

 Mr. Debenham) stood in the chronometer corner and, as the star became due, counted 

 into the telephone the seconds indicated by " S.C.," so that these were heard properly 

 numbered in the other telephone outside. (Plate 2.) The observer outside (hearing at the 

 same time the beats of the clock in the telephone) had to pick up the seconds and, in 

 order to be assured of the correct numbers, had to count a few aloud and then carry on 

 with the counting mentally. If the numbers counted were incorrect, he was interrupted 

 by the voice from the other end giving the correct numbers again. The time of passage 

 of the star across the different wires was estimated from the apparent position of 

 the star at the half- seconds preceding and following the actual transit of the star. The 

 second and estimated fraction of a second were spoken through the telephone to the 

 observer at the clock and put down by him. The same process was repeated for 

 the transit over succeeding wires. 



As the hoar-frost from the breath accumulated in the mouth-piece and ear-piece 

 of the telephone and clogged it up, it became necessary as time went on to use more 

 and more breath to make oneself heard, resulting in the formation of still more hoar- 

 frost. Finally, on one occasion, such force of lung had to be used that the voice outside 

 was distinctly heard inside the hut above the hum of conversation but not through 

 the medium of the telephone. 



As, during the course of pendulum swings, it is impossible to stop the observations, 

 amusing incidents occasionally occurred, as was the case on a certain Sunday when the 

 singing of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" was punctuated by the statement that " twenty- 

 one, twenty-two, twenty-three " from the man stationed at the clock, and remark's 

 (not audible to the church-goers) about the wind and weather from the observer at the 

 transit instrument. 



The pillar on which the transit instrument stood was a case 14 inches square and 

 4 feet high, open at the bottom and filled with a mixture of sand and water frozen into 

 a solid mass, itself frozen to the ground. At the bottom it was banked by a similar 

 frozen cement. To the top of this was screwed a heavy oak block, o inches wide, 

 2-| inches thick and 18 inches long, and to this again was screwed the standard of the 



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