1826.] of the Length of the Pendulum at the Equator. 29^ 



immediately, and the party * embarked on the Morning Star on 

 the 13th of March, the instruments and baggage having bee« 

 sent on board the day before. 



The following brief Abstract of the Proceedings is founded upon 

 the Diaries kept at the Time, 



After a passage of thirty-four days, the Morning Star arrived 

 in Bencoolen Roads. On the 18th of April, the party landed at 

 Fort Malbro' with the instruments and baggage. Capt. Crisp 

 and his family were invited by Sir Stamford Raffles to reside at 

 the Government-House. The observers Messrs. Robinson and 

 Lawrence, and the conductor and sub-conductor, were accom- 

 modated with rooms in the lower story of the old Government- 

 House until the 1st of May, when they removed into tents about 

 200 feet north-east of the house. The Lascars obtained their 

 provisions from the public stores, paying for the same ; and the 

 Europeans their's from the Bazar. On the 20th of April, Messrs. 

 Robinson and Lawrence commenced the observations, accord- 

 ing to the instructions, which were continued during the stay of 

 the party at Bencoolen. On the 5th of May, at about ten 

 minutes past two, p. m. a violent and alarming shock of an 

 earthquake was felt ; it lasted some time, the motion was con- 

 siderable, attended by a noise, like that of the rushing of a 

 strong wind ; the old Government-House shook extremely, but 

 does not appear to have sustained much damage : some other 

 shocks were felt in the course of the afternoon, but not so 

 violent; the weather was clear, except to the northward over 

 the mountains, and a fresh north-west wind prevailed at the 

 time. On the 16th of May, Capt. Crisp, with Messrs. Robinson 

 and Lawrence, and the conductors, proceeded to Rat Island, 

 with the view of ascertaining its position. In the afternoon, the 

 party returned to Bencoolen, with the exception of Messrs. R. 

 and L. who remained, and took some meridian altitudes of stars 

 in the night, and bearings and angles of prominent points next 

 morning. In the afternoon they returned to Fort Marlbro', and 

 on the following day recommenced their observations. On the 

 24th of May, from a station on the turret of Fort Marlbro', about 

 60 feet above the level of the sea, Capt. Crisp and Mr. Lawrence 

 took bearings and angles of remarkable points on the lofty 

 ranges of mountains in the interior of Sumatra. On the 31st, 

 Captain Crisp and the observers proceeded to Pulo Bay, nine 

 or ten miles south-east of Fort Marlbro', where they arrived in 

 the afternoon ; here a base was measured, and some bearings 

 and angles of objects in the interior and prominent points of the 

 range of mountains taken; in the evening of the 1st of June> they 

 returned to Bencoolen. 



* The party consisted of Capt. Crisp, in command ; Messrs. John Robinson and 

 l*eter Lawrence, observers ; Mr. Hamilton, conductor of Stores } Mr. nannigan, sub- 

 inductor ; one second tifidal, and nine JLascars* 



