THE BRITISH ECLIPSE EXPEDITION 593 



The writer was able to land from a small boat on the other 

 side of the Island when the mails were landed, but Mr. Melotte 

 and the instruments had to remain lon board for nearly two 

 weeks until there was a change of weather. During that 

 time I was able to get the foundation prepared for the instru- 

 ment. The site chosen was at the south end of the Island. 

 A new quarry is just being opened there, and a railway has 

 been constructed across the Island to bring the phosphate into 

 the settlement. But for this railway, it would not have been 

 possible for the instruments to have been erected there, as 

 the Island is very densely covered with jungle. The telescope 

 was erected just at the terminus of the railway, on a terrace 

 which had been levelled in preparation for the erection of 

 coolie lines. The pier for the telescope was built up from 

 the solid limestone rock, so as to give a perfectly stable founda- 

 tion, and was constructed of lumps of limestone, cemented 

 together with concrete. 



As the expedition was remaining for about six months on 

 the Island, it was necessary to have a more substantial housing 

 for the telescope than is customary on eclipse expeditions. 

 A house had been designed by me before leaving home, and this 

 was kindly erected for us by the Company. It consisted of a 

 wooden framework covered with corrugated iron. The total 

 area was 40 by 20 ft. The observatory proper had an area 

 of 20 ft. square. To east and west of it were two rooms each 

 of 20 by 10 ft., which served respectively as a living-room and 

 a dark-room. The central portion of the roof was constructed 

 to slide back in two halves to east and west, running on rails 

 with double-flanged wheels over the two rooms previously 

 mentioned. The roof was moved by means of cables wound 

 twice round double-flanged wheels, and could be opened 

 without difficulty by one person. The walls of the house were 

 12 ft. 6 in. high and afforded considerable protection against 

 the wind, which in general was fairly strong. 



The erection of the telescope proceeded without hitch. We 

 were assisted by Chinese coolies who worked splendidly. The 

 manner in which they lifted heavy parts weighing several 

 hundredweights by man-handling, which we would ourselves 

 have lifted with shear legs and tackle, was surprising. The 

 only difficulty arose, before the observing house was completed, 

 from the innate curiosity of the Chinese. They cannot resist 

 the temptation to abstract any small piece of brass, etc., 

 which they can detach. This they regard as a good " joss." 

 The difficulty was overcome by warning them that the tele- 

 scope took photographs, and if any of them were to touch 

 it, it would take a photograph of them and they would be 

 detected. Thereafter it was left severely alone. 



