Departure from Simon fi Bay. 259 



During our stay at Simon's Town, we also experimented with 

 our astronomical instruments, which, at our next station, St. 

 Paul's Island, were to be brought fully into requisition for the 

 first time. On this occasion, as on manv others, the unfailinof 

 courtesy and kindness of the renowned astronomer and di- 

 rector of the Observatory of Cape Town, Mr. Thomas Maclear, 

 assisted us most materially in the observations for comparison 

 with our own physical instruments. 



On the morning of the 26th October it fell calm, changing 

 to variable breezes and light puffs of wind, that made it 

 doubtful whether we could sail that day, as we needed a catspaw 

 from the West in order to weigh anchor. From the English 

 line of battle-ship Boscawen, there floated across the bay as 

 we worked out, the Austrian National Anthem, played as a 

 farewell — a graceful mark of recognition — which was replied to 

 by our band performing the sister hymn, " God Save the 

 Queen." 



We steered between Noah's Ark and Roman Rock, coasting 

 along till we made Whittle Rock, but the wind shifting, we 

 were, ere long, compelled to tack. Had we not seized the 

 favourable moment to get away, it would, a couple of hours 

 later, have been impossible to put to sea, as the wind sprang up 

 from the S.E. and blew fresh. Towards sundown, the sky 

 cleared up, and we once more caught sight of the serrated out- 

 line of the southernmost point, with its desolate, worn, hollowed- 

 out, rocky masses, which, however, with the souvenirs of the 

 hearty reception that had been accorded us in Cape Town 



s 2 



