Relurn of f lie Discovsri/ Ships. 333 



that the Moon was now, and would for the next three or foi?r 

 years continue to be, in such a position with respect to lier nodes, 

 as to pass over the Pleiades every lunation, thus affording a fa- 

 vourable opportunity of observing- the occultation of those stars. 

 A map of the Pleiades was exliibited, on which the apparent 

 place of the moon, across that remarkable cluster, was laid down, 

 for those particular days when it will be most interesting to the 

 observer. — Some valuable tables were presented by Mr. Groom- 

 bridge, on the method of reducing observations of the fixed stars ; 

 accompanied with instructions for the use of the same. — A com- 

 munication was made by M.Gauss, of GiJttingen, respecting a 

 new repeating circle which had been fixed up in the observatory 

 of that place. This circle was made by Reichenbach, of Munich. 

 The telescope is attached to an axis, each end of which rests on 

 a stone pier, similar to a transit instrument: and it is capable of 

 being reversed in the same manner as that instrument. To the 

 axis is annexed a. fixed circle, three feet in diameter; and also 

 a moveahlc circle bearing the level and verniers, by means of 

 which the repeating principle is obtained. The telescope is five 

 feet focal length ; and so powerful that M. Gauss states that he 

 has observed the pole-star, by reflection in water, when nearly 

 on the meridian at mid-dav. Several observations of stars, with 

 this instrument, accompanied the communication. 



LXIII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



RETURN OF THE DISCOVERY SHIPS. 



X HE general anxiety that was felt for the safety of His Majesty's 

 ship Hecla and theCiriper gun-brig, employed on a voyage of dis- 

 covery in the Arctic Seas, has been at length happily relieved by 

 the return of these vessels alter an absence of eighteen months. 

 The particulars of their vovage will no doubt be given to the 

 public with all possible expedition. In the mean time we give 

 a place to the following letters : 



" Griper, at Sea, 22d September, 1820. 

 " Lat. 68. U7i— Long. 6U. 00. \V. liafliii's-Bay. 



" I am quite well, and have enjoyed perfect health all the 

 voyage, although it has been a hard fagging piece of service for 

 all hands. 



" After having encountered the usual delays of an icy sea, and 

 got through the ice in Baffin's Bay, by the first week of August 

 IS 19, we got into Lancaster Sound; by the second week we got 

 bevond where the ships had been in the former voyage (they 

 having reached 82 dcg. or S.'} deg. W. and were stoj)ped Inland). 



V\'e 



