8 Life and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch. 
anecdote which is contained in the fourth volume of Baron von — 
Zach’s “ Correspondance Astronomique,”’ page 62. The Baron — 
is relating the sensation caused at Genoa, by the arrival there, in 
1817, of that splendid packet, the “Cleopatra’s Barge,” owned — 
by George Crowninshield, Esq. of Salem. He says that he went — 
on board with all the world, “and it happened,” to use his own — 
words, “ that in inquiring after my friends and correspondents at — 
Philadelphia and Boston, I mentioned, among others, the name of 
Mr. Bowditch. ‘He isa friend of our family and our neighbor 
at Salem,’ replied the captain, a smart, little eld man, ‘and that — 
young man whom you see there, my son, was his pupil; in fact, 
it is he, and not myself, who navigates the ship. Question him 
a little, and see if he has learnt any thing.’ Our dialogue was as 
follow —‘ You have had an excellent teacher of navigation, 
young man; and you could not well help being a good scholar. 
In making ae Straits of Gibraltar, what was the error in your 
reckoning ? ” The young man replied, ‘Six miles.’~ ‘ You must 
then have got your longitude very accurately ; how did you get 
2-5 First by our chronometers, and afterwards by lunar distan- 
ces.’ ‘What! do you know how to take and calculate the lon- 
gitude by lunar distances?? The young captain seemed some- 
what nettled at my nee and nahi me wis a mine 
smile— J 
can do that? Sabor = coer cane owner of the ship te 
the old captain assured tnethat the cook.on board could calculate 
the longitude very well, that he hada taste and passion for it, and 
did it every day. ‘There he is,’ said the young man, pointing 
with his finger to a negro at the stern of the ship, with a white 
apron before him, and holding achicken in one hand anda butch- _ 
er’s knife in the other. ‘Come forward, Jack,’ said the eaptain 
to him ; ‘the gentleman is surprised that you ean calculate the 
longitude; answer his questions.’ . I asked him, ‘ What method 
do you use to calculate the longitude ‘by lunar sincatioan? ? His 
answer was, ‘ It’s < one to me: I use the methods of Maskelyne, 
Lyons, Witchel Bowditch; but, upon the whole, I prefer 
mt 
I could ica mcepeces my surprise at hearing this black face talk in 
» with his excess chicken and knife in his hand. ‘Go,’ 
S| sod him, ‘ om — oes ons a 
used to it, and can work with it quicker.’ 
