HIS PART IN THE CIVIL WAR 169 



directly over the spot where the Bermuda Islands ought 

 to be! Commodore Maury told him that he could do 

 nothing for him before ten o'clock that night and advised 

 him to slow down. At ten o'clock the great scientist 

 and geographer went on deck and took observations, at 

 times lying flat on his back, sextant in hand, as he made 

 measurements of the stars. When he had finished his 

 calculations, he gave the captain a course and told him 

 that by steering it at a certain speed he would sight the 

 light at Port Hamilton by two o'clock in the morning. 

 No one turned into his bunk that night except the 

 Commodore and his little son; the rest of us were too 

 anxious. Four bells struck and no light was in sight. 

 Five minutes more passed and still not a sign of it ; then 

 grumbling commenced, and the passengers generally 

 agreed with the man who expressed the opinion that 

 there was too much d . . . . d science on board and that 

 we should all be on our way to Fort Lafayette in New 

 York Harbor as soon as day broke. At ten minutes 

 past two the masthead lookout sang out, 'Light ho!' — 

 and the learned old Commodore's reputation as a navi- 

 gator was saved ".^ 



Fortunately Commodore Wilkes's squadron, which 

 had been hovering about the islands and overhauling all 

 the ships that passed, had just departed and the 

 Herald made her way unmolested into the harbor. Here 

 Maury remained for more than two weeks, waiting for 

 the Royal Mail Steamer Delta from St. Thom^as. During 

 this time he was received as a private citizen and world- 

 renowned scientist by the governor of the islands, and 

 was called upon by the commandant of Fort St. George 



1 "Recollections of a Rebel Reefer", p. 100. 



