Practical A stronomy. 151 



tree as soon as the storm ceased, and found that a 

 large mass of wood was scooped out of the trunk 

 from top to bottom. I had occasion in two other 

 instances to notice the same effect. Dr. Wollaston 

 lent me a sextant and artificial horizon ; so I amused 

 myself taking the altitude of the sun, the conse- 

 quence of which was that I became as brown as a 

 mulatto, but I was too anxious to learn something of 

 practical astronomy to care about the matter. 



