154 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



best repute as regards freedom from haze and fog, and 

 commanded an open outlook ; but it was inconvenient 

 for us on account of its distance from the ship. The 

 place next in repute was the railway station, between 

 two and three miles distant from the Mole. It was 

 inspected, but, being enclosed, was abandoned" for an 

 eminence in an adjacent garden, the property of Mr. 

 Hinshelwood, a Scotchman who had settled some years 

 previously as an Esparto merchant in Oran. 1 He, in 

 the most liberal manner, placed his ground at the dis- 

 position of the party. Here the tents were pitched, on 

 the Saturday, by Captain Salmond and his intelligent 

 corps of sappers, the instruments being erected on the 

 Monday under cover of the tents. 



Close to the railway station runs a new loopholed 

 wall of defence, through which the highway passes into 

 the open country. Standing on the highway, and 

 looking southwards, about twenty yards to the right is 

 a small bastionet, intended to carry a gun or two. Its 

 roof I thought would form an admirable basis for my 

 telescope, while the view of the surrounding country 

 was unimpeded in all directions. The authorities 

 kindly allowed me the use of this bastionet. Two 

 men, one a blue-jacket named Elliot, and the other a 

 marine named Hill, were placed at my disposal by 

 Lieutenant Walton ; and, thus aided, on Monday morn- 

 ing I mounted my telescope. The instrument was 

 new to me, and some hours of discipline were spent in 

 mastering all the details of its manipulation. 



Mr. Huggins joined me, and we visited together the 

 Arab quarter of Oran. The flat-roofed houses appeared 

 very clean and white. The street was filled with 

 loiterers, and the thresholds were occupied by pictur- 



1 Esparto is a kind of grass now much used in the manufacture 

 of paper. 



