368 
TRAVELS IN 
mined to proceed to the next habitation, which was faid to be 
about four miles farther. On arriving there, at midnight, it 
was fouud to be very little better than the other. The 
marks of extreme poverty appeared on the houfe and its in- 
habitants. A cow, or two, a Utile corn, a few fheep and 
goats, conftituted the whole of their poffeffions. Yet thefe 
are in much better circumftances than the generality of the 
peafantry of Europe, having the benefit of a climate that 
requires little clothing, and no artificial heat, both of which 
are abfolutely neceffary in moft countries of the latter ; and they 
may here, at all times, procure abundance to fatisfy the cra- 
vings of nature. 
It was on thefe miferable plains that the Abbe' de la Caille ter- 
minated the meafurement of his bafe from the Cape, in order to 
afcertain the length of a degree of the meridian in the fouthern 
parallels of latitude. Refpecfting this great mathematician and 
aftronomer, and his arduous undertaking, the learned author of 
a Mathematical Didionary, lately publiflied, has the following 
remark: "'Having thus executed the purpofe of his voyage, 
*' and no prefent opportunity offering for his return, he thought 
*' of employing the vacant time in another arduous attempt; 
*' no lefs than that of taking the meafure of the earth, as he had 
" already done that of the heavens. This, indeed, had been 
" done before by different fets of learned men, both in Europe 
" and America ; fome determining the quantity of a degree at 
" the equator, and others at the ardic circle : but it had not as 
yet been decided, whether in the fouthern parallels of latitude 
" the fame dimenfions obtained as in the northern. His labors 
" were 
