1811. 
ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
205 
give, as below *, the actual observations on which they are founded. 
These observations must be understood as cleared only of the error 
of the instrument ; and further, divided by 2, on account of the real 
angle of altitude being doubled by reflection from the artificial 
horizon. The corrections for parallax, refraction, sun's semi- 
diameter, &c., are left to be made by the operator. The longitudes 
used in correcting the sun's declination, were nearly the same as those 
which are to be found in the " Itinerary'' at the end of the volume ; 
but these latter are to be preferred, as being the final result of course, 
distance, and latitude combined : yet, for the estimation of latitude, 
they will scarcely produce any material difference from the numbers 
here given. 
A woman seated astride on horseback was to me, as yet, an un- 
usual sight : a female visitor, the wife of one of tlieir neighbours, 
rode in this manner up to the door, alighted with masculine agility, 
and, after an hour's visit, mounted her steed and trotted off, without 
the least sign of timidity. This, I found, was the customary mode 
of sitting, whenever women, in these distant parts of the country, 
ride on horseback ; which, however, is not very often. 
\2th. One of the sheep bought at Tulbagh, dropped a lamb this 
morning ; an increase of stock by no means advantageous to me, as 
there was no chance of either surviving the fatigue of travelling. It 
was, therefore, exchanged for one of the wethers of Jacobs's flock. 
The missionaries remained behind so much longer than was ex- 
pected, that I began to fear some accident had been the cause of 
the delay ; but in the forenoon their three waggons were descried 
coming on, and, soon after, they unyoked at the distance of a mile 
from the house. Mr. Anderson came immediately to give notice of 
his arrival, and informed me that the pole of his waggon had been 
broken, and that one of the other waggons had been overturned, but 
* 11th July, 1811, at Pieter Jacobs's, the observed meridional altitude of the sun's 
centre was S^"? 23' 26". 
