False Bay,] TERRA AUSTRALIS. 39 
sand from the hills on the north side of Simon's Bay. I went, ac- 18( ? 1 - 
' October. 
• cordingly, to make an examination ; and found that by sinking a Saturday 17. 
cask in the sand, with the head out and the upper hoops taken off, 
the water drained through the spaces between the staves, sufficiently 
fast for our purpose. This plan was therefore adopted ; and the 
watering of the ship immediately commenced. 
Having seen this, and some other duties set forward under the 
proper officers, I accompanied Mr. Crosley, the astronomer, in 
search of a place where the observatory and tents could be conve- 
niently set up. The situation chosen was near a small rill on the 
south side of the bay, about three-hundred yards from the maga- 
zine ; and the permission of the military commandant being obtained, 
two tents, the observatory, and astronomical instruments were 
landed in the afternoon, with a guard of marines. The whole was 
placed under the charge of Mr. Flinders, the second lieutenant, 
who was also to act as an assistant in making and calculating the 
observations, for which he was qualified. The situation of the tents 
was tolerably well sheltered from the south-eastern gales, which 
begin to prevail at this season of the year ; but the quantity of sand 
put in motion by every breeze, was a great molestation, and proved 
injurious to the instruments. Besides this inconvenience, there was 
another attached to the situation which had not been foreseen. The 
road from Simon's Town to a place called the Company's garden, 
led close past the observatory ; and this was the sole ride or walk 
in the neighbourhood, which the inhabitants and the gentlemen be- 
longing to the ships in the bay could enjoy. From those of the first 
rank, who took their morning's ride, to the sailor who staggered past 
on a Sunday, and even the slave with his bundle of fire wood, all 
stopped at the observatory to see what was going on. Ramsden's 
universal theodolite, set up for the purpose of observing transits, 
excited its share of attention from the curious. Some wanted inform- 
ation, some amusement, and all would have liked to see how the sun 
appeared through the telescope. 
