242 Proceedings of Boy at Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
at least one incident, the receipt by telegram from Gibraltar of 
news of the relief of Mafeking. When we left home the strain 
of expectancy of this happy event was still dominating the public 
mind, and news of the relief was hourly looked for. The first 
enquiry on our arrival at Gibraltar was — What news of Mafeking h 
and the reply was — No news yet. Arrived at Santa Pola we were 
still in a state of some anxiety, till at last, on the 19th, we found 
the good news awaiting us on our appearance at the hotel after 
the morning’s work. As British subjects sojourning on foreign 
soil, we found it impossible to restrain our feelings, and even 
thought it necessary to show our loyalty to the glorious empire 
to which we belong. The news was received with three hearty 
cheers, much to the amazement of our host, the people of the 
hotel, and the passing natives who happened to be loitering about 
the hotel door to look at the English astronomers. Whether 
they understood at the moment what it was all about, I know not, 
but they were not long in finding out that we were rejoicing over 
one more victory for British pluck. So far as I could understand, 
the sympathies of the Spaniards in the present Transvaal war are 
quite on the side of the Boers, and I presume there are reasons 
why Spanish human nature should entertain such feelings. 
During our stay at Santa Pola, however, this feeling was never 
allowed to show itself, and all through we were treated with the 
greatest courtesy and kindness, which manifested itself on more 
than one occasion in distinctly practical form. 
I have now brought my narrative as far as May 25th. There 
were still two clear days, the 26th and 27th, before the day of 
the eclipse. These were occupied partly in drill, partly in 
putting final touches to the adjustments of the instruments, and 
generally in making final arrangements. On the 26th our camp, 
now completed, had the honour of being visited by the Civil 
Governor of the Province of Alicante, in which province Santa 
Pola is situated. A number of the French astronomers from 
Elche also visited us, and were received and entertained by 
Dr Copeland. The state of the weather naturally at this date 
engaged some of our attention, but I am bound to say, it never, 
at any time, caused us much concern. In the earlier days of 
our stay, there were on one or two occasions a few drops of 
