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The telefcope Mr. Hirfi: obferved with, was a re- 
fleder 2 feet long, made by Mr. Adams, of Fleet- 
fireet, London, and lately fent, as a prefent, by the 
Eafi India company, to the Nabob Mahommed Allah 
Cawn, of whom Governor Pigot was fo kind to bor- 
row it, on this occafion. The governor himfelf, and 
alfo Mr. Call, a very ingenious gentleman, affifted in 
the obfervation ; the former with a 4 feet refrader, 
of Mr. Dollond’s new confirudion ; the latter with a 
2 feet refleder, formerly belonging to Dr. Mead. 
Some time before five, in the morning of the 6th 
of June, Mr. Hirfl:, and the reft of the gentlemen, 
met on the terrafs of the fort-houfe, and were at their 
glafies, at the time the Sun rofe, left Venus might 
enter the difk before the time calculated by the afiro- 
nomers. The Jefuits had calculated the beginning 
for Pondichery, at 6 h 57'. The London calculations, 
reduced to the meridian of fort St. George, gave it at. 
7 h 26 ' 25" apparent time. 
The morning proved favourable to the utmoft of 
their wifhes, which the more increafed their impa- 
tience. At length, as Mr. Hirfi: was ftedfafily look- 
ing at the under limb of the Sun, towards the fouth,. 
where he expeded the planet would enter, he plainly, 
perceived a kind of penumbra, or dufky fhade; om 
which he cried out, ’tts a-coming * and begged Mr. 
Call to take notice of it. T wo or three feconds after 
this, namely, at y h 21' 10" apparent time, happened, 
the firfb exterior contad of Venus with the Sun, 
which all the three obfervers pronounced at the fame 
inftant, as with one voice. Mr. Hirfi: is apprehen— 
live, that to be able to difcern an atmolphere about a' 
planet at fo great a difiance as Venus, may be re- 
