•were made only as an experiment, without aiming at much
nicety, I alfo meafured moftly one w a y ; whereas I ought
to have brought alternately the refledted and direct images
to contrary fides, with refpedt to each o th e r ; reading the
numbers o ff the quadrant, in one cafe, to the left o f the beg
in n in g o f the divilions; and, in the other cafe, to the right
hand o f the fame. It is evident, that h a lf the fum o f thefe
two numbers muft be the true meafurement, independent o f
the error o f the quadrant; and this is the method that I would
recommend.
But I am w e ll affured, that it might have been obferved
much nearer; and that this method may be u fe fu l when
neither the beginning nor end o f an eclipfe can be obferved,
which may often happen.
Immediately a fter the eclipfe w a s o v e r , w e o h fc r v c d the
diftance e fe a cT f limb o f the moon from Pollux and Arietis;
the one being to the Eaft, and the other to the Weft. An opportunity
to obferve, under all thefe circumftances, feldom
happens ; but when it does, it ought not to be omitted; as,
in this cafe, the local errors to w hich thefe obfervations are
liable, deftroy each other ; which, in all other cafes, would
require the obfervations o f a whole moon. T h e following
are the refults o f thefe obfervations :
, , . , {Arietis - 204*22' 07"?
M y fe lf with J V , „/-mean 204° 21' e"
{ Pollux - 204 30 4 j 1 p
, , „ . . .{Ar i et i s - 204° 2 7 '4 ; " J
Mr. Kin g with j \ I ,, I mean 204° 18' 20"
i Pollux - 204 9 i8 j ^ y
Mean o f the two means - 204° ig ' 47"
The time-keeper, at 41 30', to which time all 1 , , n
the lunar obfervations are reduced - £ ° 4 ° 4 45
T he current which I have mentioned, as fetting to the >9?«t
haftward, had now ceafed ; for we gained but little b y p ly - ,DecembeJ;
mg. On the 6th, in the evening, being about five leagues
farther up the coaft, and near the ihore, we had fome traffic
with the natives. But, a s k had furniihed only a trifling
iupply, I flood in.again the next morning, when w e had a « 1 1 1 1
eonfiderable number o f vifiters ; and we la y to, trading with
them till two in the afternoon. By that time, we had
procured pork, fruit, and roots, fufficient fo r four or five
days. We then made fail, and continued to ply to-windward.
Having procured a quantity o f fu g a r cane ; and having,
upon a trial, made but a few days before, found that 1
firon g decoil:ton o f it produced a very palatable beer, I ordered
fome more to be brewed,“ /Jr our general ufe. But
when the calk was now broached, not one o f my crew
would even fo much as tafte it. As I had no motive in
prepa rin g this beverage, but to fave our fpiric for a colder
climate I gave m y fe lf nè trouble, either by exerting authority,
or by having recourfe to perfuafion, to prevail upon
them to drink it ; kn owin g that there was no danger o f the
fcurvy, fo long as we could get a plentiful Amply o f other
vegetables. But, that I might not be difappointed in m v
views, I gave orders that no gro g ffiould be ferved in either
fhip. I myfelf, and the officers, continued to make ufe o f
this fugar-cane beer, whenever we could get materials for
brewing it. A few hops, o f which we had fome on board,
improved it much. It has the tafte o f new malt beer ; and I
believe no one w ill doubt o f its being very wholefome. And
yet m y inconfiderate crew a lleged that it was injurious to,
their health..