On the morning of the 30th, the day when the eclipse was to happen, Mr King, Mr Bayly, and myself, went ashore on the small island above-mentioned, to attend the observation.  The sky was over-cast till past nine o’clock, when the clouds about the sun dispersed long enough to take its altitude, to rectify the time by the watch we made use of.  After this, it was again obscured, till about thirty minutes past nine, and then we found that the eclipse was begun.  We now fixed the micrometers to the telescopes, and observed or measured the uneclipsed part of the sun’s disk.  At these observations I continued about three-quarters of an hour before the end, when I left off, being, in fact, unable to continue them longer, on account of the great heat of the sun, increased by the reflection from the sand.

The sun was clouded at times; but it was clear when the eclipse ended, the time of which was observed as follows: 

Mr Bayly        0  26   3
By    Mr King    at   0  26   1   Apparent Time p.m. 
Myself          0  25  37

Mr Bayly and I observed with the large achromatic telescopes, and Mr King with a reflector.  As Mr Bayly’s telescope and mine were of the same magnifying power, I ought not to have differed so much from him as I did.  Perhaps, it was, in part, if not wholly owing to a protuberance in the moon, which escaped my notice, but was seen by both the other gentlemen.

In the afternoon, the boats and turtling party, at the S.E. part of the island, all returned on board, except a seaman belonging to the Discovery, who had been missing two days.  There were two of them at first who had lost their way, but disagreeing about the most probable track to bring them back to their companions, they had separated, and one of them joined the party, after having been absent twenty-four hours, and been in great distress.  Not a drop of fresh water could be had, for there is none upon the whole island; nor was there a single cocoa-nut tree on that part of it.  In order to allay his thirst, be had recourse to the singular expedient of killing turtles, and drinking their blood.  His mode of refreshing himself, when weary, of which he said he felt the good effects, was equally whimsical.  He undressed himself, and lay down for some time in the shallow water upon the beach.[2]

[Footnote 2:  The practice is deserving of a better epithet.  It is highly judicious, and may often be adopted with the best effects.  The use of the cold bath in cases of fever is not materially different; and it is most certain, that washing the body with either cold or warm water, is one of the best methods of relieving the sense of weariness consequent on fatiguing exercise.  Some caution is undoubtedly required in using it; but on the whole, there is much less danger in the application than is commonly imagined.  The natural indications are chiefly to be regarded.  Thus it is not likely that a person already cooled down below the natural standard, so as to feel positively