ring off what
we wanted. Soon after they reached the shore, we had company enough;
and few coming empty-handed, we got a tolerable supply of small pigs,
fruit, and roots. We continued trading with them till six in the
evening; when we made sail, and stood off, with a view of plying to
windward round the island.

In the evening of the 4th, we observed an eclipse of the moon. Mr King
made use of a night-telescope, a circular aperture being placed at
the object end, about one-third of the size of the common aperture.
I observed with the telescope of one of Ramsden's sextants; which, I
think, answers this purpose as well as any other. The following times
are the means, as observed by us both:

Longitude.
6^h 3' 25" beginning of the eclipse 204 deg. 40' 45"
8 27 25 end of the eclipse 204 25 15
------------
Mean 204 35 0

The _penumbra_ was visible at least ten minutes before the beginning
and after the end of the eclipse. I measured the uneclipsed part of
the moon with one of Ramsden's sextants, several times before, at, and
after the middle of the eclipse; but did not get the middle so near
as might have been effected by this method. Indeed, these observations
were made only as an experiment, without aiming at much nicety. I also
measured mostly one way; whereas I ought to have brought alternately
the reflected and direct images on contrary sides with respect to each
other; reading the numbers off the quadrant, in one case, to the left
of the beginning of the divisions; and, in the other case, to the
right hand of the same. It is evident, that half the sum of these two
numbers must be the true measurement, independent of the error of the
quadrant; and this is the method that I would recommend.

But I am well assured, that it might have been observed much nearer;
and that this method maybe useful when neither the beginning nor end
of an eclipse can be observed, which may often happen.

Immediately after the eclipse was over, we observed the distance of
each limb of the moon from _Pollux_ and _alpha Arietis_; the one being
to the east, and the other to the west. An opportunity to observe,
under all these circumstances, seldom happens; but when it does, it
ought not to be omitted; as, in this case, the local errors to which
these observations are liable, destroy each other