ABSTRACT
As it was my intention not to stay in this port beyond the last days of the month and as there was a great deal of work to be done in such a short period, we would have been very remiss to lose any time unless unavoidable. At first sight the land around the anchorage, being both thick with mangroves and most of it flooded, did not offer a convenient spot for setting up the observatory. Upon careful examination in the yawl, however, Don Dionisio Galiano and I found on the shore to the east, close enough to be within range of a speaking-trumpet, a small area of open ground which seemed to be above the level of the tide, where it would be easy to remove the surrounding trees which obscured the greater part of the horizon. By nightfall, therefore, the tent, the astronomical clock and quadrant had been mounted so as to be able to take equal altitudes the following day to rate the chronometers, while being ready for the many important observations to be made during succeeding days. 2
