Scope and Contents

The observations begin with a note on setting up his instruments on shore. Included are daily astronomical observations, observations for determining the variation of the magnetic needle, and observations of the rate of Clocks B and C, and of Watch No. 1.

Scope and Contents

Daily log entries resume on 17 April when the ship left Cape Town, bound for England. These are preceded by a note dated 15 April on Watch No. 1 which was found to be too slow for meantime. Bayly includes sightings of seals and bottlenose dolphins, along with notes of the ship’s estimated speed. His observations include measurements of the distance of the moon from Spica Virginis and from Pollux.

Scope and Contents Entries for this month begin with a note on 22 November on the performance of Watch No. 1 which was losing time. Bayly had spent much of his time at Cape Town taking observations and making comparisons with the Astronomical Clock there. Daily log entries continue from 23 November as the ship resumed its voyage, and Bayly records that over the next few days the ship outran its log by more than 20 miles, perhaps due to a current. The entry for 30 November records strong gales and ‘a very great...

Scope and Contents Daily entries for October, travelling towards the Cape of Good Hope. A number of entries include measurements of lunar distances from the sun, Aquila and Aldebaran, along with resulting calculations of longitude. An entry for 5 October records that Arnold’s Watch No. 2 was losing considerable time and that the second hand was pausing for intervals of a few seconds [RGO 14/56: 22v]; estimations of longitude by timekeeper were thereafter recorded by Bayly in the log book based on Watch No. 1...

Scope and Contents

Bayly begins his observations with a note on setting up his instruments on shore, in which he records the loss or theft of some of his equipment. His observations include comparisons of Watch No. 1 with the astronomical clock at the Cape of Good Hope; meridian zenith distances of the sun and stars; observations on the dipping needle; observations on the tides; distances of the sun, moon and stars; and azimuths taken with a compass of constructed by Dr Knight.