Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 2.djvu/63

] as were necessary; and before night abstracts of all the observations that had been made at Garden Island by the officers of the expedition were packed up and sent on board the Ruby, of London, for conveyance to England; by which vessel I also transmitted to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty a statement of the operations of the expedition up to the present time. The Ruby sailed the next morning; but we remained until the following day to finish our arrangements, take down and stow away the observatories, and make other necessary preparations for our departure.

The mean variation of the compass observed on Garden Island, between the 21st and 28th of July, was 9º 57′ 19″ E., and the mean dip 60º 50′ 5″ S.

In the course of the afternoon Commander Crozier and I went to government-house, to take leave of Sir George and Lady Gipps, from whom we had experienced during our stay the greatest kindness and warmest hospitality, especially evinced by their leaving us perfectly at liberty to accept or decline their almost daily invitations, but always receiving us with a most cordial welcome whenever our duties admitted of our appearing at their hospitable mansion. And our expedition is indebted to the Governor, not only for every assistance that we required, but for the readiness he uniformly manifested in facilitating our pursuits.

We also took leave of our warm-hearted friends