Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/20

 tides, by a properly constructed gauge conveniently situated near the west end of the base, which duty he performed very carefully. Finally, on the 24th March, the work was completed on a large scale, not however without considerable delay, owing to the obscuration of objects by smoke. The small steam launch of the Expedition did good service, as also did the Volant. We then took solar observations for our chronometers and started for Chumpon, where we requested the Palat to give no a shake down for the night, which he did, and treated us very hospitably into the bargain. The same day we had an interview with H.E. the Governor, who appeared to be some-what thick headed, and arrangements were made with him for a supply of elephants to carry out the remaining work of the Expedition. On the following morning Commandant Bellion's party set out early for Taa San, and the next day I followed them to the same place, where the entire Expedition was assembled. They all seemed in good spirits, and were looking forward to the time when their labours would be completed, especially, I thought, did those excellent engineers, Messrs. Bourgery and Delaplanche, who were having a hard time of it. These gentlemen it appears worked from opposite directions, and meeting at Krà Pass with their levelling instruments, determined its height independently of each other to the nearest millimetre! This they told me was 250 feet, which exactly corresponded with the measurement I made with my aneroid. Mr. Delaplanche congratulated me on the performance of my instrument, and spoke of its great value, and said that in future he would always carry a good one with him. I gave him the name of Negretti and Zambra of London, whom I believe to be the best makers of these very useful instruments. I frequently measured from platforms in trees exceeding a hundred feet in height to the ground with aneroids of this maker's construction, and have seldom found more than two or three inches of difference between the elevation shewn by the aneroid and the actual height as measured with a tape line. Heavy showers of rain had fallen at Taa San a few days before we arrived. We experienced none at Chumpon, although there were