Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 1.djvu/116

16 situation, that can account for this variance, as in the case of Ptolemy; for the new town of Alexandria is built from east to west; and as all christian travellers necessarily make their observations now on the same line, there cannot possibly be any difference from situation.

, whether from one or more observations he does not say, makes the latitude to be 31° 12′. From a mean of thirty-three observations, taken by the three-feet quadrant I have spoken of, I found it to be 31° 11′ 16″: So that, taking a medium of these three results, you will have the latitude of Alexandria 31° 11′ 32″, or, in round number, 31° 11′ 30″, nor do I think there possibly can be 5″ difference.

an eclipse, moreover, of the first satellite of Jupiter, observed on the 23d day of June 1769, I found its longitude to be 30° 17′ 30″ east, from the meridian of Greenwich.

arrived at Alexandria the 20th of June, and found that the plague had raged in that city and neighbourhood from the beginning of March, and that two days only before our arrival people had begun to open their houses and communicate with each other; but it was no matter, St John's day was past, the miraculous nucta, or dew, had fallen, and every body went about their ordinary business in safety, and without fear.

very great pleasure I had received my instruments at Alexandria. I examined them, and, by the perfect state in which they arrived, knew the obligations I was under