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We arrived at St. John's Newfoundland the 22d of May, where we met with a very kind reception, and all the assistance we could desire. As this town is bounded with high mountains toward the sun-rising, so that no house in it would answer our end, we encamped on an eminence at some distance, from whence we could see the Sun presently after his rising.
Hither we conveyed our instruments, and secured the clock to a pillar set in the ground under a tent. Near this tent, and within call of the clock, we fixed two other pillars firmly in the ground; one, to mount the refracting telescope on; the other, which was above 8 feet high, for a style or gnomon, having at top a plate of lead with a little hole for transmitting the Sun's rays; and we laid an horizontal platform to receive those rays. The platform we kept covered, to defend it from the Sun and weather: and examined its position every time we made use of it, by a very long level. On this we carefully drew a meridian line, by correspondent altitudes of the Sun, taken both by the reflector and by the Sun's image on the platform. These operations we repeated every fair day, and several times in a day. It would be tedious, as well as needless, to give a detail of them: 'tis sufficient that we adjusted the clock with as much exactness as we could have done at home.
Thus prepared, we waited for the critical hour, which proved favourable to our wishes. The morning was serene and calm. The Sun rose behind a cloud that lay along the horizon, but soon got above it; and at 4h 18′ we had the pleasure of seeing Venus on the Sun; though dimly indeed at first. But
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