At last, on the morning of 3rd December—the fifteenth of our stay at the island—the sky shone so brightly that one could, with more probability than hitherto, cherish the hope that the various operations we had been compelled to lay aside might finally be brought uninterrupted to a successful conclusion. However, the very wet day was again exceedingly unfavourable for open-air observations, especially astronomical, inasmuch as a pretty strong North-east wind incessantly drove over the island clouds of rain, the very heaviest of which, attracted by the mass of the island, broke right over our heads. Fortunately this spell of bad weather did not last as long as the first; and when, on 6th December, the Novara once more made her appearance at the island, and enquired by signals as to the progress made in our appointed work, we were so fortunate as to be able to reply by the same means, that the most important portion had been completed, and that the officers and naturalists were ready to re-embark.
About 9 a. m., the frigate anchored in 25 fathoms, close to the spot where the English ship Fly, Captain Blackwood, lay in 1842. It was the third time that the Novara anchored off St. Paul. Twice before had she experienced unusually tempestuous weather, which compelled her to sheer off from such a perilous coast, and expose herself to be lashed for days together by the raging giant waves of the infuriated element.
One of the boats sent by the frigate to take us off to the ship, brought at the same time some presents, in memory of the Expedition, for the residents of the island, who had been so hospitable and obliging during our stay. The presents consisted of ship biscuit, salted meat, and various other edibles, wine, a musket, woollen blankets, clothes, shoes, tools, medicines, vinegar, oil, &c. The simple, modest fellows were immensely pleased with these unexpected presents, and Viot especially seemed overjoyed on seeing a number of tools, for want of which many of the repairs necessary in the interior of their anything but air-tight wooden habitations, were daily becoming more apparent.
We left a book on the Island of St. Paul, in which the principal memoranda of what we had achieved were set forth in three languages (German, English, and French), with the view of supplying to future scientific visitors, data for further researches and observations, and at same time incite them to prosecute these we had ourselves made.
We insert here this document, which will yet give witness, probably, of the scientific activity of the Austrian Expedition at the Island of St. Paul in the Indian Ocean, at a period when those engaged in it will long since have voyaged to
"That undiscovered country from whose bourne
No traveller returns."
"The Imperial Austrian Frigate, Novara, 44, under the command of Commodore the Chevalier von Wüllerstorf-Urbair, engaged in a voyage round the globe for scientific purposes, anchored at nine in the morning of 19th November, 1857, on the Eastern side of St. Paul, with the purpose of prosecuting astronomical, magnetic, meteorological, and geodesical observations and measurements, and at same time examine thoroughly the natural history of the island. Extremely unfavourable weather in great measure delayed the expedition; and, after having successfully carried out a series of observations and researches, the results of which will in due time be published, the officers and naturalists in charge of the various departments, on the 6th December of the same year, quitted St. Paul, each bearing with him the most pleasing reminiscences of that interesting island, and of its three poor, but eminently kind inhabitants.
"For the guidance of future observers the following memoranda may prove useful:—
"I. That the spot at which observations were taken was on a small eminence, north of the huts of the colonists, and which may be recognized by a small pyramid of stones, on which the Austrian Expedition marked the observed latitude 38° 42′ 55″ S., and the longitude 77° 31′ 18″ E. of Greenwich.[67] Further that:—
[67] The time, which we took from the Cape Observatory by four excellent chronometers, gave, on our voyage between the Cape and St. Paul, a period of forty-six days, a difference of 3 h. 56 min. 11 sec., which the island was E. of the Cape, so that adding the Longitude of the latter East of Greenwich (by nautical almanack), 1 h. 13 min. 55 s., we have the Longitude of St. Paul 5 h. 10 min. 6 s. East of Greenwich (77° 31′ 30″ E.) Between Madras and St. Paul, during a long passage of sixty-seven days, and with six chronometers somewhat less accurately set than the preceding, St. Paul was found by observation to be 0 h. 10 min. 51.8 sec. West of Madras (2° 42′ 55″ W.) By the longitude of the Observatory of Madras, 5 h. 20 min. 57 sec. East of Greenwich (80° 14′ 15″ E.), as furnished by the Director of the Observatory, Major Jacobs (whereas the nautical almanack gave 5 h. 21 m. 3.77 sec. = 80° 16′ 0½″). The longitude of St. Paul would be 5 h. 10 m. 5.2 s. East of Greenwich (77° 31′ 23″ E.) The average of the two measurements gives as the average 5 h. 10 m. 5.6 sec., or 77° 31′ 26″ E. to be assumed as the final longitude of St. Paul, while the latitude was taken from the various means of the height of the sun at the meridian on an average of days. An additional computation in which allowances were made for the various corrections, gave, as the latitude, 38° 42′ 47″ S.