Many thanks for the seeds. Will record in the minutes the source of the plants. Breakfast will await JH's arrival. Has been comet hunting every morning to no purpose.
Found comet in Scorpio this morning. Gives map and description. Something wrong with reflector. 'Paarl expenses.' Describes puff adder captured by Dr. Guerd. Glad that Stone is doing well.
As the error of the African chronometer is only 0m 1.1s fast on Cape mean time, he sends it. James Adamson is with TM or TM would avail himself of JH's invitation. The comet was superb last night. A most interesting phenomenon last night was the motion of the comet's nucleus over a small star.
Lack of rest prevented him calling this morning, but would like to come this evening and stay the night. Comet did not appear so round last night. There was a terrible wind. Happy with how the wall and the building protected JH's 20-ft reflecting telescope from high winds.
Gives measurements for the nucleus noted in his letter of 26 Jan. Regrets the delay of the last list of stars. Wind was tremendous last evening. Feared for the safety of the dome. Finds there is a quantity of sand in the box chronometer.
Congratulations on the birth of JH's son Alexander. Has a man preparing the old Ramsden Equatorial as the calculations from the repeating circle are so troublesome. Observations of the comet this morning were excellent.
Many thanks for the portrait; it shall soon have a resting place. Will not rest until the comet observations are en route to England. T. G. Taylor does not observe himself. There was a beautiful occultation of three stars last night.
Would welcome changes in the nomenclature of the constellations. Hesitates to compute the observations of John Burrow.
When in Cape Town he heard there was a parcel, probably of books, for JH, so has arranged for it to be delivered. Has had newspapers, etc., from England but not a word about the comet's northern tour. Encloses a copy of Thomas Henderson's Cape Declinations.
Problems observing Halley's Comet. Sends first batch of TM's reduction of Thomas Brisbane's stars. Does JH approve J. C. Adamson's and J. R. Innes's offer to help calculate and tabulate Expedition data? Francis Baily's proposal to rename constellations. Renegotiating price for repairs on equatorial. Describes dream resulting from reading Baily's life of John Flamsteed.
Observation of Halley's Comet. Sends servant to pick up information on star 'Constants.'
Encloses the list in JH's own handwriting. Has placed two silver wires in the eye piece of the micrometer. Will JH secure him some cobweb for placing in the micrometer.
Sends the original of the barometer observations as he cannot spare the time to copy them. Had hoped to have the Brisbane stars ready on Monday. Comet was invisible last night.
Dr. Andrew Smith called yesterday. Has succeeded in establishing a postal system for the Observatory. The comet was faint last evening. Had a parcel from the Admiralty but no word about the tide gauge. Sends the Simon's Bay observations, also the P. P. Barraud chronometer, which loses time at a great rate.
Returns the hourly observations of the last equinox. There will be a meeting of the Institute tomorrow. Has removed the silver lines from the mural circle and replaced them by Bermuda cobwebs. Would like to insert these in JH's micrometer. Has been busy calculating a large table of precessions in R.A. Capt. Alexander should desist from newspaper writing.
Letters from W. H. Smyth. Notes on Halley's Comet and possible planet sighting.
Believes his acquaintance with the comet is drawing to a close. A 30" transit was placed in the meridian last night. Returns the Pulkova observations. Believes the bad weather may have upset Lady Herschel's journey.
Mural and transit are at JH's command. Will have pleasure in joining him on Saturday. Has a good supply of balls and will procure some goose shot.
Has asked Dr. Andrew Smith, Capt. J. E. Alexander, and their friends for Saturday; hopes JH can join them. Has recognized fifteen of the November cometary stars; they are in Harding's map with one exception. The Ephemeris will require a small correction.
Is proceeding at a respectable speed with the Brisbane list. Has received [Andrew?] Smith's box safely. Saw Dr. Smith last night; he is more reconciled. Many thanks for the trees; the ground is suitable to receive them.