| Description | The great event is the 'rejuvinescence of the hoary old comet' [Donati's comet] which had been seen every night for the last twenty four days. William noticed nothing peculiar about the tail to begin with, but there was a sudden increase in curvature for one day on the 13th. He thinks that this 'long brush' had kept the comet's head from preserving its normal position towards the Sun, but afterwards the head swung 'at once to its pole'. The alteration of the comet's axis became rapid after that. He had no instruments and therefore had to judge by the stars, but 'there was a great deal of imagination in one's ideas of position of the heavenly bodies'. The preceding edge of the comet's tail was clean cut compared to the following edge, like a bird of paradise tail. He asks if the calculations on its reappearence have been confirmed and whether this is 'the oldest comet in chains'. Colonel [John Caulfield] Hannyington and Captain Gastrell speak confidently about it, but William is slower to believe. He has not seen [John Russell] Hind's pamphlet and has spoken only briefly to Hannyington, who has a great reputation in India as a master of figures. He studies Saxon and Hebrew in his spare time. Gastrell is a man of high talents and both have taken daily observations of the comet, which they have asked William to send to his father. They had a long conversation about Foucault's pendulum and what has become of it. William asks for any short work on this, communicating their alternative views on the pendulum's action. William comments on the bright appearance of the planet Venus, an 'undulation' of its light, and its proximity to the comet. He says that he has had an attack of ague, his first for a long time. William has lost his heart to the pretty Miss Barber. He is to officiate as Magistrate of Moorshedabad [Mushidabad], takimg charge from Spencer. He gives Dr Wilson's assessment of his fever, recommending 'one day of quinine and poker'. Spencer is going away on a promotion and William is to take charge until a replacement, Muspratt, arrives: 'he is a great ass & I shall be for the 100th time under a magistrate not of the best'. William continues to berate Muspratt, who he believes is being degraded by being sent there from Calcutta [Kolkata]. |