After sunset I said to Rogala: "Bring me the 'precious box.'" After he had laid it at my feet I opened it.
Rogala stood up close to me, looking on with mingled feelings of curiosity and fear. First, I took from the box two sextants--one was to determine the altitude of the stars, planets, and moon; the other the distance between them from east to west, or _vice versa_. Then I took out a trough, which I filled up with quicksilver to be used as an artificial horizon, on which the stars were to be reflected.
From a little copper-screwed water-tight box I took two watches out of four which all marked the seconds, a bull's-eye lantern, and other objects that excited the wonder of Rogala. Before taking the observations, I thought I would have some fun with Rogala. I placed my telescope in position for Jupiter and said to him: "In the land of the Oguizi this star is called Jupiter. Do you see little stars round it?" I meant the satellites.
[Illustration: "_When I was ready to take observations, I seated myself cross-legged before the artificial horizon._"]
"There are stars near it," said I, "but your eyes cannot see them. I will show them to you."
Then I made him look with the telescope towards Jupiter, and he saw the satellites. He looked at me with awe, then with wonder. Fortunately he knew I would not harm him, but throwing himself at my feet, he took hold of them and exclaimed: "You are a great Oguizi. My eyes have seen what no other black man's have seen before;" then he got up and in a loud voice invoked the spirits of his ancestors to protect and watch over him, and shouted, "Great indeed is the Oguizi."
When I was ready to take observations, I seated myself cross-legged before the artificial horizon. On my right was a sextant to take the distance between the moon and the lunar stars that were in position. Close by was one of the watches; also the magnifying-glass to help me to read the degrees, minutes, and seconds on the sextant.
On my left was the sextant for taking altitudes, near which was the slate with pencil to write down the figures, and the bull's-eye lantern was lighted to help me to read the sextant. Also a thermometer for ascertaining the temperature.
The most important thing was to make the observations as quickly as possible and read from the watch the space of time between them.