MD3PAD 718-720

[Toby G Levy]

        Mason leave the December meeting at the Royal Society and run
into a person asking them why they have not been elected to the Royal
Society. They both are thinking about the next transit of Venus.

        Mason reflects that in refusing the North Cape assignment he is
breaking the symmetry of his working with Dixon.  He regrets having to
leave his children with his sister while we worked halfway around the
world.

        He imagines what it would be like if they went to North Cape,
where the main industry is the collecting of guano for the purposes of
making gunpowder.

        After Maskelyne asks, Mason agrees to observe the transit of
venus in Ulster, in the northern part of Ireland.  He is able to witness
the start of the transit but fog takes away his opportunity to clock the
end of the transit. Dixon stays in what appears to be a brand new house,
in which there are beds in every room, including the kitchen. There are
many shadows but Rebekah does not visit him.

        Maskelyne writes Mason a letter dated November 9th and mentions
Mason's "moral reflections." Wicks' audience wonders what Maskelyne was
talking about, but Wicks says that Mason's letters to Maskelyne have
never been found. Ives suggests Wicks should make something up, like
Baron Munchausen. But Wicks says he prefers to wait until the letters
are found.

Toby