Herschel helped by making tidal observations off the coast of South Africa, and, as he complained to Whewell, he was knocked off the docks during a violent high tide for his trouble.
Herschel je pripomogao opažanjem morskih mijena s obale Južne Afrike i, kako se požalio Whewellu, za hvalu ga je silovita plima zbacila s doka.