He filled the tray with water from the pump in Mrs. Pouncey’s garden, laid it on an iron tripod which he found in the shed, and obtaining some firewood and coke from Mrs. Pouncey, kindled a small fire in an iron brazier.  This he put underneath the tray, hanging the thermometer from the tripod.  In a few minutes a sizzling informed him that water was trickling through the holes, and lifting the thermometer, he discovered that it registered 76°.